Special Olympics Florida Earns Highest Rating from Charity Navigator for Fourth Consecutive Year

Clermont, FL, June 19, 2017 -- Special Olympics Florida today announced that is has received its fourth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.

“This rating demonstrates the organization’s integrity and dedication to stewarding our supporters’ donations in an efficient and responsible manner,” said Sherry Wheelock, president and CEO of Special Olympics Florida. “Each year, we strive to bring the best quality programs to as many athletes as possible with the utmost transparency and accountability. We thank all our sponsors and volunteers for trusting Special Olympics Florida with their support.”

Founded in 2001, Charity Navigator uses objective, data-driven analysis to rate thousands of charity organizations. Charity Navigator examines a charity’s performance in two areas, financial health and accountability/transparency. The 4-star rating is only given to the most fiscally responsible organizations who are evaluated by 24 metrics.

Special Olympics Florida’s sound fiscal management, high standard of governance and ethics, and commitment to transparency have earned it a 4-star rating, the highest rating attainable, for the past four years. Only 11 percent of U.S. charities have achieved a 4-star rating for four consecutive years.

Special Olympics Florida provides year-round sports training, competition, and health services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the athletes or their caregivers, as a means to achieve physical fitness, self-esteem, socialization skills, and the life skills necessary to be productive, respected, and contributing members of their communities. As an organization with more than 40,000 athletes and 27,000 volunteers that provides more than $2 million in free health services annually, programmatic quality and fiscal responsibility are viewed as the key to expanding access to services across the state. Learn more at www.specialolympicsflorida.org.

Special Olympics Florida's rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/078ba836-6cf2-4ab9-991e-ab7b11bb0c1d

Ellen Herold
Special Olympics Florida
352-243-9536
[email protected]