Assistance League® of Kansas City

Operation Hug provides new teddy bears to comfort children in crisis situations. In 2018-2019, Assistance League of Kansas City prepared and distributed 4,360  teddy bears to area emergency personnel to comfort children involved in accidents or other traumatic situations. We deliver teddy bears to hospitals (Liberty, North Kansas City, Children's Mercy Northland, St. Luke's - North, South and the Plaza locations, and Truman Hospital),  Briarcliff Surgery Center, the Liberty Surgical Center, and Synergy Services.  Since beginning this program in 1989, over 92,180 teddy bears have provided comfort to hurting children in our community.

I'm in Charge is a school curriculum which includes a DVD, a facilitator's manual and a workbook for elementary-age students focusing on safety in emergency and non-emergency situations when a child is alone at home or on their own away from home. In the 2018-2019 school year, 8,400 students in our community benefited from this program. The following topics are covered by engaging students in discussion and role-play situations; using the telephone, answering the door, inappropriate touching, stranger danger, fire safety, guns, first-aid, Internet safety, and emergency weather situations. Since the I'm In Charge program began in 1984, over 150,900 elementary students have received personal safety information and training through this program.

This program provides personal care items for sexual assault victims. In 2018-2019 our kits provided comfort to 1,416 assault victims. The kits are distributed by MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) when victims present at area hospitals.  The program provides clothing and other items to help assault victims, whose garments are retained by police for evidence, to leave the hospital comfortably and with dignity. Each kit contains pants, a shirt, underwear, hygiene items and the book Recovering from Rape by Dr. Linda Ledrey.  The volunteer coordinator of MOCSA made this comment, "This program is an invaluable resource to survivors.  Not only does it provide them with essentials such as clothing, toiletries, and information, but it also helps to restore a sense of dignity and control after the assault.  This is an important start to the healing process..."

Operation Child In Need is a philanthropic program that helps any child in our community whose family is unable to provide the things that would help their educational, physical or emotional development. This program assists foster children, foster families, wards of the court and other children in need.  This program distributes new backpacks and school supplies as well as fill requests for clothing, tutoring and the extras children need that cannot be provided by the families and agencies caring for them.  In 2018-2019, 1,027 client were served from kindergarten - 12th grade and received various types of items and support.  Requests for assistance are made to Assistance League of Kansas City through school counselors and social workers.   Individual requests granted have included:  eye exams and glasses, psychiatrist services for a child, bike helmets, a baby carrier, cribs, space heaters, croc-like shoes and two yards of fleece to make a poncho for a girl with autism who lives with her grandparents, gas and hotel expense for a family to take their child to see a pediatric neurological oncologist in St. Louis, replacing Christmas gifts for a family whose gifts were stolen, as well as many requests for clothing and school uniforms for children without and those removed from their homes.    Operation Child In Need is indeed far-reaching in its scope and making a positive impact on needy children and their families in our community.

The Senior Outreach Service program provides friendship and support to residents of six Northland senior care centers.  Assistance League of Kansas City volunteers are matched as senior pals to residents of these nursing homes to provide support through personal visits and mailing greeting cards on holidays and birthdays.  Entertaining and educational programming as well as as magazine subscriptions, puzzle books, CD's and bingo cards, are also provided to help enhance the lives of residents at these facilities.  Over 2,230 senior residents were served during 2018-2019 through this program.  An activity director from one of the senior care centers we serve made this comment, "You and your friends at the Assistance League of Kansas City have been wonderful during the holiday season about reaching out to our residents..thanks again for all your generosity and wonderful donations..."   ALKC volunteers had 120 Senior Pals during 2018-2019.  Holiday, birthday and thinking of you cards were sent to each senior pal on a regular basis along with gifts of candy for Valentine's Day and Easter.  Gifts were provided at Christmas.

Operation Celebration is a philanthropic program administered by the Assisteens auxiliary of Assistance League of Kansas City focusing on meeting the needs of children who have been removed from their home, and placed in a temporary foster care facility.  Assisteens provide this program to celebrate birthdays of children 2 years through 18 years of age who have been removed from their homes and are staying temporary housing operated by Synergy Services.  If a child does not have a birthday during his/her stay, a celebration bag will be provided.  During 2018-2019, 62 children and teens received a birthday or celebration bag.  Each birthday/celebration bag contains a cake mix, frosting, decorations, paper products and an age appropriate gift.

The Outreach Program allows Assistance League of Kansas City volunteers the opportunity to respond to various needs in our community on a seasonal or short term basis.  Clothing has been provided to tornado and fire victims through this program.   During 2018-2019,  24 emergency kits of clothing for high school students in the North Kansas City school district were provided. Each duffel bag contained sweatpants, sweatshirts, a t-shirt, underwear and socks.

The Best Foot Forward program provides business appropriate clothing for men and women who are entering or re-entering the job market.  Assistance League of Kansas City's thrift store, THE ReSALE SHOP, is the primary clothing source.  Currently, Metro Lutheran Ministry's Learning to Earning program is our community partner.  The program has partnered with Maple Woods Community College in previous years.

Assistance League of Kansas City (ALKC) offers scholarships to academically promising high school seniors who need financial assistance to attend a college, university, or technical school/program. 38 high school seniors have received scholarships since the program was established in 2017.