The history. The concept for Special Olympics was born in the early 1950s and early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were treated. Shriver started a day camp for people with intellectual disabilities at her home in Rockville, Maryland. The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held in 1968 at Soldier Field, Chicago, with a thousand athletes with intellectual disabilities from 26 U.S. states and Canada.

Today. Mrs. Shriver's vision has become an international sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities.  Special Olympics has expanded its reach to more than 4.5 million athletes worldwide. In one year alone, more than 94,000 Special Olympics events and competitions were held all around the world. There are programs in every U.S. state and in 170 countries worldwide.

Who is eligible. Special Olympics Northern California is a free year-round sports training and competition program for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics is held on nights and weekends through the General Community Program and in K-12 schools through the Schools Partnership Program.  For more information on Special Olympics Northern California, visit www.SONC.org or join us at www.Facebook.com/SONorCal and www.Twitter.com/SONorCal

Updated: December 28, 2016