CELEBRATE INCLUSION
GALA
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY | CHICAGO
WELCOME Dear Friends of Best Buddies, It is my privilege and honor to welcome you all to Chicago’s 2023 Champion of The Year Event. The Harold Washington Library is a monumental venue to celebrate the hard work and awareness raised by the Champion of the Year candidates and to crown our 2023 Champion. As we gather here tonight and look toward an even more inclusive 2024, moving this volunteer movement forward has never been more important. Our programs continue to bounce back from the repercussions of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Many of our Best Buddies Jobs Program Participants are still dealing with the loss of their jobs either permanently or temporarily, and many were placed on continued temporary leave with or without pay. We worked hard to bring together our participants so they felt a sense of inclusion even though we were all physically isolated. We have continued our efforts of online career development sessions with mentors and have now been able to re-introduce more in-person networking to help our Participants secure new jobs. As our participants are able to reenter the workforce, we are working diligently to bring back the opportunities that they have had in the past and most importantly to create new employment positions. Your unconditional support and efforts to create these career openings continue to be more and more influential for the inclusion and development of our participants. In Chicago this past year, we have opened 7 new schools, impacting over 500 students, supported 20 job seekers in finding employment, trained 130 new leaders, provided 16 speaking engagements, and supported 8 State Ambassadors. The money raised here this evening will help us exceed these numbers for the coming year. Best Buddies Friendship program serves over 180 school chapters, has trained hundreds of Ambassadors, made 136 Citizens matches, and impacts over 38,000 people in the Chicago Area by giving individuals with and without IDD the opportunity to create meaningful and long-lasting friendships and feel included in their community. Your ongoing support and recognition is what makes life-changing situations like these possible. Thanks to all of you for attending and providing the financial and emotional support that helps create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Without each of you, the success of an inclusive world would not be where it is today. I would like to specifically thank our sponsors, including our Presenting Sponsor, Haribo, Moco, Area Wide Realty, Misercordia, ULTA, Breathru Beverage, Diageo, The Paramount Group, and Tito‘s, my fellow advisory board members, and Best Buddies staff who have helped make this event what it is this evening. To our Champions and Campaign Managers, your dedication to the mission, enthusiasm for the event, and willingness to help others is second to none. I would like to thank each of you once again for joining and supporting the mission of Best Buddies International. Enjoy the rest of your evening celebrating the success of this year’s event, and we look forward to welcoming you back next year for the 2024 Champion of the Year Event!
In Friendship,
Morgan A. Olszewski Chicago Advisory Board Chair
About Champion of the Year Champion of the Year unities the community's most active leaders in the name of inclusion. Through 8 weeks of raising funds and awareness for Best Buddies, our Champions will generate countless opportunities for friendship, jobs, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The dollars raised through the Champion of the Year campaign will immediately be put to work through the launch of new friendships and employment opportunities. This is an enormous gift to children, teens, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and the community as a whole. Best Buddies’ friendship, jobs, and leadership programs now impact over 1,000 people in the Bay Area - this movement could not happen without the support from people like you and me. So please know that when you give, it makes a huge difference.
Bid from the Heart The Value of Your Donation Supports Best Buddies helps form meaningful friendships, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy, and communication skills, all while feeling valued by society. $7,500 More Than A Job: Underwrite the employment support that Best Buddies Jobs provides a person with IDD, allowing them to find a job, become financially independent, receive benefits and work alongside others in the community.
$5,000 Gift of Friendship: Bring Together people with and without IDD for friendships that cultivate community-wide social inclusion, by funding a new school, citizens, or corporate chapter in the Best Buddies Friendship program.
$2,500 Training Day: Fund an all-day Ambassadors training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, where attendees will gain the public speaking skills and confidence needed to champion inclusion throughout their community.
$1,000 Prepare Future Advocates: Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Jobs participant the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where they will learn to be advocates for themselves and the larger IDD community.
$250 It's A Match! Support a one-to-one friendship between someone and their peer, helping to build a mutually enriching connection that enhances the lives of program participants and their families.
$100 You've Got Mail! Fund an online e-Buddies friendship between a person with and a person without IDD. The e-pal program allows participants to become more social and technology literate, which may lead to more advanced career opportunities.
Champion Candidates Rushil is a new Advisory Board member this year,joining Best Buddies in Illinois after a successful Workplace Lunch and Learn, where he heard from participants like Izzi Ketchum and Dana Wax. Rushil holds a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Miami and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Chicago Medical School. He lives in Chicago with his wife, son, and Goldendoodle! Rushil Desai
Zachary has been a part of Best Buddies since 2008 - FIFTEEN years! He was originally a participant in the Friendship Program at Walter Payton College Prep High School. Now, Zachary is a part of the Jobs Program and is a State Ambassador. He is excited to raise money for Best Buddies in Illinois and our mission of inclusion!
