Special Olympics Missouri to partner with 15 and the Mahomies to send athletes to 2026 USA Games

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) is proud to announce a collaboration with Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his foundation,15 and the Mahomies, to help support SOMO athletes participating in the USA Games.

“Special Olympics Missouri’s mission aligns with the mission of my foundation; we have provided grants for SOMO and its programs for the past five years. With the USA Games coming up, we wanted to help eliminate the financial barriers.” said Mahomes. “We asked for the three greatest needs SOMO was facing. Travel and lodging are at the top of the list, so that is the area we are addressing.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Patrick Mahomes and the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation for partnering with Special Olympics Missouri to support our athletes on their journey to USA Games,” said Larry Linthacum, President and CEO of Special Olympics Missouri. “At Special Olympics Missouri, we believe we are stronger together, and impactful partnerships like this help us transform lives and create a more unified world through sports.”

Details: The partnership campaign will run from June 4-December 31, 2025. The 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has donated seed funding to kick off this initiative. Donors can contribute at various support levels by visiting the SOMO website or through the SOMO mobile app.

In a nod to Patrick and his number “15”, the donation levels are:

• $15
• $150
• $1,500
• $15,000 (“Mahomes Match” level)

Proceeds will directly support travel and lodging expenses for athletes attending the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis. Athletes are currently qualifying to be part of SOMO’s MO Magic USA Games team.

“Patrick is a true role model” said SOMO Senior Director of Program Lukas Lamb, “His dedication and excellence inspire our athletes to dream big and continue to push toward greatness.”

“These athletes are training to compete at the highest level and represent Missouri on the national stage,” added Mahomes. “I encourage everyone to help support and position them to realize their dreams. Let us remove any financial obstacles and allow them to focus on the competition. These athletes are my heroes, and they impress me with their resilience to push through challenges to compete. Let’s get behind them!”

For more information: Brian Neuner, Special Olympics Missouri, Neuner@somo.org Phil Hetu, Executive Director, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation. Phil@15andtheMahomies.org

Special Olympics Missouri

Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) is a year-round program of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Thousands of athletes participate in 12 Olympic-type sports throughout the state. SOMO provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy as they participate in the sharing of gifts and friendship with their fellow athletes, their family and friends, and communities across Missouri.

SOMO is proud of our financial health, returning 83% of every dollar back to program services. We are privileged to be recognized with these honors: Better Business Bureau A+ Charity Accreditation, Guidestar Gold Level and Charity Navigator 4-star rating. Special Olympics was also recently named Morning Consult’s No. 5 most trusted nonprofit.

Thank you for trusting us with your donations, volunteer time and your goodwill.

Visit Special Olympics Missouri at www.somo.org. Engage with us on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

About 15 and the Mahomies Foundation

Established by NFL MVP and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2019, the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children through initiatives that focus on health, wellness, underserved communities, and other charitable causes. Learn more at www.15andthemahomies.org.