Mission: The mission of Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

In North Carolina, the first SONC Summer Games were held in 1970 in Burlington. Currently, Special Olympics programs exist in just about every community in North Carolina reaching nearly 40,000 registered athletes.

Special Olympics North Carolina is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1972, and donations are tax-deductible.