Area Director, Best Buddies Jacksonville
Mission
Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Serving Jacksonville
Started at Georgetown University in 1989; the Jacksonville office opened in 1995.
Those served
We serve Duval, Nassau, St. Johns, Clay and Leon counties. We currently have programs in 22 schools. We are planning to open Best Buddies chapters in at least seven additional schools in 2013.
Biggest challenge
Spreading awareness of what Best Buddies is. We are a new organization and are known in the schools, but we are not a household name. With a local staff of three, it is a struggle to be at every community event to promote Best Buddies and what we do.
Biggest satisfaction
Seeing the youth and adults we help. Hearing stories from them on how before they got involved with Best Buddies, they didn’t really have many friends. Best Buddies brings people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities together in true friendship and creates equality. It is amazing to see firsthand.
Hometown
I was born in Key West but spent most of my life in Jacksonville.
First experience with community service
In grade school I volunteered in the special education wing of my elementary school, Sabal Palm, once a week working one-on-one with a student named Billy.
Your job before Best Buddies
I worked for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for four years as executive director in Jacksonville and in Orlando. Before that, I closed home loans at Washington Mutual.
Upcoming events
Oct. 5: 6th Annual Bet on Friendships, 7-10 p.m., Marsh Landing Country Club. Visit www.bestbuddiesflorida.org/bofjax.
Contact information
www.bestbuddiesflorida.org
296-0510, ext. 404