Best Buddies is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Programs with Best Buddies empower the unique abilities of people and families with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers. They also help them secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy, and communication skills, and feel valued by society.
In 2019, Fundación MAPFRE exclusively collaborated with Best Buddies to launch the Pre-Employment Training Program in Massachusetts. The program helps students with IDD identify and develop their career ambitions, explore post-secondary options, and prepare for independent living. Workshops and activities focus on self-advocacy and leadership skill development, exploration of work interests and relevant employment opportunities, and experiences that aid youth with IDD in their transition into adulthood. Since its founding, the program has engaged 22 school districts, approximately 1,100 students, and more than a dozen potential hiring companies in Massachusetts alone. The program has also expanded to 20 US states.
This year, to support the great work Best Buddies is doing, MAPFRE Insurance has become a proud sponsor of the 2025 Best Buddies Challenge. The annual charity ride, run, and walk takes place on May 31. A sponsorship like this is core to MAPFRE Insurance’s purpose of contributing to a more sustainable and supportive society.
As part of MAPFRE Insurance’s commitment to being by your side every step of the way, we are the official sponsor of all Challenge SAG safety vehicles covering all three start lines and the entire 100-mile course. We are also the official sponsor of all mechanic stations, located at each start location and rest stop, ensuring cyclists have a safe experience on the road raising money for Best Buddies by riding 100-, 55-, or 20-mile routes.
The 100-mile ride starts at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston at 7 a.m. The 55-mile ride begins in Carver at 9:30 a.m., and the 20-mile ride departs from Sandwich at 10:30 a.m. Pro-cyclists Mark Cavendish and Cam Wurf will also be riding the route!
Staff and MAPFRE volunteers will fully support each route, and rest stops will feature energy, food, drinks, bathrooms, and mechanical and medical assistance.
And if you’re not a cyclist, you can still participate in a 5K run or walk at Craigville Beach in Hyannis Port.
After the event, a celebration party will be held at the Craigville Beach finish line. Activities include massages, a lobster clambake, and a private concert.
Our purpose is to contribute to a more sustainable and supportive society, and by sponsoring and becoming a partner of Best Buddies, we are striving to achieve that goal. To register for the Best Buddies Challenge or to donate, please visit the Best Buddies website.
