Campaign for Inclusion & Access
Special Olympics Southern California seeks to be active in every community, every day.
Special Olympics Southern California is pursuing partnerships with community leaders, philanthropists, and organizations to transform the Southern California landscape. Together we will increase inclusion and access for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families through targeted recruitment, specialized training, and strategic collaboration. The Campaign for Inclusion and Access, the first of its kind, is a focused strategy to invite all SOSC stakeholders to participate in this transformation.
DID YOU KNOW?
Southern California has more than 500,000 residents living with an intellectual disability (ID).
Individuals with an intellectual disability are:
- 2X as likely to be obese than individuals without disabilities
- 2X as likely to have cardiovascular disease and asthma
- 2X as likely to be less physically active
- 5X as likely to have diabetes
- Have a reduced life expectancy by 16 years
Special Olympics Southern California has a 53-year history of addressing these issues by providing quality programming that increases physical activity, social connection, health education, and public awareness.
We know that there is:
- High demand for programming
- High need for trained coaches
- Low representation of people with intellectual disabilities in our community
- Limited access to health services
- Need for a sustainable funding source, like an endowment
Make a difference in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.
Donate your money, time, or talents to ensure the athletes continue to receive access to top-quality programming that changes their lives.
Call us at (562) 502-1130
Our Activities
Special Olympics provides access to the following programs, free of charge, for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families.
- SPORTS – Promotes activity and reduces isolation among individuals with intellectual disabilities ages 8-years-old and older through sports training and competition.
- UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS – Special Olympics Southern California Unified Champion Schools is a three-component strategy to activate youth, engage educators and promote school communities of acceptance and inclusion where all young people are agents of change.
- YOUNG ATHLETES – Introduces children ages 2-7 to the world of Special Olympics sport, while developing gross and fine motor skills through unified play.
- HEALTHY ATHLETES – The 3 pillars for SOSC’s Health Initiatives department are programming, screening, and partnership. Fit 5 drives our programming, Healthy Athletes provides the screening opportunities, and our partnerships with KP and local colleges & universities sustains our efforts.
- ATHLETE LEADERSHIP – Special Olympics have the opportunities for athletes to grow their leadership skills, whether it is through coaching, being an official, a team captain, a spokesperson, Global Messenger or Board or committee member.
