SPECIAL Olympics Jamaica (SOJ) has been handed a US$10,000 boost towards the expansion of its Unified Sports programme.

The grant is available through Special Olympics International (SOI) in partnership with Lions Club International.

“Special Olympics Jamaica was awarded a $10,000 grant to expand the programme with the focus on basketball,” Lorna Bell, the executive director of SOJ, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

“Our basketball programme went dormant a bit, but we believe basketball is popular and it’s one of the sports that we can get persons with disabilities and those without disabilities to play together.

“With the economic situation in Jamaica so tight right now, this grant is welcome,” Bell added.

SOJ, linking with Scotiabank Business House team, has been active in Unified Football for six years. Recently, SOJ tied a partnership with Urban Knights, a local basketball club.

The inclusive Unified Sports programme brings together athletes with intellectual disabilities and individuals without these disabilities.

The disabilities can either be acquired or genetic and can include cases of cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, autism, and traumatic brain injury.

Between Thursday and Saturday of last week, Special Olympics Jamaica hosted a Caribbean Business Meeting.

After the Opening Ceremony on day one the participants engaged in theoretical work at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel. Practical sessions were held at the Police Officers’ Club on Friday, before the Law Enforcement Torch Run on the third and final day.