I don’t know your best friend, but I know a few things about them.

Your best friend can make you laugh until your stomach hurts; they can comfort you when you’re feeling down; and even though they’ve seen you at your worst, they still like you. Yeah, I think the elements of friendship are pretty universal.

I’d like to tell you about my best friend—my brother Drew. Drew is an expert dancer, an incognito comedian, and Nicole Kidman’s #1 fan. Drew also has Down syndrome.

Growing up with Drew, I was introduced to the special needs community. There, I observed first-hand the wide range of circumstances in which individuals with special needs reside. I saw working, single mothers who were unable to provide their children with the opportunities they needed to succeed, and I saw the loneliness that struck when individuals with special needs graduated from school and were left at home while their friends went off to college.

In 2006 I established the Texas Special Needs Foundation to increase the ability of individuals, families, and organizations to meet the unique challenges faced by individuals with special needs. As an single person this goal is impossible but with help from friends like you, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of these extraordinary individuals.

Sincerely,

Scott Boynton
President