Happy Holidays from the Downtown Council!
By Jared Campbell, Resident Engagement Project Manager at Downtown Council of Kansas City
As many of us gather with family and friends today and throughout this holiday season, there are those downtown who don’t have that luxury. Everyday of the year, the Downtown Council and our Downtown and River Market Community Improvement District Ambassadors engage with individuals who are unhoused, needing medical attention, or looking for their next meal. Often, that work is done in partnership with one of the many human services organizations operating downtown, but did you know that we also have our own direct connection?
Since 2007, we have operated the Downtown Community Services Center. Rebranded as the Beehive in 2021, the building houses the Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness and Care Beyond the Boulevard on the upper level and NourishKC on the lower level.
Each of these organizations do an incredible job within their scope.
The mission of Care Beyond the Boulevard is to provide high-quality medical and mental health care and support to the homeless and under-served populations of Kansa City outside the bounds of traditional health care settings, becoming a force for health care equality and social change. They offer medical, dental, and mental health clinics at the Beehive throughout the month.
The Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness works with housing providers across the spectrum, from emergency overnight shelters to nonprofits offering permanent housing to help people get off the streets and into the housing pipeline.
Last but not least, Nourish KC has a mission to rescue fresh local food, prepare nutritious meals, and serve as a community partner to address hunger’s core causes. In 2021, they served nearly 150,000 meals to anyone who arrived at their door.
These organizations need your support throughout the year, but the end of the year is always an important time in the budget of a nonprofit. If you would like to contribute to any of the three tenants of the Beehive, you can do so by clicking on Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness, Care Beyond the Boulevard, or NourishKC.
