Champions Lions Clubs

💙 What is a Champions Lions Club?

A Champions Lions Club is a specialty branch of Lions Clubs International that focuses specifically on supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—especially through inclusive sports, leadership, and community engagement.

Champions Lions Clubs are often created in partnership with Special Olympics and are dedicated to making sure people with IDD have access to opportunities that build confidence, health, friendship, and leadership skills.

🎯 The Mission:

To create a world where everyone is included, celebrated, and empowered—especially through sports training, competition, and community service.

🏅 What Do Champions Lions Clubs Do?

Members of a Champions Lions Club engage in projects such as:

  • Volunteering at Special Olympics events

  • Supporting Unified Sports programs (where athletes with and without IDD play together)

  • Hosting health and fitness events for people with IDD

  • Advocating for inclusive leadership opportunities

  • Fundraising for athlete training, travel, and equipment

  • Creating peer-to-peer support networks between athletes and community members

🙌 Who Can Join?

Anyone with a passion for inclusion, sports, and service! This includes:

  • Special Olympics athletes

  • Coaches and families

  • Educators and health professionals

  • Community volunteers

  • Youth and young professionals

Yes—individuals with IDD can also be members and leaders in Champions Lions Clubs. That’s part of what makes these clubs so powerful!

🌍 Why It Matters

Champions Lions Clubs are about more than volunteering—they are about building friendships, changing perceptions, and empowering people of all abilities to lead and serve.

By starting or supporting a Champions Lions Club, you help create a more inclusive, compassionate, and active community—one where everyone gets to shine.

🌟 Start a Champions Lions Club in Your Community!

Do you believe in the power of sports and inclusion? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)? You can help create lasting change by starting a Champions Lions Club—a specialty club dedicated to supporting Special Olympics and inclusive sports programs in your community.

A Champions Lions Club is a community-based Lions Club focused specifically on supporting:

  • 🏅 Special Olympics athletes

  • 🤝 Inclusion through sports and leadership programs

  • 🧠 Awareness and education around IDD

  • 🏃‍♀️ Local sports training, events, and health initiatives for individuals with IDD

These clubs are built around the idea that everyone deserves a chance to lead, grow, and compete—and you can help make that happen.

How to Start One:

SOLA Lions Club is proud to support others in launching their own Champions Lions Club. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Gather a Team

    • You’ll need at least 20 members to charter a new Lions Club. Bring together individuals passionate about inclusion, sports, and community service.

  2. Define Your Mission & Goals

    • Focus on supporting inclusive sports programs like Special Olympics Unified Sports, fitness events, athlete leadership programs, and more.

  3. Get Support from SOLA Lions Club

    • We’re here to mentor and guide you! From planning your first meeting to submitting your charter application, SOLA Lions can walk with you every step of the way.

  4. Work with Lions International

    • Once you’re ready, we’ll help you complete the official chartering process with Lions Clubs International and connect you to the broader Champions Lions network.

  5. Start Serving!

    • Begin organizing events, volunteering at local Special Olympics competitions, and fundraising to support athletes in your area.

🤝 Ready to Get Started?

Whether you're a parent, coach, athlete, or community leader, YOU can help bring inclusive sports to life through service. Contact us today to learn more about starting your own Champions Lions Club or partnering with SOLA Lions Club.

📧 Email us at: hello@solalions.org
📞 Call us at: (323) 248-1182
🌐 Learn more about Lions Clubs International: https://www.lionsclubs.org/
💙 Together, we can build communities of inclusion and empowerment!