Abigail Gustafson
Zachary Fintel
Abby is a Lead Program Manager in Chicago. She is honored to be recognized as a champion of inclusion and is excited to spread the mission with new networks. Her favorite Best Buddies memory happened at the Central Illinois Gala, when a participant found out he was going to be given the opportunity to drive a monster truck- his dream. She says that nothing can replace seeing the impact of our mission in action.
Sarah was brought to Best Buddies in Illinois by State Director, Adam Wilt. They are good friends and are both involved in Sokol. To her, inclusion means to embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other needs. She promotes this by treating others with the same respect as they rightfully deserve.
Sarah Heth-Ullmann
Victoria works for Advanced Group and joined Best Buddies in Illinois back in January for a DEI training and conversation for Black History Month at the Chicago office. Victoria has been commited to Best Buddies in Illinois ever since. Victoria and her husband love karaoke and host it in their backyard regularly! Victoria Hill
Champion Candidates
Michelle Kurgan
Michelle is a recent addition to the Best Buddies in Illinois Advisory Board! She was inspired to get involved by Adam Wilt, but since then has been moved by the Jobs Program saying it’s her favorite way to see Best Buddies’ impact because, “we can provide meaningful work experiences that inspire independence and pride.” She also notes that a recent Job Readiness Training at Ulta was her favorite memory with Best Buddies and one of her best days at work!
Deatrice is currently working at Catholic Charities in Chicago as a Case Manager after graduating with her Masters of Social Work from Dominican University. Deatrice has committed herself to a life of service, so becoming a Champion for Best Buddies just made sense! Add Champion for inclusion to her long list of incredible work!
Steve Omans
Deatrice Lewellyan
Steve is a pro at this Champion of the Year thing, as he was a Champion Candidate last year as well. This year, he’s returning with his campaign manager, friend, and coworker Claire! Steve says that as someone who is Neurodiverse, it’s important to him to see that Best Buddies is supported by Accenture. Inclusion is incredibly important to him, “My waking breath is living the ideals of inclusion in my life. I promote it at across Accenture and in my daily life.” Thank you, Steve!
Shalonda is a Best Buddies in Illinois Jobs Participant who is employed with The Paramount Group! This past spring, Shalonda won the Best Buddies in Illinois Employee of the Year award, surrounded by her coworkers. She says that this is her favorite Best Buddies memory. Shalonda Sanders
Jada Thompson
Jada is a Best Buddies All-Star! She serves on the Best Buddies International Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the Young Leaders Council, and is a Best Buddies Global Ambassador. In her free time, she is a part of the Jobs Program and works at Bickford Senior Living. Inclusion to her means that everyone can have their voice heard and given equal opportunities. Jada advocates for inclusion through social media by sharing resources and amplifying others’ voices.
Campaign Managers
Otis Brown
Jeanne Cone
Molly Bourke
Elizabeth Fay
Monique Hunt
Morgan Olszewski
Dana Wax
Molly Wiesman
Claire Toman Morgan Olszewski
Topher Zheng
Thank you to our Advisory Board and Committee Members Thank you for your commitment and helping our programs grow all year long! Morgan Olszewski, Chair
Allison Churchfield, Vice Chair
AIKANA Chicago
AbbVie
Joey Nauman, Nominating Chair Envoy Global
Rushil Desai
Kate Abbatacola Affirm
Aetna Better Health of Illinois
Megan Dolan
Greg Drain
JLL
Puttshack
Elizabeth Fay
Danielle Gang
Lizzy Fay LLC
CrossCountry Mortgage
Michelle Kurgan
Sarah Nau
Ulta Beauty
United Airlines
Charles Scharf
Dana Wax
Goldstreet Partners
Best Buddies
Molly Wiesman The Kelsey
Thank You To Our Sponsors Presenting Sponsor
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Table Sponsors
Thank You To Our In Kind Sponsors
Thank you to our Circle of Champions and all that they have done for Best Buddies over the years!
Area Wide Realty and MOCO are proud sponsors of tonight's Best Buddies in Illinois Champion of the Year Gala! Area Wide Realty and MOCO prioritize cultivating and developing a workplace that reflects inclusivity, development and growth of this charity! Our foundation is strengthened on the premise of harnessing our differences to create an inclusive and progressive environment in which everyone feels valued. When our talents are being fully utilized is when our organization’s goals are met - but only achievable when everyone plays their fullest part.
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