Using sports as a catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. As a result, people with intellectual disabilities become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Special Olympics is still the largest sports organization in the world serving over 4.2 million people with intellectual disabilities worldwide. And sports are still the core of what we do. But, our athletes inspire us to continue to evolve as an organization as they tell us their stories and share their dreams for the future. Today we use sports as a catalyst to help enhance the growth for all people who participate and compete with Special Olympics.

Build Inclusive Schools

Develop Leaders

Strengthen Communities

Promote Self-Sufficiency

Improve Health and Quality of Life

Because of your support, the organization has made a meaningful difference in the life of every athlete who participates. As a recognized best practice for non-profits in Colorado, we ensure that every dollar is spent wisely.

Building Communities and Developing Leaders is primarily happening at a young age when youth are most impacted by socialization. We know our Special Olympics Unified programs are working because it’s in the numbers:

• 78% of typically developing youth report that their attitudes toward bullying have changed
• 75% increase in school involvement among those with intellectual disabilities
• 84% of all students report the program is life-changing

An average athlete visits 50 different physicians with little, if any, results. If these health issues are untreated as minor illnesses they could become life-threatening and thus creating a health crisis of epidemic proportions. Did you know? Special Olympics is the largest health provider for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the world. We have trained more than 120,000 health professionals in 7 disciplines and have conducted over 1.2 million health screenings globally.