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Community Impact

Health Focus: Building Healthy Communities

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Every day fantastic, innovative work is happening within the health sphere in Special Olympics—contributing to our Inclusion Revolution! One fine example is the Healthy Communities programme, supported by the Golisano Foundation.

Healthy Communities is a recognition programme for Special Olympics countries that are working to build a foundation for inclusive health. Inclusive health means equitable access to quality healthcare, education, and services throughout the community for people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID).

Healthy Communities, which is made possible with the support of the Golisano Foundation, takes the principles of Healthy Athletes and expands them from a series of individual events to nurture ongoing health and wellness in the lives of Special Olympics athletes and their families. Healthy Communities combines Healthy Athlete screening events with follow-up care, year-rounds fitness and wellness opportunities, community wide partnerships and sustainability.

Currently across Europe Eurasia, Healthy Communities is active in Romania, Belgium, Czech Republic. Poland, Ireland, Slovenia, The Netherlands, Malta and Cyprus.

Please reach out to Bjoern Koehler and Ilse Hemmelmayr from the Special Olympics Europe Eurasia health team to learn more about Healthy Communities.

Read more about Healthy Communities