The Buddy Walk Background

The Buddy Walk® was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to bring together a wide range of concerned individuals to reach out to friends, family and co-workers to promote awareness and inclusion for people with Down syndrome and to raise funds for education, research and advocacy programs.

The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training.  The Walk has grown from 17 Walks in 1995 to 275 nationwide and around the world in 2008.  Hundreds of thousands of people walk from coast to coast and abroad each year.  Our goal is to substantially increase the number of walkers each year. The goal of the Buddy Walk is to promote understanding and acceptance of people with Down syndrome.  In 2010, our goal is to have over 285 Buddy Walks across the country and abroad.

National Buddy Walk Statistics – 2009 Buddy Walk Program

More than 275 Walks were held worldwide in 2009. For a list of where registered walks were held, please visit  www.buddywalk.org and click on the “2009 Walks” link, located under “Find A Walk”.

Approximately $10,500,000 was raised nation-wide through the NDSS Buddy Walk. These funds were distributed among sponsoring Buddy Walk Organizations and the National Down Syndrome Society.

More than 235,000 individuals participated in a Buddy Walk in 2008.   Since the Buddy Walk was created in 1995, more than 2,000,000 people have participated in a Buddy Walk worldwide.

The Buddy Walk is a trademarked program of the National Down Syndrome Society and was created in 1995 to assist local groups in their advocacy efforts in their communities. With more than 275 Walks taking place each year, the National Down Syndrome Society is able to speak with a unified and stronger voice on issues of policy that affect individuals with Down syndrome.

As the Buddy Walk has grown over the past 15 years, it is very important that we speak with a unified voice when promoting the Buddy Walk program.  As we seek national sponsorship, it is more important than ever to be conveying a consistent message.  These current statistics, along with the Buddy Walk logo (available for download on  www.buddywalk.org), must be reflected in your brochures and on your website.