History of Buddy Walk

In 1995, thousands of steps were taken towards a better tomorrow. Since then, the Buddy Walk® has become known as the premier advocacy event for Down syndrome in the United States. It is also the world’s most widely recognized public awareness program for the Down syndrome community.

Check out our milestones after Walking for more than 20 years!

Buddy Walk® balloon
1995

  • The Buddy Walk® program was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
  • 17 events took place across the country during the inaugural year of the Buddy Walk®.
  • Chris Burke led the flagship New York City Buddy Walk®.

Man lifts young girl into air.
1999

  • NDSS introduced the Times Square Video to bring attention to the Buddy Walk® program and raise awareness of individuals with Down syndrome in a public setting.
  • The Buddy Walk® added a fundraising component to raise money for local and national programs and services.

Woman high-fives a young child.
2001

  • NDSS introduced a new Buddy Walk® logo‚ the now familiar blue and yellow graphic of a family holding hands.
  • Over 100 Buddy Walk® events took place this year.

Young man holds up fish artwork.
2003

  • The Buddy Walk® logo was trademarked by NDSS.
  • More than 190 Buddy Walk® events took place in 49 states and 5 countries with over 180,000 participants raising more than $2.5 million.

Group of cheerleaders
2009

  • NDSS held the first Buddy Walk® Conference in Columbus, Ohio where Buddy Walk® organizers were able to learn from NDSS leadership and share best practices with one another.
  • NDSS introduced a new licensing agreement that commits Buddy Walk® groups to a 7% contribution that supports the NDSS National Policy Center in Washington D.C.
  • The first Buddy Walk® held on a military base in a combat zone took place at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Two young girls sit in a wagon.
2012

  • More than 250 Buddy Walk® events took place with over 295,000 participants raising more than $11.75 million.
  • Much of BuddyWalk.org is incorporated into the newly re-launched NDSS.org, making the NDSS site a one-stop-shop for the most extensive and up-to-date information for all Down syndrome-related topics.
  • The Buddy Walk® has been ranked in the top 30 fundraising events nationwide for money raised, the number of participants and best series event since 2008 according to Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council Survey results.

A group of people wearing Minion shirts.
2013

  • The Buddy Walk® had a record-breaking year with more than 305,000 participants raising $12.1 million dollars in more than 250 events across the country and around the world.
  • Our International Buddy Walks expanded to Istanbul, Turkey, along with more Walks in Tokyo, Japan; Auckland, New Zealand; Freeport, Bahamas; Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago as well as across Canada.
  • The Buddy Walk® was again ranked among the top 30 fundraising events nationwide by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum. This year, the Buddy Walk® ranked #30 for money raised, #13 for the number of events and #7 for the number of participants.  We are proud to have made the list yearly since 2008.

A young child smiles.
2016

  • Savannah Guthrie films PSA for NDSS and the Buddy Walk® Program.

Child gives a thumbs up.
2017

  • The Buddy Walk® Program has grown to more than 330,000 participants raising $14.2 million dollars in more than 250 events across the country and around the world.
  • The Buddy Walk® Program has grown to include three dedicated full-time  staff members to assist in the management of the program.