MEETING NEEDS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS Organizations that meet the needs for special needs

S PECIAL O LYMPICS “At every small event, at every big event, our athletes are striking out at injustice and challenging intolerance. ” -Tim Shriver, Special Olympics Chairman and CEO The Special Olympics have been going on for more than fourty-three years. These children and adults train for thirty-two sports with the help of coaches and volunteers. It is the largest sports organization with nearly four million athletes in more than one hundred and seventy countries. The Special Olympics is meant to improve the self-confidence and raise awareness for people that have special needs. It helps to emphasize that special needs children and adults can do what everyone else can do and more.

O RGANIZATION OF S PECIAL N EEDS F AMILIES This organization was founded only ten years ago by the parents of a special needs child who hoped to find new activities for them. Ever since that date, the OSF now offers an afterschool program on weekdays and a summer camp for the children.

A NGELS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS “Angels With Special Needs” is an organization for youth who are severely disabled. This organization focuses on helping the children to feel included in social settings. The organization is found in South Carolina and mainly narrows in on helping children do activites, such as the fine arts and sports. The children also go on small field trips to recreation areas, such as bowling, zoos, etc. It helps provide money to schools so they can send their special needs children on fieldtrips. This organization helps to give the children new experiences with other children in similar experiences.

N ATIONAL CENTER FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES (NCLD) NCLD is an organization that works to promise that everyone with special needs and learning disabilities have the availabilities to succeed at everything they do in life. This program works to provide crucial and critical information to the parents and professionals of those with special needs to ensure that their child/children are getting the proper opportunities.

F EDERATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ( FCSN ) FCSN works to give care, help, and information to parents or guardians that have special needs children. They work to find organizations near the child’s home that will help create new opportunities. They believe that everyone deserves to have a chance at everything they do and nobody should be excluded. It helps to create a sense of self-empowerment in both the parents and children.

There are many other organizations that also allow the development of children with special needs and help raise awareness.