Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Special Olympics with a vision that individuals with intellectual disabilities were far more capable in sports and physical activity than many experts believed possible. In 1968, Mrs. Shriver organized the first Special Olympics International Games in Chicago, Illinois. Six athletes from North Carolina were among the participants.
Special Olympics North Carolina held its first Games in 1970 with 400 participants and has since grown to be recognized globally as one of the largest Special Olympics programs in the world.
Our Movement
Special Olympics North Carolina is one of the largest Special Olympics programs in the world with nearly 53,000 registered athletes and Unified partners (people without intellectual disabilities), who train and compete in year-round programs in 20 different sports. Learn more about the difference between Special Olympics, the Paralympics and the Olympics.
A voluntary Board of Directors serves as the governing body for Special Olympics North Carolina and employs a President/CEO responsible for carrying out programs and activities. More than 40 staff members based in three statewide offices work closely with volunteers to provide Special Olympics programs for people with intellectual disabilities.
These programs are organized by approximately 100 sub-accredited local programs throughout the state, and the involvement of more than 40,000 volunteers makes possible nearly 8,000 sport practices and more than 600 competition events at local, area, state, regional, and national levels each year. Find out what is happening in your community and how you can get involved.
Special Olympics North Carolina is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating under Federal Tax ID 56-1149607. Athletes in North Carolina are never charged a fee of any kind to participate in Special Olympics. Generous support from individuals, businesses, foundations, and civic groups helps fund the training facilities, uniforms, awards, equipment, transportation, and coaches’ education that are important to every athlete’s experiences. Support Special Olympics North Carolina today, and give the power of sport to one more athlete.
Our Mission
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 aims to combine high quality sports with a wide audience, and be a driving force for social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
Our Values
Elevating Athletes
We focus on creating meaningful engagement for Special Olympics athletes by maximizing the impact of sports, but also providing more than a sports experience. Through inclusive relationships and integrating community experience across many stakeholders, we are bringing more people into the movement.
Cultivating Potential
Special Olympics NC aims to foster growth and leadership development for athletes, staff and volunteers. We are focused on the value of steady improvement for individuals and the organization.
Consistent Professionalism
We value our competent staff and volunteers who provide high quality programs, collaborate with other mission-driven people internally and externally, and provide effective, open and direct communication across the organization.
