Special Olympics

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Special Olympics Charity Profile

Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization* dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. (*Special Olympics is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).) 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.

Special Olympics empowers people with intellectual disabilities to realize their full potential and develop their skills through year-round sports training and competition. As a result, Special Olympics athletes become fulfilled and productive members of their families and the communities in which they live. Special Olympics is an experience that is energizing, healthy, skillful, welcoming and joyful.

Special Olympics Volunteer Information

Join the more than 700,000 Special Olympics volunteers around the world by contacting your local Program. Special Olympics would not exist today — and could not have been created — without the time, energy, commitment and enthusiasm of its volunteers. As a grass-roots organization, Special Olympics relies on volunteers at all levels of the movement to ensure that every athlete is offered a quality sports training and competition experience.

Special Olympics volunteers can get involved at the state/provincial, national or international level, or offer their services locally at a Special Olympics Program in their community. Some volunteers offer a few hours of their time a year at specific events, while others work several hours a week year-round. Whatever your interests, talents, background and availability, there are volunteer opportunities for you, from a one-day stint as a scorekeeper at an athletic event to licensed health care providers volunteering their time to provide event-based health opportunities for athletes through the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® initiative.
Volunteering for Special Olympics can create lifelong friendships and rewards of immeasurable value. For proof, look no further than Ireland — Special Olympics is still in their blood. Veteran volunteers from the 2003 Summer Games banded together to raise funds and elected to send a self-funded volunteer contingent to every future World Games anywhere in the world, aiming to both support Team Ireland and work in whatever capacity needed at the Games. Twenty-six Irish volunteers assisted at the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

The Special Olympics volunteer pool is dedicated and diverse. Volunteers include: civic and fraternal groups, licensed health care providers, high school and college students, amateur and professional athletes, sports officials, coaches, teachers, retirees, parents, and corporate employees.

As a Special Olympics volunteer you will take pride in knowing that you are an important part of a global movement that provides athletes with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to experience the excitement, joy and personal fulfillment associated with sport training and competition.

Volunteer with Special Olympics and make a difference in the lives of more than 2.5 million athletes, their families and your community.

Special Olympics Donation Information

While Special Olympics has worked to improve millions of lives through year-round sports training and athletic competition, the movement is still affecting just a small percentage of the up to 190 million people worldwide with intellectual disabilities around the world. Please help us reach all those who can benefit from participation. Your willingness to support the Special Olympics movement will give these athletes the chance to make their dreams come true.

Donation Options:

Checks, Credit Card, Recurring, Online, Matching, Bequest Legacy, Memorial, Tribute

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