Inclusive Nutrition Initiative
The Inclusive Nutrition Initiative is a collaborative effort to ensure people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are able to reap the benefits of national nutrition programs in the United States.
Improving Access to National Nutrition Programs
People with IDD experience health issues in greater numbers than the general population. Many of these health issues are not connected to their disability, but many of them are connected to hunger and nutrition. Greater awareness and action are needed to address these health disparities and to ensure the intentional inclusion of people with IDD in national nutrition programs.
Launched in 2023, the Inclusive Nutrition Initiative is part of how Special Olympics is contributing to improving access to national nutrition programs for all eligible people.
To do this, the Initiative:
Raises Awareness
of the health disparities faced by people with IDD to national nutrition program agencies and administrators
Engages
state and Tribal delegations as champions of the effort
Supports
state and Tribal delegations to create and follow through on commitments to intentionally include people with IDD in their work, including through resource- and experience-sharing
2023 Summit
The first annual Inclusive Nutrition Summit gathered state and Tribal leaders in nutrition in the United States, to discuss inclusive nutrition programming.
Interested?
Special Olympics expects to see the Inclusive Nutrition Initiative grow in coming years, both by expanding existing state and tribal delegations and welcoming new delegations.