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Your monthly support gives more athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID) the chance to get off the sidelines, go for the gold, and find community and friendship.
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Inclusion Matters: Your Action Needed Today!
When you join our global sports movement, you become a change-maker who champions the acceptance of all people through the power of sport. With 46,000 sporting competitions a year in 177 countries and jurisdictions, and life-changing programming in education, health, and leadership, your help is urgently needed! We are actively recruiting athletes, unified partners, coaches, donors, and volunteers. Click on the map below to learn more about our work in each region of the world, and to connect with your local Special Olympics Program today.
Inclusion Matters: Your Action Needed Today!
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North America Region
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  • The Revolution Is Inclusion logo
    In every corner of the earth, Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. These stories come from all around the world
    • CHEERS FOR CHAMPIONS!
    • 50 Game Changers ESPN and Special Olympics have teamed up on a year-long storytelling initiative telling the stories of game changers and game changing moments toward inclusion. Check back each week for a new story of inclusion.
    • Pledge to Include
    • Stories of Inclusion Special Olympics and over 5 Million of our athletes are leading the charge for full inclusion of people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). The movement is rooted in the spirit of our founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who took a rebellious stand against the injustices faced by people with Intellectual Disabilities in 1968. Today, the fight for inclusion is more relevant than ever. People of all ages, races, genders, cultures, backgrounds, and abilities continue to face discrimination, ignorance, and disparagement. Just as Eunice Kennedy Shriver did 50 years ago, Special Olympics is setting a stake in the ground to create change and, this time, our athletes are leading the way.

    Stay In Touch

    See inspiring stories, photos and videos in our Special Olympics monthly newsletter.
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    Remembering Quincy Jones

    Quincy Jones wasn’t just a music industry legend; he was a true leader in spreading the message of inclusion! His dedication to the A Very Special Christmas (AVCS) albums is unmatched, helping bring people together through the power of music.
    1 Min Read

    EsmeeAnne Becomes First Special Olympics Athlete from Europe to Complete a 70.3 IRONMAN

    On 1 September 2024, Special Olympics Netherlands athlete EsmeeAnne de Meulmeester ran, swam and cycled her heart out to complete a half IRONMAN in Duisburg, Germany.
    3 Min Read

    A Journey of Inclusion and Connection

    As part of the Special Olympics Unified Youth Exchange program, which is funded under Department of State’s International Programming Initiative (ISPI), they participated in a two-way exchange between Special Olympics Jamaica and Special Olympics D.C..
    3 Min Read
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Get Involved

Special Olympics offers many ways to take part. There are short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities, the option of playing Unified Sports and to become a Special Olympics athlete.
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Our Organization

About Us

Through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills and success. Our athletes inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential.
  • Mission The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
  • History From a backyard summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities to a global sports movement, Special Olympics has been changing lives and attitudes since 1968.
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics, was a pioneer in the worldwide struggle for rights and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities.
  • Leadership Teams Special Olympics is led by a senior management team with broad corporate and nonprofit experience. Seven regional offices around the world are headed up by managing directors who support the ongoing growth and development of programs in their regions. In addition, Special Olympics has a Global Athlete Leadership Council which features an Athlete Leader from each of the seven regions and provides feedback, guidance, and ideas to the Special Olympics International Board of Directors and Leadership Team.
  • About Intellectual Disabilities Children and adults with intellectual disabilities inspire us every day at Special Olympics events around the world. But what are intellectual disabilities?

Share your story of Inclusion

Our revolution starts with you. Upload your video, photos and story to add your voice to the unified generation.

#unifiedgeneration

How Special Olympics is Powering Inclusive Sport with the Help of Sport Partnerships Around the World

A new report from Special Olympics reveals how a surge in new sport partnerships is helping to power the spread of global inclusion.
4 Min Read

How Special Olympics Kickstarted the Push for Better Disability Data

The following is an excerpt from STAT News’ article, “How Special Olympics kickstarted the push for better disability data,” on Special Olympics’ continuous work to better healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities.
1 Min Read

5 Benefits of Inclusive Education

How Students With and Without Intellectual Disabilities Can Thrive in a Socially Inclusive Learning Environment
1 Min Read

Why the R-Word Is the R-Slur

Practice Inclusion: End the Use of the R-Word The research shows that when social media users are posting about people with intellectual disabilities, 7 in every 10 of those posts are negative, and 6 in 10 contain a slur.
2 Min Read

Our Global Reach

4,238,388

ATHLETES and UNIFIED PARTNERS

53,779

COMPETITIONS

777,670

VOLUNTEERS

366,978

COACHES

72,468

ATHLETE HEALTH SCREENINGS

20,160

Unified Schools