Upcoming eventWeekly program
Sunday Mini-Golf / Bowling
Every Sunday · Rain or shine
Weekly recurring activity · Current details in the scheduleMontreal · Non-profit · Adults 18+
More than a program.A community of buddies.
A community-based non-profit program offering adapted activities, genuine connection and weekly adventures for neurodivergent young adults 18+ in Montreal.
Open schedule
Powerful friendships formed
Volunteers who have joined the community
Years of action packed fun since 2020
Plan the week
An action packed schedule for everyone!
Families and participants can see the recurring programs at a glance, then open the full schedule for current times, locations, registration details and event-specific updates.
Sunday Mini-Golf / Bowling
Rain or shine · Every weekA dependable weekly social activity. The exact venue, time and registration details are confirmed in the current schedule.
La Ronde Saturdays
Every Saturday during the seasonSeasonal amusement-park outings with staff support, family communication and activity-accessibility planning.
Special outings and community events
Published as confirmedMuseums, festivals, sports, meals and other Montreal adventures are added when arrangements are finalized.
Event overview
Different activities. The same feeling of belonging.
Our schedule changes with the seasons and the interests of the group. These are the kinds of experiences Power Buddies is built around.
La Ronde every year: May to Halloween
Season-long adventures at La Ronde, with staff support, accessibility planning and family communication from May through Halloween.
Sunday Mini-Golf & Bowling
Our dependable weekly social program runs every Sunday, rain or shine, with current venue and timing confirmed in the schedule.
Mount Royal hikes
Accessible group walks and hikes that combine fresh air, movement, encouragement and time together on Mount Royal.
Jean-Drapeau swimming & Old Port boat rides
Summer days by the water, including swimming at Parc Jean-Drapeau and memorable boat outings from Montreal’s Old Port.
Biodôme adventures
Year-round indoor outings where participants explore ecosystems, animals and one of Montreal’s most distinctive attractions together.
And many other amazing Montreal activities for every season!
Festivals, museums, sports, shared meals, holiday outings and new community adventures are added throughout the year.
At every event
The Power Buddies staff mission
For every participant, staff maintain active awareness, responsive support and clear accountability from arrival through departure.
Continuous safety and supervision
Maintain active supervision, know each participant’s location, respond immediately to elopement or separation, and watch for exposure to physical or psychological stress.
Regulation and communication
Provide sensory and behavioural regulation, de-escalation and individualized communication support throughout the event.
Medical and activity readiness
Remain aware of medication needs and medical-emergency information within approved protocols, and verify eligibility and accessibility requirements for on-site activities, including La Ronde rides.
Family, transportation and accountability
Coordinate family communication and transportation logistics, and complete necessary documentation and confidential incident reporting.
Our mission
Belonging should not end when a program day does.
Power Buddies creates consistent, welcoming spaces where neurodivergent adults can move, explore Montreal, build confidence and form genuine adult friendships. We reduce barriers to participation while treating every person with dignity, choice and the same expectation of belonging.
2020
Founded in summer 2020
Power Buddies began in the middle of a global pandemic as a free weekly virtual buddy program. Fitness, movement, games and conversation helped neurodivergent young adults stay mentally engaged, physically active and socially connected when many familiar programs had suddenly disappeared.
Event team
The people supporting every activity.
Muhan and Petros are part of the working event team alongside staff, volunteers and recurring specialists. This MVP includes only the roles we can currently identify responsibly; additional approved profiles will be added as they are confirmed.
Muhan PatelReserved for an approved Power Buddies photo
Muhan Patel
Founder · Educator · FitnessMuhan’s background in physical education and adapted programming shaped Power Buddies’ fitness-focused beginnings and its commitment to treating every participant as an adult and a peer.
Petros LazanisReserved for an approved Power Buddies photo
Petros Lazanis
Founder · Community and operationsPetros focuses on the relationships, systems and long-term vision that help a weekly activity become a dependable community.
Staff and volunteersProfile and photo coming soon
Staff and volunteers
Profile and photo coming soonReserved for verified profiles of the people who support activities and operations.
Recurring specialistsProfile and photo coming soon
Recurring specialists
Profile and photo coming soonReserved for instructors and guest contributors who return to share movement, arts, recreation or other expertise.
Join the community
Volunteer today!
Help create welcoming, energetic events where every participant is treated as an adult, a peer and a buddy. This MVP shows the proposed application and agreement process for adult volunteers.
