The Buddy Walk was developed in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion for people with Down syndrome. The Buddy Walk has grown from 17 walks in its inaugural year to nearly 300 Walks planned worldwide in 2018. DSNGG’s annual Buddy Walk is not only our biggest fundraiser of the year, it’s a chance for us to celebrate individuals with Down Syndrome in our community with a party full of food, music, and dancing that culminates with a symbolic mile-long walk in celebration of our loved ones with ‘that little something extra.’

On October 24, 2020 we held our 17th annual Buddy Walk at Keeley Park. It was our most successful Walk to date, with 40 teams and hundreds of participating registrants. Everyone enjoyed balloon animals, face painting, giant inflatables and games, and a wonderful lunch provided by many local NC food trucks.

This year we will be hosting our 20th annual Buddy Walk and we hope you will join us in celebrating this momentous occasion. For our 20th year we plan on making this Buddy Walk the largest in DSNGG history while retaining all of the wonderful traditions that we have loved in years past.

 

DSNGG is an entirely volunteer-run organization, and we rely on funds raised by The Buddy Walk to provide programs for all age groups including:

 

• Family events throughout the year

• Sponsoring parents to attend conferences and workshops

• Speakers ranging from education to finances for our parents

• Welcome bags for new parents in the hospital which include books and a notebook filled with

• information and personal stories for local families

• Scholarships for children to go to camps

• Paying for families to participate in the NDSS Buddy Walk on Washington Advocacy Conference

 

In addition to supporting local families, 7% of the funds raised will also help support National Down Syndrome Society’s national advocacy efforts in Washington D.C.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Buddy Walk as a participant, or if you are interested in becoming one of our beloved sponsors, please contact us at dsngginfo@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for the support you provide.