Special Olympics New York Named as Finalist in 5th Annual NYC Imagine Awards

Fan Favorite Voting Starts Today

New York, NY – Special Olympics New York is a finalist in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) category for the 5th Annual NYC Imagine Awards, which acknowledge some of NYC metro’s most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations.

The 5th Annual NYC Imagine Awards winner will be revealed live Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at Guastavino’s, 409 E. 59th St., NY, NY. Nearly 250 applications submitted were submitted for consideration in 6 categories, including Innovation, Leadership Excellence, Rising Star, Social Impact, Arts & Culture and DEIA. The winners will receive $5,000.

Special Olympics New York is also eyeing the Fan Favorite Award, which provides nominated organizations the chance to win an additional $3,000 by earning the most votes from fans on social media. Voting begins today and continues every day until September 19.

Vote for Special Olympics NY Here!

“From Motor Activity Training Programs to elite competitions, we meet athletes where they are—and help them go further than anyone thought possible,” said Diane Colonna, Senior Vice President of Downstate Operations at Special Olympics New York. “We’re honored to be finalists in the DEIA category as a reflection that inclusion isn’t just our goal—it’s our foundation. And we’re proud to build a more unified world, one game at a time.”

Finalists were chosen by NYC business and nonprofit professionals during preliminary judging. Members of the Awards’ Distinguished Judging Panel selected the NYC Imagine Awards winners from among the Finalists during final judging.

“The Imagine Awards honors the best of the best, so being named an Imagine Award finalist is a big deal,” said NYC Imagine Awards founder Ken Cerini of Cerini & Associates, LLP. “All of the finalists are incredible with extremely effective, innovative, and impactful operations…they are truly making a difference for all of us.”

Details about NYC Imagine Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at https://nycimagineawards.org/.

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