26 March 2020

Special Olympics Illinois Announces New Chicago Headquarters

By: Sarah Lisewski

You may be wondering, “Why doesn’t Chicago have a Special Olympics headquarters?” Well,
on April 2, one is opening in West Loop! As Special Olympics Illinois is adding new activities,
like flag football, for athletes to participate in, having a new headquarters will give us endless
opportunities to grow.

Nearly 55,000 people that live in Chicago have an intellectual disability, and this new
headquarters will provide them with activities to participate in and all the support they may need!
The President of Special Olympics Illinois David Breen stated, “We are moving into the West
Loop to expand our work in Chicago. We want Chicagoans to know Special Olympics is much
more than a track meet.”

Chicago is the largest region of Special Olympics Illinois. This area offers as many as 22 sports
to compete in and the training that pairs with it. Chicago athletes are prepared to participate in
competitions year-round at local, state, and national levels. By providing more opportunities for
our friends with disabilities, we are setting examples for more inclusion to take place in the big
city of Chicago.

In Chicago already, there are almost 20 schools that provide Special Olympics Unified School
programming. This headquarters will further this movement of support. After the
commencement of this headquarters, Special Olympics Illinois will reach out to Chicago Public
Schools to strengthen the bond that is already in place. Special Olympics Illinois is looking
forward to expanding programming for students with intellectual disabilities in CPS. Breen later
stated, “Inclusion creates career opportunities for our athletes, and we are at a time when
companies are looking to us for help on implementing their goals for a more inclusive
workforce.”

As the first Special Olympics Games were at Soldier Field in Chicago, it only seems fitting to
add a headquarters in this location. What all began as a Special Olympics track event has
expanded into the Special Olympics competitions we have today. Special Olympics Chicago has
now grown to serve more than 7,500 athletes. This new headquarters will complement Illinois’
existing HQ location in Normal, Illinois. These locations will work together to provide beneficial
instruction for athletes. Having two locations will allow for a wide variety of connection between
athletes that live in Northern Illinois or areas that are closer to Southern Illinois.

Special Olympics Illinois will host an Open House on April 13 at its new Chicago headquarters,
located at 820 W. Jackson Blvd. We look forward to connecting with new and existing athletes,
families, and friends at our second home in Illinois! As we continue to grow Special Olympics
Illinois, so does our family.