Transcript “THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL IN ALL OF U.S.*”

North America
Special Olympics Urban Initiative
Pitch to Theme Team Leaders
Team: City Government
Message to Potential Leaders
Your support of the Special Olympics
City Urban Initiative,
a city-wide activity for all five boroughs,
will help to transform entire
communities into model places of
inclusion, acceptance and
understanding.
What Is Special Olympics?
Special Olympics is an international
organization dedicated to
empowering individuals with intellectual
disabilities to become physically fit,
productive and respected members of
society through sports training and
competition.
What is the Urban Initiative?
An effort to provide more quality sports training and
competition opportunities to underserved
populations and localities, leading to growth and
changed attitudes by:
– developing and implementing innovative program
resources that meet the specific challenges of the
urban environment, and
– designing and implementing a highly effective
marketing and promotions model that facilitates
opportunities in key urban centers
Why City? Why Now?
Effects on Society:
• Improvement in Quality of Life for City’s citizens with intellectual
disabilities. Children and adults with intellectual disabilities who
participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness
and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive selfimage. They grow mentally, socially and spiritually and, through their
activities, exhibit boundless courage and enthusiasm, enjoy the
rewards of friendship and ultimately discover not only new abilities
and talents but "their voices" as well.
Why City? Why Now?
Effects on Society:
• Change in Public Perception. Through millions of individual acts of
inclusion where people with and without intellectual disabilities are
brought together through Special Olympics programs, longstanding
myths are dispelled, negative attitudes changed, and new
opportunities to embrace and celebrate people with intellectual
disabilities are created.
Why City? Why Now?
Effects on Society:
• Potential Revenue (long-term): Through their experiences with
Special Olympics, people with intellectual disabilities become
fulfilled and productive members of their families and the
communities in which they live. Some become better prepared to
live more independent lives, including entering the workforce.
Why City? Why Now?
City’s Positive Image
• City as leader and role model in Special Olympics’ effort to
transform communities by inspiring people throughout the world
to open their minds, and accept and include anyone who is
perceived as different.
• Generate positive image and stories about City nationwide
• Take advantage of events to offer opportunities for
visitor/tourist involvement
• Provide a meaningful experience for City dwellers to give
back through volunteerism
Benefits of Participation
• Provide positive opportunities for and create positive association
among families that include individuals with intellectual
disabilities (approx xxx in City)
• Maximize public funding to work harder through volunteer
structure
• Set example for social messaging about need to give back to
community and breaking down barriers
• High visibility media
• Demonstrate a new opportunity to reinvest in City
Expectations
• Media – public appearance at events and fundraisers
• Name Usage
– As board member, in public & private sector fundraising
efforts
• Secure commissioner-level support of initiative (Parks &
Recreation, Office of Developmental Disabilities, Dept of
Education) by appointing representatives & providing access to
database and other information on relevant facilities (for ODD,
DOE, through Parks & Rec, etc.) with points of contact
• Help to investigate and secure availability of funds through
existing public funding streams