Kids Enjoy Exercise Now

What Kids Enjoy Exercise Now does

Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN USA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 in Washington, DC, that provides free, one-on-one, non-competitive recreational and sports programs to youth with physical and developmental disabilities ages 5 to 21. Its core product, KEEN Sports, pairs trained volunteer coaches with athletes for unstructured activities in gyms, supplemented by program extensions including KEEN Swim, KEEN Yoga, KEEN Basketball, KEEN Art, KEEN Dance, KEEN Fit, KEEN Martial Arts, KEEN Bowling, KEEN Trampoline, KEEN Tennis, and KEEN Baseball. In March 2020 the organization launched the KEEN Virtual Programming Library (Live At Home) on YouTube, producing over 100 recorded sessions to extend reach beyond physical venues.

KEEN operates a decentralized affiliate model with eight independently governed local chapters across Chicago, Greater DC-Baltimore, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and St. Louis, each with its own board and volunteer coordinator. The organization is volunteer-run, with minimal disclosed paid headcount and a reliance on individual donors, corporate sponsors (including Dentons, Ballmer Group, Laureus Sport For Good, and the American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation), foundation grants (including Click and Pledge Foundation), and fundraising events such as the LA Marathon. KEEN holds the Candid Gold Seal of Transparency and has received earned media coverage including a feature on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah during Disability Awareness Month.

Name

Kids Enjoy Exercise Now

Legal name

KEEN USA

Website

https://keenusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KEEN USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, one-on-one, non-competitive recreational and sports programs to youth with disabilities ages 5–21, delivered through a volunteer-run network of eight local affiliates across major US cities and a YouTube-based virtual programming library.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Youth Recreation and Disability Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Adaptive & Special Needs Personal Training (HSADAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE)

Keywords

• Adaptive recreation programs
• Disability youth services
• Inclusive sports programs
• Volunteer coaching services
• Nonprofit disability support

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: KEEN accepts donations from individuals through its website (Click and Pledge platform), mail-in checks, and planned giving bequests. All programs are provided entirely free of charge to families.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors provide financial support and in-kind contributions. Sponsors include Dentons, Ballmer Group, Laureus Sport For Good, and others. Some employers offer matching gift programs.
3. Foundation Grants: Foundation partners such as Click and Pledge Foundation provide grant funding. The organization also participates in workplace giving campaigns.
4. Fundraising Events: The organization hosts fundraising events including Los Angeles Marathon teams and community fundraisers. Board members are expected to participate in annual fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN USA) is a volunteer-run nonprofit that delivers free, one-on-one, non-competitive recreational and sports programs for children and young adults ages 5-21 with physical and developmental disabilities. The core program is KEEN Sports, supplemented by KEEN Yoga, Swim, Basketball, Art, Dance, Fit, Martial Arts, Bowling, Trampoline, Tennis, Baseball, and a virtual programming library introduced during COVID-19. All programs are provided at no cost to athletes and families, staffed by trained volunteer coaches.

Product overview

Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) is a volunteer-run nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides free, one-on-one, non-competitive recreational and sports programs for children and young adults with physical and developmental disabilities. The core program is KEEN Sports, conducted in gyms with various sports equipment. Additional programs include KEEN Yoga, KEEN Swim (KEEN Quatics), KEEN Basketball, KEEN Art, KEEN Dance, KEEN Fit, KEEN Martial Arts, KEEN Bowling, KEEN Trampoline, KEEN Tennis, and KEEN Baseball. The organization also offers the KEEN Virtual Programming Library (Live At Home) with recorded sessions launched in March 2020. All programs are provided entirely free of charge and are structured as one-on-one pairings between volunteer coaches and athletes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KEEN Sports: Core program with sports activities including basketball, scooters, t-ball, soccer, relay races, ball play, and parachutes.
• KEEN Yoga
• KEEN Swim / KEEN Quatics
• KEEN Basketball
• KEEN Art
• KEEN Dance
• KEEN Fit
• KEEN Martial Arts
• KEEN Bowling
• KEEN Trampoline
• KEEN Tennis
• KEEN Baseball

