By Theresa Schliep

A new club that focuses on individuals with intullectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has started at Fordham.

United Student Government (USG) approved the Best Buddies club last month. Danielle Cammarosano, GSB ’19, president of Best Buddies, says the club works with individuals with IDDs and connects them with students “to form long lasting friendships.”

“This club is a way for students to create long lasting friendships with community members in the Bronx with IDD,” said Cammarosano.

The club will be working with kids from the Kingsbridge Community Center to develop friendships between them and Fordham students.

The club is hosting events like a field day and pizza on Arthur Avenue, where the “buddies” and Fordham students will recreate on Edward’s Parade, and then get pizza from Pugsley’s. They are also hosting a Speed Friending event.
Cammarosano says Fordham students can benefit from the club because it offers them a different perspective on individuals with IDDs.

“Awareness is so important,” said Cammarosano. “As individuals without IDD we take for granted the simple opportunities we have at Fordham: hanging with friends, catching a movie on a weekend, seeing some Ramblers sing their hearts out. A lot of individuals are not given these experiences.”
Cammarosano began the process for creating the club in 2015 along with Rachel Recker, Andrew Seger an Allison Bloss, FCRH‘19.

She says her experiences volunteering at a camp for children with special needs inspired her to work with children with IDDs into her college years.

“Going in I thought I was going to make a difference in a child’s life and get some volunteer hours for school,” said Cammarosano. “While I did make an impact, My campers changed me more than I could ever imagine. I developed so much love for the children I worked with and in turn they opened their hearts to me.”