GIVING BACK
TRANSFORMING LIVES “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” ~ Motto Of The Special Olympics
Special Olympics Northern California provides athletic opportunities to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, instilling the confidence they need to succeed in life. The concept for Special Olympics was born in the early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a day camp for people with intellectual disabilities at her home in Rockville, Md. Her vision quickly gained recognition and momentum, and in 1968 the first International Special Olympics Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago, bringing together more than 1,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 26 states and Canada. Since then, Shriver’s vision has grown into one of the largest and most successful sports and volunteer organizations in the world. There are Special Olympics chapters in every state of America and in more than 150 countries worldwide, serving more than 3 million Special Olympics athletes. Special Olympics Northern California opened its doors in 1995. What started originally as a small grass-roots organization has since become a powerful voice for athletes with intellectual disabilities, encompassing Northern California from the Oregon border to Monterey and Tulare counties.
How you can help: Become a volunteer. Coach, volunteer at an event or sponsor an athlete, a sport or a classroom. Make a donation. Visit www.sonc.org for information on how to become an athlete or a volunteer.
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