Good morning from Special Olympics! Today is Giving Tuesday, one of the MOST important days of the year for powering our movement. If you are as fired up as I am for a historic day of impact, claim your official Giving Tuesday 3X match now →

I don’t take days like today for granted. Giving Tuesday, now in its 14th year, is one of the few days during the year when people from all over the world, from every walk of life, choose to put compassion into action and lift up the communities and causes that mean the most to them. 

Today, I hope you will choose Special Olympics. Today, I hope you will choose to be an ally to the millions of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and their families who we are honored to serve, celebrate, and play with every day. Your first gift says so much, and today your Giving Tuesday donation will be 3X MATCHED by our Founding Partner, The Coca-Cola Company. If you have ever considered giving to Special Olympics, this is your moment.

I have been fortunate to witness countless Special Olympics moments over the years that inspire and change the lives of people with and without ID. The ones that stay with me are often powerful in their simplicity: An athlete stepping up to the starting line for the very first time. A parent watching their child cross a finish line they never thought possible. A volunteer learning just how much a simple high-five can mean.

Those moments might seem small – but they ripple outward. They build confidence and community for athletes, families, and all of us who know a better, kinder world is possible. This work began in my family’s backyard when my mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, invited children with ID into a space where they were seen, heard, and empowered. 

My mother’s vision sparked our global movement, and today, Special Olympics is fueling that ripple effect in almost every country on Earth. She would be so proud, and as we kick off this Giving Tuesday, your generous support can help fuel our impact for years to come.

I’m asking humbly: Will you make this your moment to change lives in the Special Olympics community? Give before midnight and your Giving Tuesday gift will be 3X MATCHED to bring connection, dignity, and belonging to more athletes with ID in your community and around the world.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Tim Shriver Chairman of the Board Special Olympics