10/19/2026
October is . People with intellectual disabilities are estimated to face 3 times higher unemployment rates than the general population. However, employers that hire people with ID report stronger workplace culture, higher employee loyalty, and lower turnover.
Special Olympics Iowa athletes are employed in a variety of industries amongst their peers, including childcare, accounting and finance, health and recreation, food service, and retail, to name a few.
Thank you to employers such as Hy-Vee, Wells Fargo, Goodwill Industries, Muscatine YMCA, Texas Roadhouse, Fareway, New Horizons Daycare, Walmart, McDonalds, Pizza Ranch, and others for promoting inclusive workplaces, raising awareness about the importance of disability inclusion, and for giving Special Olympics Iowa athletes opportunities to contribute to their communities.