Demo processVolunteer voices
The people who show up make every adventure possible.
Short reflections from the volunteers who spend time, share energy and build real connections with the Power Buddies community.
the most fun I’ve ever had during Halloween at Laronde, the power buddies are rock n roll baby
Introduce yourself
Contact the founders through the existing Power Buddies email or social channel with your availability, interests and relevant experience.
Meet the founders
Have a short conversation about the community, the event environment and where your strengths could be most useful.
Complete orientation
Review accessibility, boundaries, confidentiality, safety and event-specific responsibilities before receiving an assignment.
Sign the agreement
Read and sign the volunteer expectations and event protocols before your first confirmed event.
Payments and receipts
Familiar payment options now. More options soon.
Families can continue using the payment methods they already know while the complete online payment portal is prepared.
Interac e-Transfer
Send payment to powerbuddies.mtl@gmail.com and include the participant and event name in the message.
powerbuddies.mtl@gmail.comCash
Cash remains welcome. Arrange the handoff directly with a founder so the payment can be recorded on the account.
Cards and digital wallets
Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and additional Stripe-powered options are coming soon.
Coming soonReceipts whenever you need them
Receipts can be requested from the founders at any time and will be accessible from the account’s event history section.
Hall of Fame
The moments that made us Power Buddies.
A growing timeline of early Zoom sessions, favourite outings, community milestones and public recognition. Your approved photographs will turn these spaces into the full Power Buddies story.
Community highlights
Buddies in action.
A first collection of outings, shared adventures and the everyday moments that make this community feel like home.
Summer 2020
The first free weekly virtual buddy sessions bring fitness, games and conversation into participants’ homes.
2021
The group grows through word of mouth, recurring online activities and guest-led sessions.
Back together
As restrictions ease, online buddies become an in-person community exploring Montreal together.
2023
Participants, families and founders share the Power Buddies story through a podcast, print feature and CityNews.
Today
Weekly activities continue to strengthen adult friendships, confidence and a shared sense of belonging.
Press archive
Power Buddies in the news
Inspirations News Podcast
Discover Power Buddies MTL!
A conversation with Power Buddies founders, participants and early contributors about the program’s pandemic beginnings and the community it became.
Open featureInspirations News
Where friends meet for adapted physical activity
A feature on Power Buddies’ growth from Zoom movement sessions into seasonal activities, city outings and a weekly adult community.
Open featureCityNews Montreal
Meet Power Buddies MTL
CityNews joined the group to hear directly from participants, families and founders about friendship, inclusion and life beyond a traditional activity program.
Open featureOur beginning
A friendship that started with a piece of birthday cake.
Muhan Patel and Petros Lazanis have been friends since they were three years old. On Petros’s first day of pre-K, he walked into class crying. It happened to be Muhan’s birthday; Muhan came over, offered him a piece of birthday cake, and Petros stopped crying.
Muhan began working with people with special needs in early 2018. In 2019, he introduced Petros to the field when the two became coaches with the St-Laurent Adapted Basketball program. Those shared experiences helped turn a lifelong friendship into a commitment to inclusive recreation and lasting community.
More than 25 years later, that instinct—to notice someone, welcome them and share what you have—still guides their work. Drawing on more than eight years of experience working alongside neurodiverse communities, Muhan and Petros are building the kind of consistent community they would want for any friend.
Meet the founders
The friendship and perspective behind the program.
Mission statement from Founder Muhan Patel
“Power Buddies is a place where neurodivergent young adults can be active, communicate, make friends and strengthen social skills—online or in person. We started because relationships built in camps, schools and adapted programs should not disappear when a season ends. We are here to be their friends, to talk about what matters to them, to treat every participant like the adult they are and, above all, to have fun together.”
— Muhan Patel
Founder statement from Petros Lazanis
Placeholder for Petros’s approval“Petros Lazanis (aka Mr. Bedhead) began working with the neurodiverse community in 2019 and has worked in various programs, including the YMCA, St-Laurent Adapted Basketball and Camp B’nai Brith’s Avodah summer sleepaway camp program.”
— Petros Lazanis
Contact us
Questions, registrations or support? Talk to us directly.
Families, participants, volunteers and community partners are always welcome to reach out. Email, call Muhan or follow Power Buddies on Instagram.
Prefer to browse first? The current demo schedule is always available.
Schedule