KEEN's mission is to provide a range of age appropriate, one-to-one recreational activities for children and young adults with disabilities in a non-competitive environment that encourages the fulfillment of individual goals. KEEN seeks to develop each athlete's self-esteem and confidence, as well as recreational skills and talents, and to increase each athlete's ability to participate in a broader range of recreational activities and environments.

WHAT IS KEEN?

Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) is a non-profit, volunteer organization that provides free, one-to-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities in the United States and in England. The young people who participate in KEEN have disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and various developmental and intellectual disabilities. Each athlete has his or her own volunteer coach at our activities, which may include soccer, tennis, track & field, basketball, swimming, aerobics, bowling, and various adaptive activities.

Since its inception in the United States in 1992, KEEN has served several hundred children and young adults with severe and profound disabilities who, because of their need for individualized attention, have experienced difficulty accessing existing programs. For many of the children and young adults, KEEN is the only organized activity in which they can participate given their special needs.

After establishing eight separate programs in the Washington, DC metropolitan community, KEEN has received the seed funding to establish two new programs in 2005 in Chicago and Kansas City.

http://www.keenchicago.org

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