About SOMO

Our Mission 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.

What we do
Special Olympics transforms lives through the joy of sport, every day, everywhere. We are the world’s largest sports organization: with nearly 5 million athletes in more than 170 countries -- 16,366 of them here in Missouri. We are also a global social movement. With initiatives to activate youth, engage kids and adults with intellectual disabilities, build communities, and improve the health of our athletes - we're changing the game for people young and old and asking you to be a part of it all.

Through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths, abilities, skills, and much more. Our athletes find joy, confidence and fulfillment -- on the playing field and in life. They also inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential.

For 50 years, Special Olympics has been spreading the message: people with intellectual disabilities can – and will – succeed when given the chance.

With training and competitions in 16 Olympic-style sports, our athletes push hard and play harder. They strive to beat their personal bests, defying the odds again and again. From the local ballfields to the shining stage of the World Games, from swimming to skiing, our athletes showcase the talents and triumphs of people with intellectual disabilities.

Accreditations
Special Olympics Missouri is proud to return 82% of every dollar back to program services. We are privileged to be recognized with these honors: BBB A+ Charity Accreditation, Charity Navigator 4-star rating and Guidestar Gold Level.