SILVER2023

Special Olympics Tennessee

Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

Nashville, TN   |  www.specialolympicstn.org

Mission

The mission of Special Olympics Tennessee is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, develop healthy lifestyle habits, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Ruling year info

1974

President

Mr. Adam Germek

Main address

461 Craighead Street

Nashville, TN 37204 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

23-7348136

NTEE code info

Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers (P82)

Special Olympics (N72)

Health Support Services (E60)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Competitions and Sports Training

Athletes train in 17 sports locally and compete to qualify for state-wide events. Program includes Traditional Sports made up of Special Olympics qualified athletes and Unified Sports made up of Special Olympics athletes and peers without disabilities. In Tennessee there are 36 area programs that coordinate competitions and training for a specific county or region. Year-round sports programming includes alpine skiing, snowboard, ice skating, basketball, track & field, swimming, golf, flag football, bocce, powerlifting, tennis, volleyball, soccer, bowling, equestrian, softball and rollerskating.

Population(s) Served

The organization coordinates 36 volunteer training schools annually for coaches in all sports and other volunteers in areas of management, public relations, and fundraising to certify all to work with Special Olympic athletes.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Special Olympics Athletes have the opportunity to serve on boards, local area committees or other leadership roles with the support of a mentor. The Global Messenger Training Program invites outside facilitators to work with Special Olympics athletes in the ALPS program in the areas of public speaking, speeches and presentations. Athletes can also participate in training programs to become officials for competitions as well as coaches or assistant coaches.

Population(s) Served

Young athletes programs were started in 2009 to meet the demand for activities for 3 to 7 year old children with intellectual disabilities. These community-based programs consist of weekly "play" activities involving child and parent...ideally with a maximum of 12 families involved. The program introduces "young athletes" and their parents alike to Special Olympics activities as well as bringing them together socially as they learn the health, physical fitness and self-confidence building values of Special Olympics.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

In 1990, Special Olympics introduced its first Healthy Athletes program with vision screening whereby volunteer specialist screen athletes attending state events and then provide them with glasses if needed free of charge. The program has been expanded over the years to include hearing and dental screenings, and most recently in 2010, a fitness and nutrition education effort to combat the obesity issues affecting all Tennesseans, but especially citizens with disabilities who have less access to resources. This project has been done in conjunction with the Governor's statewide program of "Get Fit TN".

Population(s) Served

In 2010, Special Olympics began a program to engage youth at the high school and middle school levels to become engaged with Special Olympics athletes in their schools as Unified Sports partners and friends. These "activation" activities include in-school campaigns to build respect and understanding for all people with disabilities. Most recently, participating schools have conducted in-school campaigns of Special Olympics' "Spread the Word to End the Word", a campaign to end the use of the word retarded in jokes and everyday language...teaching that words can hurt and the role of words in bullying. In 2018 Special Olympics TN and the TSSAA will partner to start Unified Sports programs in high schools that will be sanctioned high school competitions.

Population(s) Served

Where we work

Accreditations

Special Olympics International, Inc 2017

Affiliations & memberships

Affiliate/Chapter of National Organization 1968

Community Shares 2005

Community Health Charities 2005

USA Track & Field 1976

Major League Baseball 2005

Tennessee Disability Coalition 2005

Financials

Special Olympics Tennessee
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Special Olympics Tennessee

Board of directors
as of 06/23/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Haley Wielgus

WKRN-TV ABC Channel 2

Term: 2020 - 2023


Board co-chair

Chief John Drake

Metro Nashville Police Department

Term: 2022 - 2023

Klay Lesko

Aviator Supply Chain Solutions, Inc.

Terry Saharski

Nationwide Insurance--retired

Jenny Smith

Heritage Medical Associates

Ben Flatt

GoHealth Urgent Care

Mark Eddy

HCA-retired

Adam Germek

Ex Officio-SOTN President/CEO

John Drake

Chief of Metro Nashville Police Department

Dr. Chris Frost

LifePoint Health

Elizabeth McCreary

Williamson, Inc.

Haley Wielgus

WKRN-TV ABC Channel 2

Jerry Hampton

Pinnacle Financial Partners

Josh Corey

Tennessee Titans

Dr. LaShaunda Massey

Clinical Psychologist

Kara Greer

Schneider Electric

Jerry Butler

Special Olympics TN Athlete

Ken Youngstead

KRAFT CPAs

Manisha Shah

HCA Healthcare

Mark Blaze

Groove Construction

Matt Laker

Jackson

Mike Cairnes

JoyBridge Kids

Larry Hogg

Delta Dental of Tennessee

Hunter Brush

Butler Snow, LLP

Mary Layne Van Cleave

Tennessee Hospital Association (THA)-retired

Marshall Meier

Bank of America

Yetunde Faparusi

Nissan North America

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable