Asphalt Green Recognized with the Champion of Employment Award by Best Buddies international
At Asphalt Green, inclusion extends not only to the people we serve, but also to those who make up our team. That’s because true inclusion goes beyond adapting programs and procedures; It’s about creating pathways that allow people of all abilities to grow and thrive at all stages.
No organization reflects that ethos more so than Best Buddies International, the largest international nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for integrated employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This May, we partnered with Best Buddies to recruit new talent to help Asphalt Green deliver a first-class experience for our community members.
Soon after, we welcomed Charlotte, Joey, Kasim, Richard to our Customer Experience team. Together, they have greeted visitors with welcoming smiles, built connections with members and fellow staff, kept our facilities in top shape, and ensured every visitor has the tools and information they need.
My favorite thing about working at Asphalt Green is that I love talking to people at the towel desk. It’s so wonderful. I love that I live close by and I get to walk here every day. I am so proud of myself and grateful.
Charlotte | Customer Experience Associate, Upper East Side
I love the nice work environment, very helpful co-workers, and the overall atmosphere.
Kaasim | Customer Experience Associate, Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center
I like the people who I work with and I like to talk to customers if they need any help. My accomplishment is to do better at what I can do. This place help me grow so much and I can’t want to do more.
Joey | Customer Experience Associate, Upper East Side
In just a few months, they have since made a profound impact— fostering a culture of connection and kindness, and redefining Asphalt Green’s standards of excellence for service.
Day to day, Charlotte, Joey, Kasim, and Richard have really elevated the spirit of our team. Their kindness, reliability, and enthusiasm remind all of us what great customer service is really about — making people feel seen, welcomed, and valued. We hear all the time how much our members enjoy interacting with our Best Buddies employees. They’ve truly helped us build a more inclusive and connected community at Asphalt Green, which is exactly what our mission is all about.
Kaity Buzby, Director of Customer Experience
Asphalt Green and Best Buddies’ shared commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and community laid the foundation for a successful and impactful partnership. Now, we’re honored to share that Asphalt Green will be recognized with the Champion of Employment Award at the Best Buddies Evening of Opportunity Gala on November 12. The award is a testament to how inclusion benefits all who commit to it.
This recognition is deeply meaningful because it validates the culture we’ve worked hard to build. We believe that inclusion isn’t just a program; it’s a core value of Asphalt Green. The Champion of Employment award represents our shared belief that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have so much to contribute, and that our role as an organization is to create pathways for them to shine. To be recognized by Best Buddies, a global leader in inclusion and employment, is a true honor and reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much potential still lies ahead!
Lauren Madden, Director of Adaptive Programs
Ahead of the celebration, we spoke with Lauren Madden, Asphalt Green’s Director of Adaptive Programs, Kaity Buzby, Asphalt Green’s Director of Customer Experience to learn what made this partnership so successful.
How does it feel to have Asphalt Green recognized with the Champion of Employment award for their work with your team?
It feels incredibly special and humbling to have Asphalt Green recognized with the Champion of Employment Award. This partnership with Best Buddies has been one of the most meaningful parts of our work — not just because of the impact it’s had on our team, but because of what it represents. Our Best Buddies employees have become such an important part of who we are as a department and as an organization. Seeing their success and growth reflected in this award is a proud moment for all of us.
It’s also a reminder that inclusion isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we live every day. We’ve seen firsthand how giving people opportunities to shine benefits everyone — our staff, our members, and our broader community. This recognition really belongs to the entire team.
Kaity
How did the Best Buddies program advance our commitment to inclusion and fit into our developmental pathway, from adaptive to true inclusion and workforce development?
The Best Buddies partnership has been a crucial part of that evolution. Asphalt Green’s inclusion journey began with adaptive sports classes designed to meet athletes where they are and build foundational skills. Over time, we’ve expanded toward true inclusion, where athletes of all abilities play, learn, and grow together. The partnership with Best Buddies represents the next phase: workforce inclusion. By employing Best Buddies participants across our campuses, we’re extending our inclusive values beyond the field and pool into our daily operations. It completes the circle of inclusion by ensuring individuals with disabilities can not only participate but also lead and work within our community.
Lauren
Asphalt Green has more Best Buddies staff than any other NYC employment partner. What about the CX team and Asphalt Green attracted Best Buddies to partner with us, and helped make the partnership so successful?
I think they could feel that we were already living the values they stand for. Inclusion has grown to be at the heart of what we do, from our classes to our camps to the way we hire and train our teams. I believe Best Buddies saw that our environment was ready, not just to employ their candidates, but to truly champion and empower them. Our leadership, managers, and front-line staff all share the belief that everyone deserves meaningful work and the chance to be part of something bigger. That shared commitment made this partnership such an easy and natural fit.
Lauren
As a leader of the CX team, what have you’ve learned from the contributions of Best Buddies staff?
As a leader, I’ve learned so much from working alongside our Best Buddies team members. They’ve reminded me — and really, our whole department — that great customer experience isn’t just about efficiency or process, it’s about connection, patience, and kindness. Their consistency, positivity, and pride in their work have set such a powerful example for the rest of the team. They approach every task with care and bring such a genuine sense of joy to what they do. It’s taught me to slow down and to appreciate the impact of small moments — a warm greeting, a helping hand, and a friendly smile.
Most of all, I’ve learned that inclusion strengthens teams in ways that go beyond the workplace. It builds understanding, it builds trust, and it reminds us why we do what we do — to create a place where everyone feels like they belong.
Kaity
