Special Olympics Minnesota

Flex Your Support Muscles, Minnesota! The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games are coming to Minneapolis – together, we can lift up these all of the athletes as they go for the gold! As a long-time Special Olympics supporter, and Proud Sponsor of Gopher Athletics, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union stepped up as the official sponsor of Powerlifting 🏋️♂️ at the #2026USAGames. University of Minnesota women's basketball star Mara Braun shows her support of all the athletes by spotting Special Olympics Minnesota athlete Austin Ewing, 2022 USA Games powerlifting gold medalist from Minnesota. More than 100,000 athletes, volunteers and spectators are expected in Minneapolis in 2026 and we couldn’t be more excited for this world-class event to come to our home state! Join us in making the 2026 USA Games the best experience possible for these athletes, in and out of the weight room! ✨ Learn more at ➡️ https://bit.ly/3YFVwmK #CallingAllChampions #UnleashYourStrength

After two decades of dedicated service, Dave Dorn is retiring as President & CEO of Special Olympics Minnesota. Dave's impact is immeasurable—he's built a strong and resilient organization, created life-changing opportunities for athletes and fostered partnerships that will benefit our organization for years to come. We are so grateful for Dave's vision and commitment to the Special Olympics community, and we are excited for all that lies ahead!   After thoughtful conversations and careful vetting, our Board of Directors selected Bill Fish, our current Chief Development Officer, as the next President and CEO of Special Olympics Minnesota. Bill’s journey with Special Olympics began more than 30 years ago as an Area Director at Special Olympics Wisconsin, where his love for our mission began. He has a deep understanding of our organization and genuine care for our community.   Thank you for your continued support as we enter a new era of Special Olympics Minnesota and the #InclusionRevolution. We’re excited for everything that is to come! Learn more about this transition and share your well-wishes with Dave at somn.org/ceo.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month and we're celebrating the contributions that individuals w/ disabilities make in the workforce. In the professional sphere, adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) encounter significant challenges. Only 18.5% are competitively employed, a stark contrast to the 65% of adults without ID in similar roles. Within this 18.5%, most individuals possess only mild disabilities, fully capable of contributing more to their workplaces while earning an equitable living. The work we do is so important. Learn more here ➡️ https://bit.ly/4dxly00 @2026USAGames #CallingAllChampions #InclusionRevolution

Congrats to the four Unified Champion Schools in Minnesota receiving the honor of becoming a Special Olympics North America Banner School! This remarkable achievement demonstrates that a school has shown a commitment to inclusion by meeting 10 national standards of excellence centered around the three UCS pillars of Unified Sports, Inclusive Student Leadership and Whole School Engagement.   We're excited to highlight our fourth and final school receiving this honor, Watertown-Mayer High School! Maxine Jennings, Unified Champion Schools Senior Manager, praises Watertown-Mayer: "Unified at this school began with a champion for the movement: educator Shawn Perez. Shawn's passion for inclusion and love for her students has been the catalyst for this National Banner School. With her leadership, it's not a surprise that the students of this school foster an environment of meaningful inclusion every day. From Inclusive Student Leadership to Unified Sports, Watertown-Mayer High School is leading the Inclusion Revolution!"   Congrats to Watertown-Mayer High School! 

Meet Abby Pearson, Special Olympics Minnesota's amazing Program Assistant! Abby has been with Special Olympics for over 12 years. Her main job responsibilities include managing supplies and inventory for the Unified Champion Schools team, leading many projects and supporting her teammates in the program department. Her favorite part of her job? Speaking to schools across the state sharing her story and teaching others about the power of inclusion! "Inclusion means everybody gets to do the same things and have the same opportunities," says Abby. "Inclusion is important!" Outside of work, Abby also competes as a Special Olympics athlete in many sports. She also loves doing crafts and watching movies! We're thankful to have Abby on staff here at Special Olympics Minnesota. She's the best! #SOMN #InclusionRevolution #SpecialOlympics #StaffAppreciation

Jumping into freezing water for a good cause? Totally normal. Welcome to Minnesota. 💙 Embrace the cold like a true Minnesotan and sign up for the Polar Plunge! Learn more at plungemn.org. #PlungeMN #FreezinForAReason

Happy Unity Day! 🎉 Unity Day is a day dedicated to coming together and standing up against bullying. This national event created by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center in 2011 has grown exponentially across the country each year. Anti-bullying is a crucial part of inclusion, and all of us at Special Olympics Minnesota are excited to celebrate Unity Day! Take some time today to have a conversation about anti-bullying with your families, friends, coworkers and classmates to encourage kindness and inclusion in your communities. Let's work together to make the world a better place!

Everyone has a different reason for Plunging. What's yours? Get started at plungemn.org. #PlungeMN #FreezinForAReason #SOMN Special Olympics Minnesota Bethel University

Special Olympics Minnesota's State Bowling Tournament is coming up, and we're looking for amazing volunteers to help us strike up some fun! 🎳 Bowling is one of our biggest and most accessible sports. This year's competition is taking place over two weekends in November, at eight locations across the state. Sign up today at somn.org/volunteer to make a difference and be a part of the action! #SOMN #InclusionRevolution

We're hiring! 📣 Special Olympics Minnesota is looking for a passionate and dedicated Young Athletes Manager to join our team. If you have a heart for inclusion, early childhood development and sports-based programming, this is the perfect opportunity! Help us make the world a more inclusive place for ALL, starting with our youngest athletes and Unified partners. ❤️ Learn more about the position and apply now: https://lnkd.in/guYcNyd