The RAACE Foundation was created in 2004 by Baltimore businessman Kenneth Smith. In the years prior, Kenneth began to recognize the need for an organization dedicated to raising public awareness of child sexual abuse after becoming involved with several Baltimore area child abuse charities.
Through this involvement, Kenneth heard countless stories of child victims and learned how prevalent child sexual abuse is in our society. He learned that statistically 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys would be sexually abused before the age of 18 and saw firsthand that child sexual abuse happens in every section of society regardless of location, race, or economic status. He witnessed the mental and emotional damage of sexual abuse lingering long after the abuse had stopped, and he came to understand that child sexual abuse thrives in the shadows of our society simply because most consider the subject taboo.
Upon seeing this, he shuddered to imagine his or any child suffering sexual abuse. It was this notion that inspired Ken to find a way to drive child sexual abuse out of the shadows.
Kenneth knew from his family’s long history in professional racing that motorsports was an excellent stage for broadcasting a message to the public. And with the help of his family, friends and colleagues he believed they could make a difference in the lives of countless families.
It is the on track success and notoriety garnered by his brother Steve Smith and nephew Stevie Smith that helped Kenneth see an opportunity to get his message to a huge audience and to do it in a way that would satisfy the two requirements he knew it needed to be a success: non-intrusive and highly visible. Once the Smith’s famous number 19 changed their colors to the purple and yellow of The RAACE Foundation the impact was realized. It was from this connection and insight that The RAACE Foundation was born.
Since that time The RAACE Foundation has made a lot of noise. RAACE volunteers and advocates as well as TeamRAACE members have spoken one on one with hundreds of thousands of individuals & fans, distributed awareness materials, and made countless impressions through media outlets, trade shows, community programs, by competing in all forms of sports and in racing vehicles at venues from coast to coast, as well as at business and community events across the country. But with the support of teams, individuals and corporations The RAACE Foundation will continue to do more, because until every child is safe from abuse, Our Race Has No Finish Line!
