Bengals Star Trey Hendrickson and Wife Donate $250,000 to Cincinnati Charity

The donation to The Cincy Hat Foundation will support local schools and adults with disabilities.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:49pm

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An energetic, abstract painting in neon colors depicting Cincinnati Bengals fans enthusiastically wearing Cincy Hats and celebrating, conveying the spirit of the team's charitable foundation.The Cincy Hat Foundation's growing partnerships with local schools and organizations are fueling a wave of community pride and support for a greater cause.Cincinnati Today

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and his wife have made a $250,000 donation to The Cincy Hat Foundation, a local nonprofit started by Bengals center Ted Karras. The donation will help the organization expand its partnerships with area schools to create custom spirit wear, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the Village of Marici, an Indianapolis-based living community and services provider for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Why it matters

The Cincy Hat Foundation has quickly grown from a small community initiative to a popular Cincinnati brand that is now supporting local schools and adults with disabilities across the region. Hendrickson's donation shows the star player's commitment to giving back to the community, especially after some recent tension between him and the Bengals organization.

The details

The Cincy Hat started in 2022 when Bengals team captain Ted Karras gave custom hats to his neighbors as a small gift. The brand's popularity exploded, leading Karras to turn it into a nonprofit that partners with local schools to create custom spirit wear. A portion of the proceeds from each hat sale goes to support the Village of Marici, an Indianapolis-based living community for adults with intellectual disabilities. The foundation has now partnered with over 15 area schools and 40 organizations across Greater Cincinnati.

  • The Cincy Hat Foundation was started by Ted Karras in 2022.
  • Trey Hendrickson and his wife made a $250,000 donation to the foundation in March 2026.

The players

Trey Hendrickson

A defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals who recently made a large donation to The Cincy Hat Foundation.

Ted Karras

The Bengals center who started The Cincy Hat Foundation as a small community initiative that has since grown into a popular Cincinnati brand supporting local schools and adults with disabilities.

The Cincy Hat Foundation

A nonprofit organization started by Ted Karras that partners with local schools to create custom spirit wear, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the Village of Marici, a living community for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Village of Marici

An Indianapolis-based living community and services provider for adults with intellectual disabilities that receives a portion of the proceeds from Cincy Hat sales.

Ashley Eastman

A Kings Local Schools parent who reached out to The Cincy Hat Foundation to create a custom hat for her school district.

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What they’re saying

“I've prayed often that I have a purpose outside of football, or to not turn down an opportunity when it's presented to me, and the way that this all shook out. I feel deeply obligated to be some sort of champion or leader for adults with intellectual disabilities.”

— Ted Karras, Bengals Center and Founder of The Cincy Hat Foundation

“When Kings reached out, we knew that it was going to be a big hit. The website went crazy. We had to shut it down four days in. We planned to do a week sale because we just ran out of merchandise.”

— Ted Karras, Bengals Center and Founder of The Cincy Hat Foundation

What’s next

The Cincy Hat Foundation plans to continue expanding its partnerships with more local schools and organizations across Greater Cincinnati.

The takeaway

The Cincy Hat Foundation has grown from a small community initiative into a popular Cincinnati brand that is making a meaningful impact by supporting local schools and adults with disabilities. Trey Hendrickson's sizable donation shows the Bengals star's commitment to giving back to the city.