Special Olympics Florida

We wrapped up the 2024 Race for Inclusion in Miami over the weekend. What an amazing day! Thank you to the hundreds of participants who took important steps at Bayfront Park to celebrate and support children and adults with intellectual disabilitites. We are also so grateful to the dedicated partners and sponsors who were instrumental in helping us build a world of inclusion and acceptance. You are all incredible champions for inclusion, and your support will help fuel our mission of serving more than 75,000 athletes in 2025! THANK YOU to our 2024 sponsors: Independent Living Systems, LLC, Baptist Health, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Thoma Bravo, TD Bank, KIDZ Medical Services, PLAE, Bank of America, Bilzin Sumberg, Cemex, My Bonum, UnitedHealthcare, Nicklaus Children's Health System, ZOMMA Group, LLP, Amazon, Uber, Bayfront Park Management Trust Corporation

Grateful for Elizabeth and all of our incredible coaches!

Special thanks to our friends at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Orlando - Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee. As part of our "Every Family is Special" program, they hosted Central Florida athlete Danny Steele for an incredible experience this week at their TropTracer golf range. Danny received exclusive golf lessons with golf pro John Brown as he gears up to compete in our State Golf competition this coming weekend. Using video analysis, John captured Danny’s swing to provide personalized tips and guidance to enhance his game. Thank you, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, for investing in our athletes and being a champion for inclusive sports. Good luck to Danny and all the athletes competing this weekend!

A big THANK YOU to PenAir Credit Union for your incredible support of Escambia County's Powerlifting Team! Your generosity helps athletes like Danelle continue to train, grow, and achieve their goals alongside her amazing teammates. Danelle recently competed with her team at our State Fall Classic Games in Orlando, showcasing her incredible strength and determination. Check out this short video and see what inclusion and empowerment look like in action!

As we continue celebrating our “Week of Gratitude,” today we give a big shoutout to Jersey Mike's Subs for its support of Special Olympics Florida and the entire Special Olympics mission. Their role in the inclusion movement truly goes “above” in building a world where everyone is accepted, respected, and celebrated. Their relentless dedication to giving back changes countless lives. Earlier this year, more than 60 Jersey Mike's Subs locations raised nearly $430,000 to benefit our athletes for sports training and competition. In 2022, the company sponsored the Special Olympics USA Games and generously supported the Team Florida delegation. Jersey Mike’s hosts its Annual Month of Giving each March, which culminates on the last Wednesday of the month – with 100% of the day’s sales benefiting designated nonprofits. Special Olympics Florida is honored to collaborate again with Jersey Mike's Subs Annual Month of Giving in 2025 – with dozens of restaurants throughout Florida raising money and awareness of our mission. This important partnership will enable us to continue to serve more than 75,000 Special Olympics Florida athletes, while amplifying public understanding of their capabilities in the workforce. #gratitide #thankful #partnerships #jerseymikes #asubabove #choosetoinclude #inclusionmatters #makeadifference

They’re on the sidelines at competitions as the Official Medical Team. They’re in the stands cheering for athletes on the playing field. And they're an integral part of our key fundraising events. Most importantly, our partners at Orlando Health work year-round to ensure people with all abilities receive the healthcare they need and deserve. We’re incredibly proud of their unrivaled support as our Official Healthcare Sponsor for Healthy Athletes and Young Athletes. During our “Week of Gratitude” celebration, we want to extend our deepest appreciation to everyone at Orlando Health – the physicians, nurses, athletic trainers and other medical professionals who provide complimentary physicals for our athletes, host annual physical fairs, provide trainers for competitions, and keep our athletes healthy and well – at no cost to athletes or their families. Thank you, Orlando Health, for being such incredible champions for inclusion...in healthcare and beyond.

As we kick off the holiday season, we’re celebrating a "Week of Gratitude" by shining a light on some of our partners who help fuel our mission. We are incredibly grateful for our friends at Publix Super Markets for being such devoted champions for inclusion! Publix has been by our side from the very beginning – in 1972. Since then, their support of our athletes and commitment to building a world where everyone belongs has been steadfast. They’ve hosted the Torch Icon Campaign since 1993, and stores regularly hire Special Olympics Florida athletes. The annual Publix Super Markets golf tournament and Bowl-a-Thon are key fundraising events, and you’ll find Publix associates and executives volunteering and cheering at our events year-round. Thank you, Publix Super Markets, for being a treasured partner, helping us transform lives, inspiring inclusion, and empowering athletes to achieve their dreams. Together, we’re creating a brighter, more unified future!

🏆 What an incredible season for Orlando Pride! Your championship victory inspires so many, including our athletes at Special Olympics Florida. Congratulations on this well-deserved achievement! ⚽🎉 #NWSL #OrlandoPride

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Palm Beach Golf for Inclusion event! It was an incredible evening celebrating the power of inclusion and raising vital funds to support Special Olympics Florida programs. 💜 We are deeply grateful to our sponsors—Publix Super Markets, Accenture Cleveland Clinic, Virtu Financial, Diamante Medical Skin Care, CIBC and Vell Health—for their generous support. Together, we’re creating a more inclusive world. https://bit.ly/3CE7eWl

At Special Olympics Florida, we celebrate the incredible power of generosity, kindness, and giving back...every day. Your support fuels our mission to transform lives through sports, health, opportunity, and community-building for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Today, on National Philanthropy Day, we’d love to share ways you can make a difference in the lives of more than 75,000 athletes across the state. One small step will have a big impact! * Volunteer – help out at our year-round events * Coach – directly impact our athletes as a mentor and leader * Participate – sign up for one of our FUNdraising events like the Race for Inclusion or Polar Plunge * Donate – whether it’s your car or a financial gift, every contribution helps empower our athletes to achieve their dreams * Advocate – you can be a voice for children and adults with ID by sharing our mission on your platforms and spreading awareness about inclusion Together, we can foster a world where everyone’s abilities are celebrated, and everyone belongs. Join us in changing lives—one sport, one smile, one moment at a time. ➡️ Visit the “Get Involved” section of our web site at specialolympicsflorida.org, and join our family of champions today! #nationalphilanthropyday #inclusionrevolution #specialolympicsflorida #givingback #choosetoinclude #volunteer #inspirechange