About e-Buddies

"My e-Buddy and me, we are learning that we are a lot a like. He might not have known an athlete like me before, but now I think he thinks of me like any other friend. And I am."

- Robert Plante, Special Olympics Athlete

What is e-Buddies?

e-Buddies is one of the six programs offered by Best Buddies International. e-Buddies is an e-mail pen pal program that provides opportunities for e-mail friendships between persons with an intellectual disability and their peers who do not have an intellectual disability.

e-Buddies is a fun and safe way to make a new friend. Each participant is matched in a one-to-one e-mail friendship, and matched pairs are asked to exchange e-mails once a week for at least one year. Matches are made based on similar age, gender, geography (i.e. participants will NOT be matched with someone from the same state), and shared interests.

We fully appreciate the risks involved with online communication. For that reason, we employ a multi-layered approach to minimize risk and ensure the safety of our participants.

e-Buddies is open to anyone with an e-mail address who is 10 years old and up. All participants join via our online application. Participants with an intellectual disability can sign up individually, or in groups through a special education class or a support service agency. e-Buddies is ALWAYS free of charge for participants with an intellectual disability.

e-Buddies provides individuals with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to develop new friendships while acquiring much needed computer skills. For volunteers, e-Buddies is a unique opportunity to change a life and make a friend. The benefits of that are immeasurable.

To get started and join e-Buddies, please click here. For more specific information on e-Buddies and how it works, please visit our Resources section.

What is Best Buddies?

Best Buddies International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.

Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies has grown from one chapter on one college campus to a vibrant, international organization. Our programs today reach all 50 of the United States, and Best Buddies operates accredited international programs in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, England, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.