2024 Was An Extraordinary Year

WORLDWIDE OPPORTUNITIES

Three of our triathletes traveled to Slovakia in 2024 to be part of the Special Olympics European Open Triathlon. Maya Fletcher from Palm Beach County, Zachary Deonath from Marion County, and Frank Russell from Escambia County spent several days in the town of Samorin, where they met and competed with athletes from around the world. Meanwhile, Broward County athlete Kellie Matthew was chosen to represent Special Olympics USA in Alpine skiing at the 2025 World Winter Games in Italy.

SUPER YET AGAIN

Once again, Special Olympics Florida athlete Malcom Harris-Gowdie had the opportunity to work as a reporter and broadcaster at the Super Bowl, thanks to a partnership with the sports and entertainment network FanSided. Malcom attended pre-game and post-game press conferences, asking questions of Kansas Chiefs Coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes. On game day, Malcom worked in the media area outside Allegiant Stadium. Malcom said covering the nation’s biggest sporting event  was “literally a dream come true.”

GO COACH!

Coaches are at the heart of what we do, and in 2024 we launched the GO COACH! campaign to bring more into our community. We received help from the Miami Marlins and we created a new video featuring Special Olympics Florida Athlete Leader Abigail Adams. Check out – and share – the video here. Our coach recruitment campaign will continue in 2025. 

NATIONAL CHAMPS

The Pasco Stars softball team is a genuine dynasty. In 2024, the Stars captured their fifth national title at the Special Olympics North America Softball Invitational. The squad was unbeatable, racking up a 6-0 record in a tournament that included more than 20 teams from around the U.S.

BY THE NUMBERS

In 2024, we held more than 160 competitions and conducted nearly 10,000 health screenings. Special Olympics Florida now serves more than 75,000 athletes, making it the largest Special Olympics state chapter in the country. Also, we received a 4-star rating  – the highest possible – from Charity Navigator for the 10^th time in a row.

MORE THAN NUMBERS

Behind every one of our nearly 10,000 health screenings is an athlete whose life is improved by access to high-quality healthcare. They are athletes like Monroe County’s Jennifer Averette and Duval County’s Brandon Reardon, who both received new, state-of-the-art hearing aids with the help of Special Olympics Florida. Or the nearly 200 athletes referred for follow-up dental care after being screened at our State Summer Games. We are committed to ensuring our athletes receive the care they need.

RACING FOR INCLUSION

Our fourth annual Race for Inclusion featured eight great events across the state – everything from 5Ks to open-water swims to golf. This year, we added the Race for Inclusion Speaker Series – panel discussions exploring issues important to our athletes and everyone with an intellectual disability. The first focused on healthcare and was produced in partnership with Orlando Health – the Official Central Florida Health Home of Special Olympics Florida. The second examined transportation challenges and was hosted by Brightline at its Miami headquarters.

A UNIFIED MISSION

It was another terrific year for our Unified Champion Schools programs. We added 85 schools across the state, boosting our total number of Unified Champion Schools to 559. During 2024, 10 schools were designated Banner Schools, a national honor indicating that the schools meet 10 standards of excellence and foster a sense of collaboration, engagement and respect for all students and staff.