Thousands of people are expected to pack Lot A at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday for the 31st annual Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk, a four-hour celebration of live music, bounce houses and a ceremonial walk meant to raise money for families across the Kansas City metro. The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Down Syndrome Innovations, the nonprofit behind it.
More than 3,000 people are expected to attend, according to Johnson County Post. FOX 4 reports the walk is expected to raise more than $200,000 this year. The event's official fundraising page is at stepupwalk.org. Organizers say the event will be held in Lot A of the Truman Sports Complex, with parking available in Lots B, C and D.
For Gregg Prisco, the day carries personal weight. He captains a fundraising team for his 9-year-old daughter, Valentina, and said his family has leaned on an unusual strategy to hit their goals: selling tamales. The Prisco family made and sold between 3,000 and 4,000 tamales this year, helping push their total past $10,000 raised overall, according to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV.
A Family's Fundraising Push
Prisco's team raised $5,500 last year and set a goal of $11,000 this time around, per the same station's report. “As a father, to be able to support my daughter like this and reach that goal, words can't describe it,” Prisco said, according to FOX 4. He added simply that the event itself is “overwhelming.”
Down Syndrome Innovations CEO Jennifer Dreiling described the walk as a chance to honor participants' lives and contributions to the community. “We come out and really celebrate their life and all that they bring to our community,” Dreiling said, per the station's report. The walk includes a ceremonial walk in honor of participants with Down syndrome, and people can sign up either to walk or simply to show support, the nonprofit's official site notes.
What the Money Supports
Proceeds from the walk fund Down Syndrome Innovations' programs and the people it serves, from birth through adulthood. The organization runs therapy services, education programs, social events, and fitness and nutrition programs, and it offers free virtual classes and support groups covering everything from social groups to caregiver connections, according to downsyndromeinnovations.org.
The nonprofit also runs an employment services program, which it officially launched in December 2021 and has since expanded across the metro. The organization now works with more than 40 Kansas City-area employers to place nearly 200 people with intellectual disabilities in jobs, not limited to those with Down syndrome, Johnson County Post has reported separately. Earlier this year, that program placed 11 people with intellectual disabilities in roles tied to 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Kansas City, and the organization also employs people at Royals and Chiefs games.
Part of a Longer Tradition
Saturday's walk also marks the start of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, observed each October. The organization says it has pioneered best practices to educate and support people with Down syndrome for nearly four decades.
Last year's 30th annual walk drew hundreds of families to the Truman Sports Complex and was emceed by former Royals Hall of Famer Rex Hudler, featuring karaoke, music and games, according to FOX4 Kansas City. The walk has drawn local media attention in past years as well, including a 2023 feature from KCTV5.
