Ken's Krew

The mission of Ken's Krew, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, is to provide vocational training and job placement services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The candidates for job placement and support must demonstrate an ability to function independently in the workplace. Ken's Krew provides, through work, a meaning and purpose to the lives of these individuals.HistoryKen's Krew, formerly known as Ken's Kids, Inc., began in 1997 as the pioneering vision of a group of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Concerned that their children would find it difficult to obtain satisfactory employment, the parents explored various solutions to this problem.Soon after, Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone stepped in with an offer to provide opportunities for employment at The Home Depot in Philadelphia for individuals whose abilities and skills matched Home Depot job needs. With this offer, the parents launched the pilot program and named it "Ken's Kids" in honor of Ken Langone. They pledged to provide the assessment, training and support that would be needed for their placements to be successful.Financial support from Mr. Langone and others enabled the program to hire full time vocational coaches to train and monitor participants throughout their employment experience. Parents Michael and Connie Solomon and Karen LaPera directed the development of the program model, which has proven to be a winning formula for workplace success for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Today, Ken's Krew operates in 5 states and 104 stores. In 2007, CVS Caremark joined Ken's Krew as an employment partner expanding the organization's reach and inventory of good jobs for its workers. In 2008, The Home Depot Foundation announced a 3 year, $1 million grant to support expansion of the Ken's Krew program. This $1 million grant was matched by Ken Langone. In addition, Mr. Langone announced that he will give an additional $250,000 to the organization through his upcoming retiring director charitable donation package.Over the past 18 years, Ken's Krew has assisted over 365 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their transition from students to valued, productive, and proud employees. The efforts of these individuals, along with their parents, vocational coaches and the management and associates of The Home Depot, CVS Caremark, Fairway Market, Wegmans and Boscov's stores, has enabled them to succeed in the workplace and to live more independent and fulfilling lives.