• Six college chapters were founded in Florida: Flagler College, Florida State University, St. Thomas University, University of Florida, University of Miami, and University of South Florida.

1992 

• Best Buddies International established an office in Miami, FL.

• Five new college chapters were established: Barry University, Eckerd College, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Southern College, Palm Beach Atlantic College, and University of Central Florida.

• The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council provided a grant which extended for the next three years.

• Colleges added two chapters: Florida Memorial College and Southeastern College.

• The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council provided a grant which Best Buddies Citizens was started in Miami as a pilot program to serve the community at-large.

• Best Buddies added another college, Nova Southeastern, bringing the total number of chapters to 14 in the state.

• The Best Buddies Florida office was established in Orlando just prior to the end of 1994.

• The Best Buddies Jobs Program started in Miami, enabling Best Buddies to extend its services from providing friendship opportunities within schools and the community to aiding in securing integrated employment opportunities.

• The State of Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services contracted Best Buddies Florida to expand the Colleges and Citizens programs throughout the state.

• Best Buddies Florida hired three Program Managers for Central Florida and two Program Managers for South Florida.

• A Citizens Program Manager was housed in the Holland and Knight law offices in downtown Fort Lauderdale with more than 600 participants served.

• Best Buddies Colleges grew to include 18 chapters; Best Buddies Citizens and Best Buddies High Schools enrolled 250 participants.

• The first Advisory Board was established.

• Best Buddies Florida served 1,071 participants with 21 college chapters included statewide.

• In Central and South Florida, Best Buddies Citizens created and managed 78 matches, while Best Buddies High Schools grew to 24 chapters.

• Advisory Board grows to include more community supporters and begins Celebration of Friendship for Best Buddies Month.

• More than 1,700 participants were included in Best Buddies Florida programs, with 22 college chapters operating in Florida.

• In Central and South Florida, Best Buddies Citizens grew to 90 matches.

• Best Buddies High Schools included 36 chapters in Central and South Florida.

• The Citizens Program Manager position in Broward moved to Miami.

• Advisory Board creates Day of Friendship pairings with community leaders in conjunction with Celebration of Friendship.

• Best Buddies Florida maintained the bulk of its programs in the state..

• Best Buddies Colleges added three chapters to increase to 25.

• Program Director positions were established to allow the staff to take on leadership positions among their fellow staff members, leading the MS/HS, Citizens, Sunshine Squad, and PR/Marketing Committees.

• Best Buddies Citizens included 82 matches in Central and South Florida.

• Celebration of Friendship and Day of Friendship events continue.

• The Advisory Board hosts first state fundraiser in Winter Park, Florida.

• BBHS in Miami hosts first Best Buddies Ball.

• Through a substantial grant from Florida's Department of Children and Families, Best Buddies Florida expanded rapidly to serve the most people in the programs' short history.

• Best Buddies opened two new offices in Jacksonville and Tampa, and through the end of 1999, increased the staff from 6 to 14 positions.

• With this support, Best Buddies maintained 25 college chapters, 87 Citizen matches and increased Best Buddies High Schools to 60 chapters in 12 counties.

• Once again, Advisory Board hosts Art and Friendship Event and Best Buddies month activities in Central Florida, while South Florida holds Bayside and Best Buddies.

• BBHS holds second Best Buddies Friendship Ball in Miami.  In the summer of 1999, the Broward office began providing additional friendship services with one Program Manager for High Schools and a Citizens Program Manager.

• The new century brought more additions to Best Buddies Florida and the Southeast.  With over 40 chapters throughout this region, an additional Colleges Program Manager was hired to oversee the Southeast, excluding Florida.

• The e-Buddies program was launched in Florida through the Citizens Program.  Citizens and e-Buddies together served over 600 participants statewide.

• Best Buddies High Schools continued to flourish and operated in 89 high schools in 20 counties.

• The Tampa office expanded with the addition of the Citizens Program.  With this large expansion, the Florida Advisory Board was restructured.

• Best Buddies created the Program Supervisor positions to more effectively manage the growing programs and staff.

• A Program Supervisor was hired to manage each of the five state offices.

• Business Buddies in Orlando grew to over 500 supporters each month.  This fundraiser was now operating in Orlando, Miami and Tampa. 25% of Citizen Buddies in Orlando were recruited at these events.

• Best Buddies Colleges grew in participants to include over 800 students.

• The Citizens program implemented civic and corporate chapters and the High Schools program grew to over 100 chapters.

• The Florida Advisory Board planned two successful fundraisers with the High Rollers Ball and An Evening of Art & Friendship.

• A second High Schools Program Manager was hired in Broward.

• Best Buddies Florida was granted funding through Broward County Human Services and the Miami-Dade County Office of Community and Economic Development. With this new funding and a significant increase from the state, Best Buddies Florida again had a period of significant growth.

• The Broward office was established in Hallandale.  A second High School Program Manager was hired in Miami and an additional High Schools Program Manager was hired in Orlando to help manage over 40 High School chapters.

• The first ever e-Buddies Program Manager was hired to implement the program statewide from the Broward office.

• Best Buddies Florida served over 4,500 participants in 2002.  All BBFL offices held fall fundraisers this year.

• Best Buddies primary funding from Department of Children and Families was split into Department of Children and Families and Department of Education.

• The first Business Buddies events were held in Jacksonville and Broward.

• Best Buddies Advisory Boards were in place in Tampa and Jacksonville.

• A High Rollers Ball was a big fundraiser for Orlando.

• A member of the Best Buddies Florida staff represented Best Buddies and the e-Buddies program by attending the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland.

• Best Buddies Florida grew to include active participants in all six Best Buddies Programs and served 8,179 participants.

• A Deputy Director of Programs position was created, which allowed BBFL's programs to flourish.

• Due to a large grant from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Best Buddies Miami hired the nation's first full-time Middle School Program Manager and maintained 18 chapters in 2005.

• Best Buddies Florida embraced its new slogan, “Friendships for Life-Experiences of a Lifetime” by achieving record levels of success under the auspices of a new State Director.

• The Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Broward offices re-located with improved technology capability through VoIP phone service.

• Program Director positions were established to allow the staff to take on leadership positions among their fellow staff members, leading the MS/HS, Citizens, Sunshine Squad, and PR/Marketing Committees.

• BBFL held two state-wide retreats for the first time and implemented a monthly state-wide conference call to develop a unified staff.

• Advisory Boards are established in all five areas, and membership within these Boards increased from 29 Advisory Board Members state-wide to a record 87 community supporters.

• Due, in part, to these newly established Advisory Boards, BBFL also achieved record fundraising efforts, with a 41% increase in State Fundraisers/Special Events, Corporate Sponsorships, and Foundation Grants.

• 2006 marked Best Buddies Florida's strongest year to date, serving over 8,500 participants.

• Building upon the success of the previous year, Best Buddies Florida's staff grew to 25 with the addition of a Deputy Director, based out of South Florida, plus a Special Events & Marketing Coordinator and a Citizens Program Manager based out of the Jacksonville office.

• Participants served state-wide increased to nearly 10,000 people