Special Olympics secures donation for U.S. programs

Voya Financial Inc. announced Thursday that the company will donate $520,000 to Special Olympics as a result of the success of its Invest in Something Special effort.

The week-long social media campaign was designed to share the goals and dreams of Special Olympics athletes on social media and raise money for local U.S. programs.

“The personal stories of these Special Olympics athletes touched people around the world, as we saw from the overwhelming response on social media,” Voya Financial Chairman and CEO Rodney O. Martin Jr. said in a statement.

“Nearly 21 million families in the U.S. have at least one member with a disability,” he said. “Through our donation to Special Olympics, as well as other initiatives like Voya Cares, we’re working to raise awareness of the unique challenges faced by these Americans, and how we can create a more supportive and inclusive environment for them — as well as their caregivers.”

Voya introduced Invest in Something Special as the newest component of the company’s broader effort to support the special needs community.

During the campaign, Special Olympics athletes from across the country were encouraged to share their goals beyond sports on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr.

Voya pledged to donate $1 for every like, share or comment on athletes’ #InvestInSomethingSpecial stories, up to $500,000. The response to the campaign was overwhelming and resulted in more than 940,000 people participating on social media.

In response to the support, Voya amplified the donation to $520,000, which will be shared among the 52 U.S. Special Olympics Programs.

“Voya’s donation will advance Special Olympics programming across the country, funding initiatives that foster inclusivity for individuals with intellectual disabilities in schools, workplaces and communities,” said Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics International. “We thank Voya for its commitment to our mission, and for helping to raise awareness of the future aspirations of our athletes.”

Between Nov. 13 and Nov. 19, Special Olympics athletes from across the country engaged in the Invest in Something Special effort on social media to show support for their local Programs, generating more than 940,000 comments, likes and shares.

The top-performing posts included one person’s goal to be the best uncle possible, another post about striving to make new friends and an anti-bullying message from a third person.

“I would like to be a part of an advocacy program, group or performance that advocates against bullying, especially bullying directed toward us with special needs,” said Michael. “I’m pretty friendly and usually shake everything off. But students and people can be sometimes insensitive.”