Special Olympics New York Awarded $47,000 Grant from Wal-Mart Foundation to Promote Healthy Athletes

October 8, 2008

(Schenectady, N.Y.) The Wal-Mart Foundation has awarded a $47,000 grant to Special Olympics New York to support the statewide organization’s Healthy Athletes initiative.

“Special Olympics New York is pleased to announce that Wal-Mart has joined us in supporting our athletes as a corporate sponsor of our Healthy Athlete program for 2008/09,” said Neal J. Johnson, President & CEO of Special Olympics New York.

Special Olympics New York, headquartered in Schenectady with regional offices throughout N.Y., provides year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities throughout the state.

The Healthy Athletes program is designed to help Special Olympics athletes improve their health and fitness, leading to enhanced sports experience and improved well-being. The program includes the following disciplines: Opening Eyes; Special Smiles; Healthy Hearing; Fit Feet; Health Promotion; and FUNFitness.

The grant of $47,000 will provide Special Olympics New York the opportunity to provide up to 4,000 Special Olympics athletes with hands-on health screening and health care at its next three State Games to be held October 3-5 in Rochester, in February in Rochester and in June in Binghamton.

“Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club are proud to provide this grant to Special Olympics New York to help promote health and fitness among the courageous athletes across New York who participate in Special Olympics,” said Paul Busby, Regional General Manager and Vice President, for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Special Olympics New York (www.specialolympicsny.org) provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-style sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, including mental retardation, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of skills and friendship with their families, Special Olympics athletes and the community. Through their participation in Special Olympics New York athletes gain confidence and build a positive self-image, which carries into the classroom, the home, the workplace and the community.

Special Olympics New York is the largest program of its type in the U.S., serving nearly 46,106 athletes with the support of more than 25,000 volunteers. Special Olympics New York is headquartered in Schenectady with regional offices in Long Island, New York City, Hudson Valley, Central, and Genesee.

Special Olympics New York is a privately funded not-for-profit 501(c)3 agency that raises its operating budget mainly through the support and generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations. Special Olympics New York does not charge its athletes or their families to participate. Consequently, all moneys spent for athletes, coaches, competitions and volunteers must be raised through fund-raising activities.

The grant was made possible through the Wal-Mart Foundation’s State Giving Program. Through this program, the Wal-Mart Foundation awards grants at the state and regional levels to support unmet needs in areas of focus such as: Education, Job Skills Training, Environmental Sustainability and Health. For more information, please visit: www.walmartstores.com.

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Photo: From left, Kelly Schultes and Kevin Brown, both Special Olympics participants; Shelly Nangle, the executive vice president and COO of Special Olympics New York; Kirk Christensen, Glenville Wal-Mart Supercenter store manager; Christopher Smith, the Special Olympics New York vice president of development; and Brian McArdle, a Special Olympics participant.