What Is the NDSS Buddy Walk and Where Does It Take Place?

The NDSS Buddy Walk® is the National Down Syndrome Society's flagship awareness and fundraising event, and the organization's own site highlights an NYC edition that puts 500+ faces of people with Down syndrome on display in Times Square. If you want to participate, donate, or find a walk near you, the event details and registration live on ndss.org — the site lists the NYC Buddy Walk® as a featured event, but it does not publish a full national schedule on the page reviewed here, so you should check the site directly for dates and locations beyond New York.

What the Buddy Walk Is

The Buddy Walk is an NDSS event built around two goals:

• Awareness — celebrating and increasing visibility for individuals with Down syndrome.
• Fundraising — raising money that supports NDSS programs and its mission, stated on the site as "to create a world where individuals with Down syndrome thrive."

It is a community event rather than a competitive race, which is why it centers on participation and visibility rather than times or placements.

The NYC Buddy Walk and Times Square Visibility

According to the NDSS homepage, the National Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk® "to Highlight 500+ faces in Times Square." This means the NYC event is used as a high-visibility moment: images of more than 500 individuals with Down syndrome are featured in one of the most heavily trafficked public spaces in the world.

That detail matters for two reasons:

1. Scale of awareness — Times Square placement reaches far beyond the people physically at the walk.
2. Focus on individuals — the "500+ faces" framing keeps the spotlight on people with Down syndrome themselves, consistent with NDSS's stated mission.

Where It Takes Place

The page reviewed confirms the NDSS NYC Buddy Walk® as a named event. Beyond that, the site does not list a complete set of host cities or dates in the content available here.

To find a specific walk:

• Go to ndss.org and look for the Buddy Walk® section or event listings.
• Check the site's newsroom and "All the Latest" area, which is where NDSS posts event-related announcements.
• If you cannot find a local walk, use the contact channels below to ask.

How to Get Involved

Other Ways NDSS Suggests Supporting the Mission

The homepage also describes non-event giving options, which may suit you if a walk is not near you or not at a convenient time:

• Everyday purchases — NDSS partners with Upside, described as a free cash back app that rewards purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. You can choose to donate your earned cash back to NDSS.
• Team NDSS in Paris — NDSS fields a charity team for Paris races, with applications listed for the Hoka Semi De Paris Half Marathon (March 7, 2027) and the Schneider Electric De Paris Full Marathon (April 11, 2027).

Contact and Location Details

• National Down Syndrome Society
• 1155 15th Street NW, Suite 540, Washington, DC 20005
• Toll-free NDSS Helpline: 800-221-4602
• Hours: Mon–Fri, 9AM–5PM ET

If your main question is a specific Buddy Walk date or city, the helpline or the event listings on ndss.org are the most direct ways to confirm it, since the homepage content alone does not carry a full schedule.