Since its first session in 1992, the organization KEEN Sports for disabled children, has continued to provide for the greater DC - Baltimore community. KEEN Sports is a volunteer-based nonprofit that strives to give children with physical and intellectual disabilities a recreational space; here, they are given equal opportunities to improve developmental and social skills through physical activities and games.

  KEEN Sports recruits trained volunteers who are attentive and mindful towards their paired child’s needs; volunteers alter exercises and keep the activities engaging, sometimes going off track to help their kid explore or socialize. “My son has attended KEEN for about a year now,” Christina Johnson, a KEEN Sports parent, explains. “The smile on his face and seeing him skipping along into the gym or swimming pool for “KEEN time” is priceless. Even though he cannot use words to express himself, his demeanor when we arrive at KEEN says it all….The warm reception by KEEN volunteers makes me feel like they really want to work with my child.”

Now on their 30th anniversary, KEEN Sports accumulated a myriad of noteworthy milestones. Since their founding in 1988, KEEN Sports has launched spin-offs and numerous new programs such as swimming, music and dance, tennis, bowling, basketball, and more. As a nonprofit, KEEN Sports organized successful fundraisers throughout the years to support fun events for the children who attend, such as the virtual prom for high schoolers. 

Throughout all thirty years, KEEN Sports has remained determined and true to their goal of building confidence and skills in children with disabilities; in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, KEEN Sports was able to start virtual sessions within a week after shutting down. Since then, their adjusted Covid-19 program includes outdoor in-person sessions in smaller groups, and filtering volunteers to ensure they are vaccinated, masked, and ready to go. 

KEEN Sports has remained vigilant and determined throughout its 30 years. They have continued to do so in the face of the coronavirus, and are holding true to their goal of building confidence and skills in children with disabilities in this free program.