MEDIA ADVISORY

The San José Police Department will raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) by participating in the 2026 Law Enforcement Torch Run on Friday, May 22, 2026. San José PD personnel will run the Flame of Hope through the streets of San José to The San José Police Department. Follow us on Facebook, X, Threads and Instagram @sjpdsonc

The Torch Run features more than 3,500 law enforcement personnel from hundreds of local agencies carrying the Special Olympics torch, the Flame of Hope, throughout Northern California. The Torch Run is the lead up to the annual Summer Games, held this year from June 26-28 at Santa Clara University. The Summer Games is the largest local Special Olympics NorCal event, bringing together more than 1,000 athletes and coaches from 20+ counties to compete in multiple sports.

The Northern California Torch Run began in 1996 and has raised more than $20 million for Special Olympics through the run itself, plus multiple other fundraisers throughout the year. Learn more at www.sonc.org.

About Special Olympics Northern California (SONC)

Special Olympics Northern California is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities through inclusive sports, education, leadership, and health programs. The 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offers free year-round training and competition programs for more than 39,000 participants. On school campuses, Special Olympics NorCal impacts more than 182,000 school-aged students by promoting inclusion through the Unified Champion Schools Program.

Special Olympics NorCal is also committed to improving the overall health and well-being of individuals with intellectual disabilities through health programs and leadership training.

More information may be found by visiting www.sonc.org and on Facebook/X/TikTok @SONorCal and Instagram @SpecialOlympicsNCA.