Bengals Great Ken Anderson and His Work for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
By Betsy Ross, Contributing Writer
Video by Madison Schmidt
Register for the Stadium Stride on October 22.
If you know anything about former Bengals QB Ken Anderson, you know he gets things completed; passes, yes, but also major initiatives like his work with adults with developmental disabilities.
In fact, Anderson, who still holds the Bengals career record for completions at 2,654, is now dedicating his time to a group called the Ken Anderson Alliance whose objective is to build living, working and playing options for adults with disabilities in our area.
The Alliance is an outgrowth of the Ken Anderson Foundation and Lighthouse Landing, both working toward the goal of making the lives of adults with developmental disabilities more productive. Ken’s nephew, Drew, was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old but as he grew to adulthood, his parents found there were no facilities other than state mental institutions that could take in Drew and other adults like him.
On Sunday, October 22, Anderson & Friends will be the hosts for the second annual Stadium Stride, a unique event for the entire family. The day starts with a 1.5 mile walk inside and around Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ball Park, followed by watching the Bengals play the Steelers on the Reds outdoor viewing screen. It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for the charity.
It’s an ambitious model that the Alliance has developed, with a template being built in Cincinnati that can be replicated across America to allow adults with disabilities to “live, work, play, socialize, recreate, love, learn and worship” in the settings and manner of their choosing with support from families, friends and caregivers.
The goal is for the model to grow so that by the year 2021 the Alliance will be able to build a residential community that can provide affordable housing for adults with developmental disabilities.
To find out more about the Ken Anderson Alliance and to register for the Stadium Stride, visit www.kenandersonalliance.org.