Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics, was an early champion fighting for the rights and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities worldwide.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver believed in inclusion and fair treatment of all people. She recognized that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) had unique gifts and talents to share with their communities. Sadly, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, she saw little regard for the rights of people with IDD who were ignored, neglected, and routinely placed in custodial institutions.

Although Rosemary Kennedy Shriver, Eunice’s older sister, had an intellectual disability, the sisters grew up playing sports together. They swam, sailed, skied, and played football together with their family despite the limited programs and options available for someone like Rosemary. Over the years, Eunice experienced firsthand the unifying effects of sport in bringing people of all abilities together.

In 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver invited young people with intellectual disabilities to a summer day camp she hosted in her backyard. This summer was the first Camp Shriver. The idea to engage children in a variety of sports and physical activities continued to grow into the modern Special Olympics. In July 1968, the first International Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The vision of this one woman evolved into Special Olympics International—a global movement that today serves more than 6 million people with intellectual disabilities in 200 countries.

In 1957 prior to Camp Shriver and the Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver became the director of The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation which was established in 1946 as a memorial to Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.—the family’s eldest son, who was killed in World War II. The Foundation has two major objectives: to seek the prevention of intellectual disability by identifying its causes, and to improve the means by which society deals with citizens who have intellectual disabilities. This role with the foundation allowed Eunice Kennedy Shriver to focus on her goal of social inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.

Under Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s leadership, the Foundation made enormous advances. These achievements included the creation of President Kennedy’s Panel on Mental Retardation in 1961, the development of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development in 1962, the establishment of a network of university-affiliated facilities and intellectual disabilities research centers at major research universities across the United States, and the creation of major centers for the study of medical ethics at Harvard and Georgetown universities in 1971.

Later In the 1980s, Eunice Kennedy Shriver launched the “Community of Caring” concept as a character-education program for teens. This program led to the creation of 16 “Community of Caring” Model Centers and the implementation of “Community of Caring” programs in 1,200 public and private schools across the United States. To this day, schools continue to educate participants through this character-building program.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the inspiration behind her son, Anthony K. Shriver, creating Best Buddies International while he was a student at Georgetown University. She went on to host the first-ever Best Buddies Gala at her home in Washington, D.C., to fundraise for the organization and serveds as an Honorary Board Member. Eunice Kennedy Shriver loved the excitement and entrepreneurial spirit of Best Buddies and enjoyed visiting program participants at their jobs and supporting them in their efforts to deliver one-of-a-kind speeches at Best Buddies events. She relentlessly believed in the power of friendship and inclusion and without her, Best Buddies would not exist.

In 2024, Best Buddies introduced a new mission pillar called Family Support, with Eunie’s Buddies as its inaugural program, affectionately named in her honor. This initiative provides parents and caregivers with the essential support and resources needed to navigate the journey of raising a child with IDD.

Recognized worldwide for her efforts on behalf of persons with intellectual disabilities, Eunice Kennedy Shriver received countless honors and awards, including the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor awarded to civilians. She also received an honorary degree from Yale University, Princeton University, and several others. Despite her tireless efforts, she always believed that it was people with intellectual disabilities who deserved the accolades.