Walnut Festival Association

Mrs. Shriver's vision has grown into one of the largest and most successful sports and volunteer organizations in the world. There are Chapters in every state of America and in more than 140 countries worldwide serving more than one-million Special Olympics athletes. Special Olympics Northern California Special Olympics Northern California is proud to serve more than 13, 000 individuals with intellectual disabilities. From the Oregon border to Monterey and Tulare counties, our athletes have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of sports trainings and competitions that take place throughout the year. In order to prepare athletes for competition, they must attend a minimum of eight practices to insure they are prepared to compete. Our Program Headquarters, located in Pleasant Hill oversees the staff in various regional offices in Northern California who are responsible for managing the local volunteer area programs. There are training and competition opportunities year-round within Special Olympics Northern California. Our programs are free to all eligible athletes and are possible thanks to the generous support from individuals and businesses who believe in Special Olympics athletes. We are not a United Way agency. Financial support comes almost exclusively from individuals, organizations, corporations, and foundations.