Special Olympics Missouri

Mark Musso – President/CEO

"Special Olympics transforms lives through the joy of sport, every day, everywhere. We are the world’s largest sports organization: with nearly 4 million athletes in more than 170 countries — more than 15,000 of them here in Missouri. We are also a global social movement. With initiatives to activate youth, engage kids with intellectual disabilities, build communities, and improve the health of our athletes – we're changing the game for people young and old and asking you to be a part of it all.

What We Do

Through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills and success. Our athletes find joy, confidence and fulfillment — on the playing field and in life. They also inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential.

For 40 years, Special Olympics has been spreading the message: people with intellectual disabilities can – and will – succeed when given the chance.

With training and competitions in 21 Olympic-style sports, our athletes push hard and play harder. They strive to beat their personal bests, defying the odds again and again. From the local ballfields to the shining stage of the World Games, from swimming to skiing, our athletes showcase the talents and triumphs of people with intellectual disabilities.

Activate Youth

Project UNIFY is acceptance. Project UNIFY is unity. Project UNIFY is youth driven. Project UNIFY is friendship. Project UNIFY is fun. 

Project UNIFY is a U.S. national project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. It is much more than a re-naming of existing school-based programs; rather, it is an innovative response to the unequivocal research that shows Special Olympics local programming can contribute to eradicating the social and environmental walls to inclusion.

Engage Kids

Young Athletes starts everybody on the right track. Children 3-7 learn skills and push their limits in a fun way. Family members and supporters see more of the children's abilities, not their disabilities. And everyone becomes part of the Special Olympics community. 

Building Communities – Special Olympics works to spread compassion and acceptance in a way that can unite the world. Our goal is to awaken everyone — and every community — to each person’s common humanity. This vision of inclusion starts at the local level. It is expanding on a global scale. There are about 200 million people with intellectual disabilities around the world. We want to reach out to every one of them – and their families and communities as well.

Healthier Athletes – Special Olympics is also the world's largest public health organization for people with intellectual disabilities. Many of our athletes come to us with neglected health problems. At State Games and other events, we offer a wide range of free health screenings and care. Our goal is to bring better fitness, nutrition and healthier lifestyles to everyone involved in Special Olympics — from athletes and their families, to coaches and volunteers.      

 

Norhwest Area Office:

520 Francis, 5th Floor

St. Joseph, MO 64501 

Phone:816-233-6232

Fax: 816-233-0130

Melody Prawitz – Area Director: prawitz@somo.org.                                                          

 

Northeast Area Office:

1001 Diamond Ridge Suite 800

Jefferson City, MO 65109 

Phone:573-635-1660

Fax: 573-635-8233

Tim Schuster: schuster@somo.org.                                                                                                    

 

Central Area Office:

903 Old 63 North, Suite A

Columbia, MO 65201 

Phone: 573-256-6367

Fax: 573-256-6369

Diane Brimer: dbrimer@somo.org.                                                                                                    

 

Kansas City Metro Area Office:

SOMO KC Metro 

9001 West 67th Street

Merriam, KS 66202

Phone: 913.789.0330

Fax: 913.789.0331

Julia Hansen: hansen@somo.org                                                                                                                                                  

 

Southwest Area Office:

2914 E 32nd Street, Suite 304

Joplin, MO 64804

Robin Anderson: anderson@somo.org.                                                                                                                                    

 

Southeast Area Office:

1625 N. Kingshighway

Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 

Phone: 573-339-6733 or 573-339-6342

Fax: 573-339-6370

Penny Williams: williams@somo.org

Phone: 417-624-5505

Fax: 417-624-5517.                                                                                                                                                              

 

St. Louis Metro Area Office:

2945 S. Brentwood

St. Louis, MO 63144

Jocelyn Diehl: diehl@somo.org.                                                            

 

Special School District of St. Louis County Area Office:

12721 West Watson Rd.

Sunset Hills, MO 63127 

Phone: 314-989-7524

Fax: 314-989-7525

Kerrie Townsend: KLTownsend@ssdmo.org. 

Phone: 314-961-7755

Fax: 314-961-0660