Gov Shapiro and First Lady Host Fourth Annual Special Olympics Bocce Tournament | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro welcomed athletes, advocates, and special guests to the Governor's Residence for the fourth annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) Bocce Ball Tournament. An annual event started under the Shapiro Administration, the tournament highlights the Shapiro Administration's commitment to ensuring Pennsylvanians with disabilities have the opportunity to live, work, and thrive in their communities.

Over the last three years, the Governor has secured $3 million in new funding for Special Olympics Pennsylvania to support their "30 by 2030" initiative. This year's tournament once again brought together Special Olympics athletes and employees from Wawa and Sheetz - longtime SOPA partners who catered the event and competed alongside athletes for a unified day of fun and inclusion. Teams played friendly matches in the Residence's Rose Garden.

"From day one, my Administration has worked to support our neighbors with disabilities, and we're delivering real results - raising wages to recruit and retain the essential workers who care for Pennsylvanians with disabilities, and giving people with disabilities a real seat at the table on an advisory commission for the first time ever," said Governor Shapiro. "Today's tournament is about coming together to celebrate these athletes, their families, and the community we're building - and my Administration will keep working every day to ensure Pennsylvanians with disabilities have the opportunity to live, work, and thrive in the communities they call home all across our Commonwealth."

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has been laser focused on ensuring Pennsylvanians with disabilities have the resources to succeed and thrive on their own terms:

• In April, the Governor signed three Executive Orders expanding protections for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and autism and creating a new Governor's Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities.
• In the FY 2025-26 budget, Governor Shapiro secured a $21 million investment to increase the wages of eligible Direct Care Workers, increasing their wages to nearly $15 an hour on average, expanding paid time off, and providing more access to affordable insurance for approximately 8,500 workers.
• In the FY 2024-25 budget, the Governor secured a historic $354.8 million in state and federal funding for adult ID/A services, to raise rates for service providers and Direct Support Professionals, and begin to clear the emergency waiting list for adults seeking ID/A services.\
• Since February 2024, the Shapiro Administration has successfully decreased the adult emergency waiting list for services by 39 percent.

The 2026-27 budget builds on this historic progress by maintaining funding for direct support professionals' (DSP) wages to support those who provide services to adults with physical disabilities, and delivering a $55 million increase to Special Education Funding, for a total of $1.58 billion to support students with disabilities and special needs.

Creating More Inclusive Opportunities and Partnerships

Today's event also underscores how businesses can help build inclusive workplaces. Sheetz has partnered for years with Pennsylvania's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), hiring workers with disabilities and supporting Special Olympics events. At the First Lady's encouragement, Wawa began working with OVR - helping more Pennsylvanians with disabilities join the workforce.

Last year, OVR helped place over 6,400 Pennsylvanians with disabilities into jobs across 3,500 companies.

"At Sheetz, supporting our communities and fostering inclusion is central to who we are, which is why today's Special Olympics event is so meaningful. We are grateful to Governor Shapiro and the First Lady for their unwavering commitment to this cause and for inviting us to be part of this incredible day. We're excited to join our friends at Wawa in our shared commitment to celebrating and uplifting these remarkable athletes," said Jackie Foderaro, Community Partnership Manager, Sheetz. "Our support for Special Olympics is a year-round effort - from in-store fundraising and providing meals at competitions to celebrating new store openings with donations and expanding employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We are proud to stand with Special Olympics PA, Wawa, Governor Shapiro, and the First Lady in honoring inclusion, community, and the inspiring achievements of these athletes."

"Wawa is thrilled to team up with Governor Shapiro, First Lady Lori Shapiro and Sheetz for the annual Unified Bocce Brunch for one shared goal of providing support to our longstanding partners at Special Olympics Pennsylvania," said Liz Simeone, President, The Wawa Foundation. "With Wawa's Supported Employment program reaching its 45th milestone this year, we remain committed to supporting the Governor and First Lady's initiatives and advocating for fulfilling careers for individuals with intellectual disabilities."

About Special Olympics Pennsylvania

SOPA provides year-round sports training and competition for over 13,000 athletes across the Commonwealth, supported by volunteers, local businesses, and community partners like Wawa and Sheetz. In June 2025, 91 athletes and Unified partners participated in 11 sports in the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota. At the games, Team Pennsylvania tallied 50 medals - including 15 gold, 14 silver, and 21 bronze.

By bringing together athletes, businesses, and state leaders, the annual bocce tournament at the Governor's Residence celebrates what's possible when communities work together - and highlights the Shapiro Administration's commitment to building a stronger, fairer, and more inclusive Pennsylvania.

Read more about Governor Shapiro's 2026-27 budget, view the Governor's remarks as prepared here, or watch the Governor's delivered remarks here.