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About Us

KEEN-LA exists because of community members who care deeply about promoting the best possible quality of life for children with special needs. Working with parents, volunteers, and non-profit agencies, these community members launched KEEN-LA to provide programs which serve the developmentally-disabled community in Los Angeles. By providing recreational and sports programs for kids with special needs, KEEN-LA is able to assist children with realizing their goals of becoming athletes. KEEN-LA gives these children a place to have valuable social interactions with our volunteers, make new friends, and have fun!

KEEN LA launched its program in October 2005 - only three months after the first community assessment meeting. The program has now expanded to serve developmentally disabled children on a twice-monthly basis. Accomplished in a remarkably short time, KEEN-LA has been an overwhelming success.

Particularly important was the support given by KEEN-LA’s “strategic community partners”:
 

  • Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks Department, which has made available its Elysian Park
        Therapeutic Recreation Center as the program site and provides shuttle bus service from the
        closest public transportation to the Center on program days;
     
  • Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center (a California-funded entity that funds and coordinates
        services for individuals with developmental disabilities in the Los Angeles area), which publicized
        the program, conducted training programs for volunteers and assisted in recruitment;
     
  • SONNENSCHEIN NATH & ROSENTHAL LLP (a national law firm with a strong Los Angeles
        presence), has provided volunteers, office space and administrative help, as well as
        financial support;
     
  • Rotary Club of Los Angles, has sponsored special KEEN events and helped in recruiting
        additional volunteers.


    Volunteers are crucial to KEEN’s success. In 2006 - first complete year of the program, KEEN-LA had 140 volunteers who contributed 2,770 hours of their time to the organization, enabling more than 624 athlete hours to be logged.

    Most of the volunteers serve as KEEN Coaches working directly with the disabled participants - the most challenging, rewarding and fun job at KEEN. At each program session, a participating Athlete is paired with his or her own volunteer Coach. The one-on-one Coaches teach and encourage KEEN’s participants to become the Athletes they aspire to be. Volunteers also fill all of KEEN-LA’s leadership positions, serving as directors, officers and chairs (as well as members) of our development and program related committees. Finally, KEEN’s volunteers contribute financially to KEEN LA through direct contributions, donor solicitation and attendance at special events.

    KEEN-LA develops and runs its own programs to meet the needs of athletes and volunteers in the Los Angeles community. The members of our Board include parents of disabled persons, community members with special skills and volunteers who passionately want to help children with disabilities enjoy life to keep the laughter and fun alive. The responsibilities of KEEN-LA’s Board include policy making, long-range planning, fiscal planning and financial well-being, and assuring that KEEN-LA activities are consistent with the organization’s mission and standards.

    Currently, KEEN-LA has an Executive Director, who is the organization’s only paid employee. The Executive Director manages the day-to-day - administrative, development and program needs of the organization.
    • Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) - 601 South Figueroa Street, Suite 2500, Los Angeles, CA 90017 - info@keenlosangeles.org
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