Competing, Growing, Belonging
At OHI, Special Olympics isn't just something we participate in—it's something we live. For the individuals we support, it is one of the most anticipated, meaningful, and celebrated parts of the year. And we wouldn't have it any other way.
Special Olympics exists to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities—giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and share gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, fellow athletes, and their communities. In Maine alone, Special Olympics serves over 5,000 athletes and offers more than 70 events at the local, state, national, and international levels.
OHI is proud to be part of that movement.
Training, Competing, and Cheering—Together
Our involvement goes well beyond showing up on competition day. OHI staff work side by side with the athletes we support throughout the entire journey—from early training sessions to local competitions, and all the way to state and international events. We are their coaches, their practice partners, their loudest fans, and their biggest believers.
Athletes supported by OHI compete in events of their own choosing—track and field, basketball, swimming, skiing, soccer, and more—pursuing personal goals, celebrating hard-earned milestones, and discovering what they are truly capable of when given the opportunity and the support to try.
Whether you finish first or last, the message at Special Olympics is clear: everyone is a winner. It's about hard work, inclusion, and having fun—and that atmosphere makes every person feel welcome, regardless of age or ability.
Unified Sports is a Special Olympics program that pairs athletes with intellectual disabilities alongside partners without disabilities on the same team, competing together in sports like basketball, soccer, bowling, and more.
The core idea is simple but powerful: when people of differing abilities train, compete, and win together, it breaks down social barriers and builds genuine inclusion. Rather than one group "helping" the other, Unified Sports emphasizes equal participation and shared athletic goals.
Beyond the game, the program has shown real impact in schools and communities—reducing bullying, increasing social connections for athletes with intellectual disabilities, and shifting how people perceive and interact with those who have different abilities.
More Than Athletics—A Path to Belonging
Special Olympics is founded on the belief that through millions of individual acts of inclusion—where people with and without intellectual disabilities are brought together—long-standing myths are dispelled, attitudes are changed, and new opportunities to embrace and celebrate people with intellectual disabilities are created.
For the people OHI supports, Special Olympics is about far more than winning medals. It is about building confidence, forming friendships, and claiming a place in the community as an athlete, a competitor, and a leader. It is about the training partner who shows up every week. The family member is cheering from the stands. The OHI staff member who drove three hours to watch someone cross the finish line for the very first time.
Those are the moments we live for.
Get Involved
Special Olympics Maine is always looking for volunteers, coaches, and community supporters. If you want to be part of something that changes lives—including your own—we encourage you to get involved. Visit somaine.org to learn more.