Ron and Alma Jones Family Foundation creates $1 million endowment to strengthen the future of Special Olympics BC

December 01, 2025

Special Olympics British Columbia is honoured to announce a transformative $1 million endowment from the Ron and Alma Jones Family Foundation.

This life-changing gift will ensure that athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 55 communities across B.C. will be able to access inclusive sport opportunities for many years to come.

The endowment fund will provide long-term support for Special Olympics BC athletes to train, compete, and thrive in year-round sport, youth, and health programs at low or no cost. This is an essential commitment at a time when many athletes and families are facing significant financial pressures.

The Ron and Alma Jones Family Foundation, together with all the Jones family members, are delighted to continue contributing to Special Olympics BC. Our family believes that all people deserve the opportunity to participate and compete in sport, as well as performing to the best of their ability. In doing so, it will enrich their lives in developing relationships at both the local and international level that will last a lifetime.

Ron Jones, Chairperson of the Ron and Alma Jones Family Foundation

A young Special Olympics BC athlete runs towards the finish line in a 100 m sprint.

Enriching community

The Jones Family’s support for Special Olympics BC spans decades, reflecting a heartfelt commitment to inclusion and enriching community. In the late 1980’s, Ron Jones helped strengthen Special Olympics BC’s newly established partnership with the New Car Dealers Association of BC. The New Car Dealers and the Jones Family continued to make a meaningful difference for Special Olympics BC over the last four decades through the annual Auction for Athletes. Ron and Alma’s commitment to empowering athletes with intellectual disabilities continues to inspire their children, Scott and Michelle, who proudly carry this tradition forward.

Learn more about Auction for Athletes

For many athletes with intellectual disabilities and their families, Special Olympics represents much more than sport. It is a true community – a safe and welcoming place to discover purpose, build friendships, and feel a sense of belonging. We are deeply grateful to the Ron and Alma Jones Family Foundation for this extraordinary gift, which arrives at a moment when fostering inclusion and acceptance is more important than ever.

Dan Howe, President and CEO of Special Olympics BC

The Ron and Alma Jones Family Foundation was created in 2021 by Ron and Alma Jones along with their children and their spouses. The Jones family gives back to their community of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver regions, and province of British Columbia. The Foundation is proud to improve the lives of others by making annual donations to organizations supporting youth, sports, arts and culture, and healthcare.

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