SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INC

SPORTS AND HEALTH PROGRAMS:SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. ATHLETES HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE IN 12 SPORTS AT THE LOCAL AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEVEL ANNUALLY AND TO COMPETE NATIONALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY DURING YEARS IN WHICH USA GAMES OR WORLD GAMES ARE TAKING PLACE. INDIVIDUALS CAN PARTICIPATE AS YOUNG AS TWO YEARS OLD AND THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIMES. THROUGH THE YOUNG ATHLETES PROGRAM, ATHLETES AGED 2-7 DEVELOP THEIR MOTOR, SOCIAL, AND COGNITIVE SKILLS THROUGH FOUNDATIONAL SPORTS PLAY.SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATION FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THE HEALTHY ATHLETES PROGRAM PROVIDES ACCESS TO FREE HEALTH SERVICES FOR A POPULATION WITH SIGNIFICANT, UNMET HEALTH NEEDS. AT EVENTS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS ATHLETES FREE ACCESS TO MEDICAL TEAMS ACROSS PRIMARY CARE, OPTOMETRY, PODIATRY, MENTAL HEALTH, AND MORE. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OFFERS FIT 5, WHICH IS A FITNESS PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP ATHLETES BECOME THE BEST THEY CAN BE BY CREATING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES. THESE RESOURCES ARE AIMED AT IMPROVING AN ATHLETE'S OVERALL HEALTH THROUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, NUTRITION, AND HYDRATION. SOSC ALSO OFFERS MEDFESTS, WHICH PROVIDE ATHLETES WITH PHYSICAL EXAMS; HEALTH BOOTHS; REGULAR ONLINE WORKOUTS; AND MORE.IN 2024, SOSC LAUNCHED A NEW THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT HELPED GUIDE GROWTH. THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPED 26 NEW LOCAL PROGRAMS AND UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS. THEY PROVIDED 2,739 HEALTH SCREENINGS TO ATHLETES, WHICH IS A 17% INCREASE COMPARED TO 2023. THEY ALSO UNVEILED POWER UP, WHICH IS AN INCLUSIVE, VIRTUAL WORKOUT DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ACHIEVED THIS WHILE KEEPING ALL ELEMENTS OF THE SPORTS, COMPETITIONS, AND HEALTH PROGRAMS FREE OF CHARGE TO ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES.SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHANGES THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES THROUGH THE POWER OF SPORTS AND SO MUCH MORE. THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS, ATHLETES IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND SELF-ESTEEM AND FIND A SENSE OF BELONGING. AND BY CELEBRATING THE ATHLETES' ABILITIES, WE ARE OPENING HEARTS AND MINDS AND CREATING COMMUNITIES OF ACCEPTANCE AND INCLUSION.

UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS:SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS (UCS) IS SHAPING A GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL LEAD US INTO A FUTURE OF INCLUSION. THE PROGRAM SPREADS ACCEPTANCE, INCLUSION, AND AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE FOR STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. NINETY-ONE PERCENT OF GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS PROGRAMS REPORTED STANDING UP FOR THEIR TEAMMATES WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AND 94% OF UCS LIAISONS REPORTED LESS BULLYING.IN 2024, WE HAD MORE THAN 150 SCHOOLS COMMIT TO CREATING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCEPTING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THIS INCLUDES THREE COMPONENTS:1. UNIFIED SPORTS IS A PROGRAM IN WHICH PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (ATHLETES) AND THOSE WITHOUT (PARTNERS) TRAIN AND COMPETE TOGETHER ON SPORTS TEAMS. IT IS INSPIRED BY A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE: PLAYING TOGETHER IS A QUICK PATH TO FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING.2. INCLUSIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP - STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WORK TOGETHER TO LEAD AND PLAN ADVOCACY, AWARENESS, AND OTHER INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.3. WHOLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT INCORPORATES AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE INCLUSION, REACH THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, AND ALIGN WITH THE UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS MISSION.THESE COMPONENTS PROVIDE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATING POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATES. THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND AWARENESS, UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, BECOME PART OF THE SCHOOL'S SOCIAL FABRIC.THE ORGANIZATION CHANGES THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 100,000 STUDENTS THROUGH UCS, AND 96% OF THOSE ATHLETES EXPERIENCED IMPROVED SELF-CONFIDENCE.