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 more than 250 (at least one in each state) nationwide; 260 worldwide in 2005. 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 2006, our goal is to have more than 275 Buddy Walks across the country and beyond.

National Buddy Walk Statistics - 2005 Buddy Walk Program

More than 260 Walks were held in 2005 across the country and abroad. For a list of where registered walks were held, please visit www.buddywalk.org and click on the “2005 Walks” link, located under “Find a Walk.”

Approximately $5,500,000 was raised nationwide through the NDSS Buddy Walk. These funds were distributed among sponsoring Buddy Walk Organizations and the National Down Syndrome Society.

More than 225,000 individuals participated in a Buddy Walk in 2005. Since the Buddy Walk was created in 1995 more than 1,500,000 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 260 walks taking place each year, the National Down Syndrome Society is able to speak with a unified stronger voice on issues of policy that effect individuals with Down syndrome.