San Mateo County has been named the first-ever recipient of Special Olympics Northern California's Government Partner Volunteer of the Year Award, an honor announced at the organization's 2026 Summer Games at Santa Clara University, where more than 1,000 athletes, coaches, and volunteers gathered over three days of competition.
The award, presented yesterday, recognizes the county's efforts to expand opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to a post from the County of San Mateo. County Manager Mike Callagy and Supervisor Lisa Gauthier both accepted the award on the county's behalf, per the same announcement. Gauthier said San Mateo County has long been a proud supporter of Special Olympics.
NEWS: More than 1,000 athletes, coaches, and volunteers gathered for the Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games, where the County of San Mateo received the inaugural Government Partner Volunteer of the Year Award.
— County of San Mateo (@sanmateoco) August 19, 2026
Read more: https://t.co/ML2khbjGet pic.twitter.com/PZytZXumJ5
The recognition traces back to a funding decision the county's Board of Supervisors made in November 2024, when it approved $750,000 in Measure K funding for Special Olympics Northern California over a three-year period. Measure K is the county's half-cent sales tax extension, originally passed as Measure A in 2012 and reauthorized by 70.37% of voters in November 2016 for 20 years through March 31, 2043, according to Ballotpedia. The tax generates between $85 million and over $100 million annually for local priorities without diverting state tax dollars.
What the Funding Actually Pays For
According to the county's announcement, the Measure K dollars support outreach to schools and recreation programs, transportation for participants who couldn't otherwise reach competitions and events, and recruitment of athletes and volunteer coaches. That support matters because all of Special Olympics Northern California's sports training, competitions, health screenings, and leadership programs are provided completely free of charge to athletes and their families, per the organization's own materials shared through the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Government and local grants like San Mateo County's are what offset costs such as facility rentals, transportation, and equipment.
County records show the November 2024 agreement ran from December 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027, with an option to extend through June 30, 2029, and was part of a larger $6 million multi-agency authorization that also funded other regional community service organizations, according to meeting documentation filed with the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
A Three-Day Games With Health Screenings and Nightly Dances
This year's Summer Games featured a parade of athletes and competitions in track and field, tennis, swimming, and other sports, along with health screenings, nightly dances, and other activities, per the county's announcement. Those free medical checks trace back to Special Olympics' Healthy Athletes initiative, launched in 1997, which provides vision, dental, and podiatry exams for competitors at major events. The screenings often catch previously unaddressed medical issues for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
David Solo, president and CEO of Special Olympics Northern California, said the county's support is crucial to uplifting and inspiring individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through sports. The organization also said the partnership strengthens the network of coaches and volunteers who make the Games possible, and that the award itself recognizes San Mateo County's investment in helping more people with intellectual and developmental disabilities participate in sports.
A Regional Nonprofit With Statewide Reach
Special Olympics Northern California serves more than 31,000 participants and 23,000 athletes across 47 counties stretching from the Oregon border down to Tulare County, supported by more than 21,000 volunteers and 9,800 coaches, according to a position description published by Special Olympics Northern California. The organization became its own independent chapter in 1995, when Special Olympics California split into Northern and Southern branches, and held its first Summer Games the following year.
The nonprofit's Schools Partnership Program now reaches more than 180,000 students across Northern California, fostering unified sports programs meant to reduce stigma for students with and without intellectual disabilities. In its 2025-2026 operational model, the organization also established dedicated regional vice presidents, including one specifically for the San Francisco Peninsula/Silicon Valley region, aimed at giving cities, schools, and park departments more tailored local support.
San Mateo County's government partnership extends beyond the Board of Supervisors' checkbook. In May, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments ran the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” along El Camino Real as part of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run, raising nearly $4,000 locally, with officers serving as what the organization calls “Guardians of the Flame” leading up to the Games. Athletes who train through county-supported programs can also advance further: Special Olympics Northern California fielded a dedicated Team NorCal delegation to represent the region at the quadrennial 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.
