Special Olympics Advocates for Continued Federal Funding

Off-road racer Edwin Hammond Meredith supports the work of several charitable organizations. In addition to fostering rescue animals, Edwin Hammond Meredith has previously volunteered with his local Boys and Girls Club and the Special Olympics.

Since the 1960s, the Special Olympics has provided athletes with disabilities the opportunity to participate in competitive group and individual games. For more than a decade, the Special Olympics has helped schools across America develop and expand inclusive sports programs through the federally funded initiative United Schools.

Approximately 10 percent of the Special Olympics’ operating budget is funded by the U.S. government. In 2019, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos proposed cutting Special Olympics’ funding from the budget. After bipartisan dissent, the funding remained intact for the 2020 fiscal year.

In light of this, representatives from the Special Olympics visited Congress in early 2020 to share the importance of funding United Schools. The program significantly improves the lives of young people with disabilities by providing them with opportunities to engage meaningfully with their peers. The president’s latest budget included full funding for the program.