Volunteers

Volunteers are the foundation of Special Olympics Missouri. We depend on thousands of volunteers to help coach athletes, conduct events and serve on organizational and fundraising committees. The efforts of a volunteer can help provide opportunities to children and adults with mental disabilities, who, if given the chance, can participate and excel in many of the sports offered.

Volunteer Oath   

I promise to give of the time in my life
so that Special Olympics athletes
can have the time of their lives.                                           
I promise to support Special Olympics
not just as an expression of charity,
but as a form of respect for my fellow human beings.               
I promise to spread the word of volunteerism because,
in giving, I receive so much more in return.

There is a wide range of volunteer opportunities with Special Olympics. The following are just some of the ways you can support the athletes of Special Olympics Missouri:

• Specific Event: From timekeepers to meal servers, successful local, area and state level events require hundreds of volunteers. Click here for a calendar of upcoming events and register online to volunteer.
• State Events: Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help run our competitions at the state level. Click here for information on upcoming state events.
• Outreach: Help us reach out to more and more potential Special Olympics Athletes.
• Fundraising: Coordinate & support fun events to raise funds.
• Officiating: If you have experience officiating in your community or schools, you will enjoy officiating in Special Olympics.
• Medical: Provide medical support at sports events.
• Competition Management: Be a part of creating and managing a successful sporting event. Dozens of jobs are available from directing traffic to coordinating venue sites.
• Coaching: Organize and run practice sessions for a sport and participate with athletes in local, area, and state competitions. Click here for information on becoming a coach.
• Public Relations: Help us generate media and community interest in local, area and state events.
• Clerical: Support successful events and programs by helping us with basic clerical support.
• Donations: No time to spare? Please consider a donation to help an aspiring athlete fulfill his or her potential and dreams. Click here to make an online donation.

Steps to Volunteering

First, let us know which opportunity you are interested in by submitting a Special Olympics Missouri Online Volunteer Form. We will contact you and let you know the specific opportunities that are available in your area of interest.

You may be asked to complete our Class A Volunteer Application Form.
This document is available for download on the right hand side of this page. Once you have completed the Class A Volunteer Form, you will be required to complete a protective behaviors test before volunteering. Information regarding our Volunteer Screening Policy can be found here.

Your Area Office will take care of the rest, making sure that you are matched up with a volunteer opportunity that fits you best. For a complete listing of our Area Offices, click here.

To ensure the safety of our athletes and volunteers, the Special Olympics Missouri Board of Directors adopted on April 28, 2007 the  “Athlete and Volunteer Policy and Missouri’s Registration of Sex Offenders."

For further information about becoming a volunteer, please email Ashley Dawson