Why Best Buddies?
People with mental retardation are often excluded from social and employment opportunities. Best Buddies seeks to break these stereotypes and the cycle of social isolation by establishing and facilitating friendships. People with mental retardation are productive, contributing members of society who attend school, hold jobs, pay taxes, raise families, and live independently. Through their friendships, people with mental retardation learn invaluable social and life skills, which allow them to learn, grow and succeed in our society.

What is mental retardation?
A person with mental retardation is someone who developes at a slower than average rate and experiences difficulty in learning and social adjustment. Mental retardation is a condition, not a disease and should not be confused with mental illness. Studies suggest that approximately 3 percent of the general population have mental health retardation, which can be caused by any condition that impairs developement of the brain during pregnancy, birth or childhood.

Information from "Fast Facts", Best Buddies of Maryland. Picture is of Anthony K. Shriver, founder of Best Buddies