Products and services

• KEEN Sports KEEN's core recreational program pairing trained volunteer coaches one-on-one with youth athletes with disabilities (ages 5-21) for loosely structured, non-competitive sports activities in a gym setting, including basketball, scooters, t-ball, soccer, relay races, ball play, and parachutes. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Yoga Yoga program bringing flexibility, focus, and mental health benefits to athletes with disabilities, with poses taught accessibly with modifications appropriate for each individual, incorporating music and stories. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Swim (KEEN Quatics) Swimming and water play program where youth with disabilities can swim, splash, and play in the pool with life jackets and pool toys available. Not a formal swim instruction course; a social and recreational opportunity supervised by trained volunteers. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Basketball Basketball program where athletes with disabilities and volunteer coaches practice dribbling, passing, and shooting skills at various stations, often concluding with a quick game. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Art Arts and crafts program building athlete creativity through painting, play-dough, puppet making, coloring, and other craft projects designed to meet sensory needs and improve mental health outcomes for youth with disabilities. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Dance Dance program allowing athletes with disabilities to connect with inner creativity through movement, guided by an instructor experienced in facilitating dance options for youth with disabilities. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Fit Fitness program giving youth athletes with disabilities the opportunity to work out on professional fitness equipment, lift weights, toss medicine balls, and use other strength-building equipment under volunteer supervision. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Martial Arts Martial arts program empowering youth athletes with disabilities with self-confidence through various martial arts practices including kicking, punching, jumping, and fighting, taught by professionally trained instructors. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Bowling Community-based bowling program where youth athletes with disabilities go to a bowling alley to play, with bumpers and ramps available to ensure everyone can participate. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Trampoline Trampoline program allowing youth athletes with disabilities to bounce on padded trampolines, dive into foam block pits, and swing from ropes to meet sensory needs and work on self-regulation. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Tennis Tennis program providing youth athletes with disabilities the opportunity to learn the classic game with adaptations such as larger rackets and softer balls, practicing drills before rallies. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Baseball Baseball program where youth athletes with disabilities learn America's classic game, working on hitting, base running, and throwing with volunteers in community settings. Provided entirely free of charge.
• KEEN Virtual Programming Library (Live At Home) Virtual programming library launched in March 2020 with over 100 recorded sessions including Arts & Crafts, Caregiver Relaxation, Dance, Interactive Games, KEENFit, KEEN in the Kitchen, Music, Soccer, Story Time, Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, and ZOOMba, available via YouTube channels for each affiliate to enable at-home participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 1,500 youth with disabilities annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Laureus Sport For GoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaureus Sport For Good Foundation supports organizations that use sport to drive social change, aligning with KEEN's mission of using recreation to empower youth with disabilities.
• Aceing AutismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Aceing Autism to provide adapted tennis programming for youth with autism spectrum disorders.
• BenevityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenevity's employee engagement and giving platform enables corporate employees to donate to KEEN through workplace giving programs.
• BoardLeadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoardLead provides board recruitment and governance support services to help KEEN build strong leadership boards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Move United (formerly Disabled Sports USA): National nonprofit network providing adaptive sports opportunities for people with disabilities, including youth, through local chapters. Matches KEEN in sport-based disability programming delivered via local affiliates; a direct operating analogue at scale.
• Challenged Athletes Foundation: Nonprofit providing grants, equipment, and adaptive sports opportunities to people with physical disabilities. Comparable adaptive-sports mission and donor-funded free access, though more skewed toward competitive athletes and grants.
• National Ability Center: Park City-based nonprofit providing adaptive sports and recreation programs for youth and adults with disabilities. Comparable multi-sport offering, volunteer-driven delivery, and reliance on donor funding for free access.
• Best Buddies International: Volunteer-driven nonprofit creating one-to-one friendships and inclusive programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Overlaps with KEEN on the one-on-one pairing model, youth/family engagement, and volunteer recruitment philosophy.
• Special Olympics: Largest global nonprofit providing free sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most direct comparable in terms of mission, free model, and athlete pairing concept, although Special Olympics is competition-focused whereas KEEN is non-competitive.
• Miracle League: National nonprofit that builds wheelchair-accessible baseball diamonds and runs free adaptive baseball leagues for children with disabilities. Comparable in free, inclusive, volunteer-supported programming targeted at youth with disabilities.
• Achilles International: Nonprofit that pairs volunteer guides with people with disabilities for athletic activities including running, cycling, and triathlon. Closely comparable volunteer-to-athlete pairing model and inclusive, free philosophy, particularly for KEEN's KEEN Fit and endurance programming.
• Angel City Sports: Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides free adaptive sports programs for children, adults, and veterans with physical disabilities. Highly comparable in mission, free model, multi-sport programming, and youth focus, and operates in one of KEEN's key markets (Los Angeles).
• Sportable: Virginia-based adaptive sports organization that provides programming for youth and adults with physical disabilities. Similar one-on-one coaching model, free or subsidized programs, and multi-sport curriculum serving the DC-Virginia region that overlaps with KEEN Greater DC-Baltimore.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: Nationwide disability services network that offers recreation alongside broader services (employment, therapy, education). Less specialized on adaptive recreation, but overlaps on serving youth with disabilities and shares the donor-funded, affiliate-driven operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KEENUSAvideo/videos
• Xx.com/keenusa
• Facebookfacebook.com/KEENusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keen-usa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kids Enjoy Exercise Now