Special Olympics Credibility and Awareness:

Worth Magazine Names Special Olympics One of the 100 Best Charities For the second year in a row, Special Olympics has been named to “The Worth 100, “the magazine’s annual list of America’s top charities [that] identifies groups that have made the biggest impact with your donation bucks”. Reporter Memon Yaqub notes, “…we are confident that the charities on this list will spend money wisely and will do their best to change some of the grim facts of today that we all face”.

In 2003, a state-wide telephone poll was conducted by an independent professional research firm. What did we find?

• Special Olympics Hawaii is well known, and more importantly well respected in the Hawaii community.
• 90% of those people polled were aware of Special Olympics in Hawaii.
• Of that 90% - 96% viewed Special Olympics Hawaii as very favorable or favorable.
• Special Olympics Hawaii rated significantly higher in the public’s view than two other major not for profit agencies and a leading sports organization (over 25% higher!)

Additional facts about Special Olympics (Performance Research, 2001)

97% Name Recognition in the U.S.

68 % of the public say that they feel more positive about companies that support Special Olympics

84% of the public believes that corporate partnerships with Special Olympics “make a difference” in the lives of of children and adults with mental retardation

If given the choice of two products with similar price and quality, 56% of the public said they would “almost always” or “frequently” choose a product because it is associated with Special Olympics

2001 Non-Profit of the Year (Direct Marketing Association)

Named the “Most credible charity in America.”

(Chronicle of Philanthropy, 1995)

• Awareness and Perceptions of Special Olympics
• Special Olympics USA - Data Summary