Special Olympics USA team included Bank of America employee Andrew Crout

Special Olympics USA, a 354-member delegation representing the United States at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, included Bank of America employee Andrew Crout from our Support Services group in Delaware.

“It was the experience of a lifetime, representing the Special Olympics USA tennis team… from training to competing in Abu Dhabi, I’ve never felt more supported by teammates at Bank of America and people throughout the world,” said Andrew.

Andrew has worked at Bank of America for 25 years and in 2013, he received a Top Performance award. He has been competing in Special Olympics since the 1980s in the sports of softball, bocce, bowling, basketball and tennis. However, the 2019 Special Olympics World Games was Andrew’s first competition outside of Delaware.

Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi

Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi was the first ever Special Olympics World Games to be held in the Middle East and North Africa. From March 14 to 21, nearly 7,500 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing more than 192 nations participated in 24 officially sanctioned Olympic-style sports in venues throughout Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Partnering with Special Olympics

We’ve partnered with Special Olympics for more than 30 years as part of our longstanding commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive society. Our support for Special Olympics goes beyond sports competitions, as we address the fundamental issues of acceptance, inclusion and respect for the disability community.

We’re partnering with Special Olympics to give athletes the power to advance through a focus on leadership, employment, and skills training. We also serve as premier sponsor of the Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger program as well as supported Special Olympics USA, the team of athletes that represented the U.S. at the 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi.

Our employees are passionate about supporting Special Olympics athletes at local and regional events around the world. Since 2010, our #BofAVolunteers have provided more than 100,000 hours to support Special Olympics, serving as additional champions of hope in local communities.

Bank of America’s commitment to diversity and inclusion

We #ChoosetoInclude. From hiring people with intellectual disabilities, to advocating for inclusion and respect for all, to partnerships like Special Olympics, we’re committed to advancing economic and social progress as part of our approach to responsible growth.

Our Support Services team consists of 300 employees with intellectual disabilities who provide warehousing, fulfillment and print production to support all of our lines of business. The team includes athletes who have competed in Special Olympics at local, national and global levels. Support Services provides individuals with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to become part of a family at work and to achieve financial stability.