Training for Life

By Tela Mange

At Special Olympics Texas, we often talk about how our sports training is actually “training for life.”  Through the power of sport, our athletes are trained to participate and be active members in their communities – on and off the playing fields.

SOTX athlete Max Adamczyk proves to the world that someone with an intellectual disability can be just as valuable to an employer as any other worker.  He has worked on the maintenance crew at All-Saints Catholic Church in his neighborhood for the past nine years.

Did you know? 

52% of Special Olympics athletes become employed, compared to only 10 percent of individuals with intellectual disabilities who do not participate in Special Olympics.

Special Olympics athletes perform better in school, enjoy stronger family relationships, make more friends and are more prepared to live and work in their communities than their peers who are not involved in Special Olympics (according to a Yale University study.)

When you include SOTX in your estate plans, you ensure that athletes like Max and many others not only succeed at sports, but also exceed in life.

The Legacy Society is a group of supporters who have included SOTX in their estate plans through a will, trust, charitable gift annuity, or as a beneficiary of a retirement or life insurance plan.  These thoughtful donors are “champions” of Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s legacy,committed to safeguarding the success of our mission and ensuring a bright future for generations of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

If you would like to include SOTX in your estate plan, or let us know that you have already done so, please contact the Major Gifts and Planned Giving Department.  If you are considering a gift, our staff would be happy to have a confidential conversation with you about your charitable gift options.