MANCHESTER – Best Buddies in New Hampshire, which is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), announced today that it was awarded a $20,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life. The grant will support expansion of their school friendship programs, which matches students with IDD with a typical peer in school for 1:1 friendship to promote inclusion throughout the school. Best Buddies has a goal of having chapters in every middle school, high school and college in New Hampshire.

“We are grateful for New York Life’s investment in our School Friendships, which will change many lives for the better,” said Sarra Dennehy Lynch, State Director. “Without the support from New York Life, we wouldn’t be able to expand our programs in our schools and the expansion of our programs is vital to the growth of the organization in New Hampshire.”

“I’m proud to work for a company that encourages its agents and employees to devote their time, energy and talents to support the needs and priorities of their local community,” said Kelly Dyer Rawlings, Agent of the company’s New Hampshire General Office. “We are pleased that our partnership will have a long-lasting impact on Best Buddies and the population they serve.”

The Community Impact Grant program awards grants of up to $25,000 to local nonprofit organizations, which are championed by New York Life agents and employees. Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 600 grants totaling nearly $8 million have been awarded to nonprofits across the country.

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