Best Buddies Ohio

06/02/2026

💜👟 Cleveland, you showed up! More than 350 walkers came together at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for the 2026 Best Buddies Friendship Walk, raising over $70,000 for inclusion, friendship, and opportunity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

06/01/2026

💜 DONOR SPOTLIGHT💜

We're excited to recognize Achieve Credit Union as one of our newest corporate partners and champions of inclusion in Northeast Ohio!

What started as their first experience with the Best Buddies Friendship Walk quickly grew into meaningful community engagement. Their team showed up in a big way—participating in the Walk, raising funds to support our mission, and even matching their employees' fundraising efforts through their Community Impact Program. They also joined us onsite with a community table, connecting with participants, families, and supporters throughout the day.

Their partnership is a wonderful example of how businesses can support inclusion beyond traditional sponsorships by engaging employees, investing in their communities, and building authentic connections.

"Achieve Credit Union believes in showing up for the community, and that is what our Community Impact Program is all about. We were proud to support the Best Buddies Friendship Walk through a meaningful contribution, along with a matching donation from the Impact Program. Our employees and members were incredibly generous in supporting this amazing organization. The Best Buddies Friendship Walk brings people together from across Northeast Ohio, and we are thankful to have been a part of it."— Bret J. Fisher, President & CEO, Achieve Credit Union

Thank you, Achieve Credit Union, for helping us create a more inclusive world built on friendship, belonging, and opportunity. 🌟

05/26/2026

Nominations are coming in now! Wish to nominate a Champion? Let us know at Ohio@BestBuddies.org. :)

Big things are coming this Champion of the Year season 💙 We’re currently recruiting leaders, changemakers, and advocates to spread the Best Buddies mission in a big way!

Think you have what it takes to be a Champion? Visit https://www.bestbuddieschampion.org/nominate-a-champion to nominate someone today!

05/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Best Buddies Friendship Walk: Cincinnati 2026! Money raised at this event keeps the Best Buddies program 100% free for our participants. Together, Dayton, Cincinnati, and all of SW Ohio donated $55,000 to help us keep going.

Special shout-out to our top individual fundraisers: Kate Malo, Holly Dainton, and Maryann Po***ck Bhat! We are grateful to everyone who fundraised!

Thank you to our event sponsors: Hanover Reserve Weddings & Events, The Po***ck & Bhat Family in Memory of Joe and Amy Po***ck, McCloy Family Foundation, Built 2 Give Back Bilstein, Four Star Mechanical, TQL Foundation, Parker Hannifin, Performance Benefit Solutions, Bargains & Buyouts Home, Eukles Wealth Management, Pater, Pater & Halverson Company L.P.A, United Dairy Farmers, Clark Heating & Cooling, Inc., The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation, DayAir Credit Unition, Matandy Steel Services, Baudendistal, D.D.S. Wright-Patt Credit Union, Clements Family Dentistry, & Lavadah Boutique

05/04/2026

More than 400 people came together in Downtown Columbus for the Best Buddies Friendship Walk: Columbus 2026! 💜 Together, these incredible leaders raised an amazing $44,000 to support inclusion.

The event was emceed by Caitlin and Evan from Best Buddies Citizens, and we loved hearing Bella and Mack from Grove City High School share about their meaningful friendship.

We were proud to recognize our top fundraisers and teams: Top Individual Walker, Natalie Stump; Top Corporate Team, Team NCH H10; Top School Team, Team Hastings Middle School; and Top Friends & Family Team, Team Guacamole Cole.

For the first time ever, we honored our Outstanding Chapter of the Year for making incredible strides toward inclusion—congratulations to Grove City High School! 🎉

A special thank-you to Genene and Brenda for their beautiful performance of the national anthem, and to our generous sponsors: Friends and Family of Daniel Livshin, I Am Boundless, Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Boland & Associates, Kemba Financial Credit Union, Kiwanis Club of Delaware, New York Life, and St. Marks Episcopal Church.

We’re also grateful to our in-kind sponsors, Giant Eagle and Nothing Bundt Cakes, for helping make the day so special!

Finally, thank you to our amazing committee for making it all happen: Kyle Evans, Caitlin Baine, Jordan Hanhilammi, Erin Wilt, Nathan Tyree, and Anna Shulman!

04/24/2026

COLUMBUS - the is this Sunday 4/26 at ! Join us at 12:30 for a good time.

Help us raise funds to keep our programs free for participants! We are $25,000 short of our goal. Donate now! Link in Bio or use this link: www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/columbus!

Donate and make magic happen!

04/22/2026

🎉 RAFFLE TIME – WIN BIG & SUPPORT FRIENDSHIP! 🎉

Can’t make it to the Cleveland Friendship Walk on May 2? You can STILL be part of the impact! 💙 Our raffle is open to everyone!

🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://BBFW26CLE.givesmart.com

Here’s what you could win:
⚾ 4 Tickets to a 2026 Cleveland Guardians Game
🔬 4 General Admission Passes to the Great Lakes Science Center
🏀 A Gift Basket from T3 Sports Performance
⏰ Entries close at 9:00 AM on May 2
💥 Winner does NOT need to be present to win!

Whether you're walking with us or cheering from afar, this is an easy (and fun!) way to support inclusion, friendship, and opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Take your shot, support a great cause, and you just might win big! 🙌

04/13/2026

Friendship Walk: Dayton ✅

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

More pics coming soon!

You have time to sign up for:
+Columbus April 26
+Greater Cincinnati May 2
+Cleveland May 2

https://www.bestbuddies.org/ohio/friendship-walk

03/31/2026

COLUMBUS: April 26th is the Best Buddies Friendship Walk! Read more about the event at

https://www.bestbuddies.org/ohio/friendship-walk-fundraiser-at-cosi

03/30/2026

Leadership isn’t about a title, it’s about finding your voice.

Our participants are stepping up, speaking out, and leading their peers toward a more inclusive future.

When you walk with us, you walk for leaders.

Join us at a Best Buddies Friendship Walk near you this year! www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org.