Ken's Story

Kenneth Anderlitch has overcome a life of substance use and homelessness stemming from traumatic childhood sexual abuse. With a heart full of gratitude for his recovery, Kenneth refuses to let his past define his future. Running became a healthy distraction that helped him quit smoking, and he discovered his natural talent as a runner.

To honor his mother who passed away from an overdose, and to raise awareness for the organization that supported him in his early recovery, Kenneth ran across Texas. Starting in El Paso the day after Thanksgiving, he ran an average of 44.2 miles per day, completing his 840 mile run in 19 days and raising $50,000 for Pay It Forward SA. This San Antonio-based non-profit provides access to safe, supportive sober living through two programs: the PIF sober living dorm, which operates on the Haven for Hope campus and offers after-care sober living for those who have completed substance use treatment, and the Bridge program, which provides scholarships to cover move-in expenses for private sober living.

Now an employee of Haven for Hope, Kenneth is using his talent and ability to make a difference in impactful ways. He ran from Austin to Corpus Christi in support of Child-Safe, an organization that provides support and healing to childhood victims of sexual abuse and assault, raising $17,000 in just 48 hours. As a beneficiary of both of Pay It Forward SA's programs, Kenneth is excited to give back and provide others with the same opportunities that helped to change his own life.