It all started with a trendy hat. When the Cincy Hat started showing up on the heads of teammates and friends of Bengals Center Ted Karras, everybody wanted to know where they could get one. Two years and two million dollars later, the Cincy Hat is a uniform for kindness and fuel for community change. With funds from hat sales, The Cincy Hat Foundation is leading a grassroots movement to provide education and housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) right here in Cincinnati.
Indy Roots, Cincy Centered
Ted and Matt Renie, friends since they met in eighth grade, started The Cincy Hat Project when Ted spontaneously announced from the Bengals locker room that his hats were a fundraiser. During an interview with a local news station, Ted seized an opportunity to garner support for the Village of Merici, an Indianapolis nonprofit that provides housing for adults with IDD, that had been founded by Colleen Renie, Matt’s mom.
“The hats were an overnight sensation!” says Colleen. “It was way beyond my expectations.”
For both Ted and Matt, the cause runs deep. Matt’s older brother has IDD.
"Ted was always around our family and saw the issues we have with housing and support," says Colleen. "When we built the Village in 2014, he befriended all the residents. It’s personal for him."
“I have two cousins with nonverbal autism,” Ted shares. “I’ve known the villagers at Merici for more than a decade—I’ve worked with them and learned from them. Colleen is a visionary, and I want to continue her legacy in changing how these adults are housed,” he says.
As the Cincy Hat Project grew, so did Ted and Matt’s vision for making a community impact. Having already built an impressive following, the two friends launched The Cincy Hat Foundation in October 2024, with hopes to extend its mission.
“We started the Foundation knowing we needed to do something great for Cincinnati,” says Matt Renie, Executive Director of The Cincy Hat Foundation. “Our first act was to start a scholarship program for two young women with IDD at the University of Cincinnati.”
“Colleen and the Village of Merici just completed their second building, and they’ve done such a great job,” Ted says. “But so many people here in Cincinnati have supported us that it felt past time we built something, infrastructure-wise, in the city that’s been so ferociously behind this mission.”
Filling the Cincinnati Housing Gap
The Cincy Hat Foundation is exploring how they can support the growing IDD housing need in the Greater Cincinnati Area. The statistics are astonishing.
“One of the biggest statistics that stands out is the need,” shares Emily Kendall, co-founder and president of EmpowerMe Living, a developer, owner and manager of housing for adults with IDD. “There are over 12,000 adults with IDD that currently live with caregivers over 60+. Loss of caregiver is the main reason people end up in an undesirable housing placement, or worse, on the street,” she adds.
With such limited housing opportunities, Cincinnati’s IDD community is at great risk.
“There’s a big gap for folks who just need a safe, independent environment—a place to live and thrive in their community,” Matt explains.
Building Housing, Building Community
The Cincy Hat movement has grown far beyond anything they imagined.
“People from all 50 states, and even other countries, have reached out,” says Ted.
"This is all an amalgamation of 34,000 generous individuals that have bought hats," Matt agrees.
That passion fuels their work ethic, one hat at a time.
“When you buy a hat, it’s a donation,” explains Angeline Wellington, PR & Marketing for The Cincy Hat Foundation.
“We walk the walk,” Ted insists. “I’ve never taken a cent, and I never will. Every dollar goes straight to the mission. We’re a lean organization and we’ll stay that way. Our goal is simple: house as many people as possible and create a sustainable asset for this community that can snowball on itself in perpetuity.”
“Ted is all in on Cincinnati,” states Matt. “But we can’t do it without the support of the community. It's a community effort.”
Ted’s commitment to the cause shines through his words and actions.
“This isn’t about fame,” says Ted. “It’s about service and love.”
What started as a friend giving hats to friends has grown into neighbors building homes for neighbors. When asked what he’s thankful for this Thanksgiving, Ted doesn’t hesitate.
“My family,” he says. “And the opportunity to help in any way I can.”
Join Ted and The Cincy Hat Foundation in its mission to build housing and expand opportunities for adults with IDD in our city. To get involved, purchase a hat, make a donation or learn more, visit TheCincyHat.com.
The Cincy Hat is a uniform for kindness and fuel for community change.
“You have to walk the walk.” -Ted Karras