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We are helping to make the world a better, healthier and more joyful place—one athlete, one volunteer, one family member at a time.
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Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.

It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.

Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship.
Athletes

Take Care of Yourself and Your Mental Health—World Mental Health Day

A row of athletes sitting on chairs applauding.
“Take care of yourself and move forward” has been Joe Wu’s motto during these last few months. No longer able to compete and to practice on a regular basis, Wu—like so many others—has turned to virtual ways to connect and uplift those around him.
Community Impact

Promoting Friendship and Understanding: The Story of Loau, a Peer Partner

A boy falls over a football on an outdoor field while 5 boys run towards him, 2 from his team and 3 from the other team. Everyone wears Special Olympics jerseys. There are palm trees lining the field.
During the pandemic, Special Olympics Chile coordinated with Chile's National Ministry of Education to create a virtual physical education curriculum for students of all abilities.
In the News

Redefining What’s Possible

Man running outside in a winter suit.
In the crowd, family, friends, and fans cheer loudly because Jeff Greene has arrived at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
Press Releases

Special Performances Announced for the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games

Performances by Jason Mraz and Grace VanderWaal have been announced for the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games Opening Ceremony in Austria on March 18. Princess Charlene of Monaco, Hannah Teter, Apolo Ohno, Dikembe Mutumbo, Michelle Kwan, Sam Perkins, Jillian Michaels, Louie Van Amstel and many more will attend Games.
Athletes

Special Olympics Nebraska Athlete Takes on Capitol Hill Ahead of Sargent Shriver Global Messenger Term

By RJ Nealon, February 16, 2024
Wyatt Spalding stands in front of a sign for Senator Ricketts office.
Throughout Washington D.C., Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners, and staff from 47 states and the District of Columbia are meeting with members of Congress to advocate for the continuance of funding for the movement’s life-changing work in education and health.
Community Impact

Brandon Fitzgerald: Committed to the Principle, "We Are Stronger Together"

Brandon Fitzgerald, Chief Legal Officer
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of the Special Olympics Board of Directors, Brandon Fitzgerald has been championing fairness and equality his whole life.
Inclusive Health

Healthy Communities

One man giving a thumbs up and a man and a woman show off signed documents.
Special Olympics Healthy Communities began in 2012 with an investment from the Golisano Foundation. As of 2025, Healthy Communities has been activated in 159 Special Olympics Programs and has yielded athlete engagement, increased attention to health from athletes and caregivers, and significantly increased health systems partnerships. Through support from the Golisano Foundation, and in the United States in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Special Olympics Healthy Communities works to increase access to quality health care and effective prevention programming to improve the health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
In the News

The Beautiful Game Kicks Off: Paris hosts the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup 2026

By Karini Viranna , July 03, 2026
Female footballers waiving, text on the image reads: Inspiration is Contagious
The footballs are packed. The boots are laced. From training grounds across the world, 324 footballers from 23 nations will gather at the Charléty Stadium in the ‘City of Light’ between 6-11 July to compete for the coveted title.

Special Olympics

Swimmer Homepage Lead
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.
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