Lenexa, KS 66215, Urban League of Greater Kansas City "We found that BEU was in terrible trouble, just a mess," Thompson said in the video. The BEU is one of dozens of non-governmental agencies which receive funding through the city. A GuideStar Pro report containing the following information is available for this organization: This information is only available for subscribers and in Premium reports. It isnt meant for me. The organization focuses on teachers who are in the first three years of their careers, because thats when teachers need the most support. We continue Ewing Kauffmans legacy by supporting institutions and organizations that eliminate barriers for all people to drive cultural, social, and economic impact in Kansas City. The Nia Project plans to offer two programs: Black Women Get Fit, an annual health and wellness event, and a summer program for high school girls. (Don't see an email in your inbox? Contact: Ardith Deason Those projects included the Basie Court and MLK Village Apartments. All this week, the nonprofit Generating Income for Tomorrow is raising money to support five Black-led organizations. According to Ford, BEU has that office in the Lincoln Building rent free for five years as part of the undisclosed settlement of the organizations lawsuit with Service. TWOC offers support and resources for trans women of color, a highly marginalized community. Phone: (816) 472-6767, Kansas City Womens Chamber of Commerce w.amptravel.q.push({ a:a, p:p }); It's about equality but also equity. The organization has programs for interpersonal conflict, anger management and restorative processes. Unfortunately, urban core-focused organizations, especially Black-led organizations, don't have access to the same funding, therefore hindering their ability to market the families that need the opportunities the most, Martin said. Service confirms hes in the process of hiring a property manager for the Lincoln Building. A Kansas City non-profit with the mission of promoting economic development in the city's urban core is under federal investigation. The project comes from the work that founder and president Terri Barnes has been doing for 20 years. 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City is devoted to improving the quality of life for young African American men through several mentoring, educational, and life skills programs led by professional men from various industries and fields, serving as community volunteers: "Real Men Giving Real Time. BUT ALSO EQUITY BECAUSE KNOW BLACK-LED ORGANIZATIONS JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE PHILANTHROPIC CYCLES GIFT STANDS FOR GENERATING INCOME FOR TOMORROW. For additional information on Black-owned businesses, vendors and resources in Kansas City, consult our partners at, Know of other businesses that belong on this list? I know that right now, many folks are looking to young people, the up-and-coming generation, as the change-makers. All rights reserved. Sure, every city has a different fight to wage for equity, but programming for young Black people in Kansas City is so underfunded, overlooked, and unconsidered that it becomes an exhausting and frankly fruitless fight. I remember white tenants walking along the perimeter of the room, making their way to the rooftop pool and giving confused, annoyed looks at the sofas packed with well-clad Black women. The NAACP is a long standing civil rights organization that works on a broad scale to achieve racial justice for citizens in urban communities. At the meeting, secretly bugged by authorities, Thomas revealed how skimming works inside Nevada casinos. In honor of Juneteenth, Give Black KC is raising $80,000 for eight Black-led nonprofits and businesses in Kansas City. Editor: Donna Stewart In a document dated Oct. 10, 2017, Harris claims $69,000 was given to a small roofing contractor to fix the elevator in the Lincoln Building. According to Service and former BEU Board Chairman William Harris, no elevator work was ever done. a.q = q; Urban development in Kansas City often means creating clean, new, modern, safe living and social spaces for decidedly white, middle- to upper-income populations. She is originally from Colorado and said housing was a huge concern for her. Dacia Martins started UrbnHub during the pandemic to connect families with organizations that serve the urban core. We need a lot of different resources.. "We had to put about a million dollars in refurbishing this building," Thompson said. Part of HuffPost Black Voices. After receiving hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to fix up the Lincoln Building, including roughly $387,000 in federal stimulus money, $171,500 in federal and city money, and after securing the $400,000 loan, court records show BEU sold the Lincoln Building to Henry Service for $750,000 in 2017. Contact: Sook Park Fierce is New York-based organization catering to the extremely underserved LGBT youth of color. The 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City is an all-volunteer organization and was formed in 2006, as one of 116 chapters nationally and internationally with over 10,000 members serving 100,000 youth participants. There's so many different types of people in the urban core, Martins said. Sign in. According to Service and other tenants, its rare the office is used at all. In an August 2018 email, Lorek asks Bullington for an accounting of all federal money given to BEU. Contact: Karla Martinez My email is steve@kcur.org. "You give a little you get a little bit, you give a little, and we don't want you to diminish or discount the impact that can have," Gorman said. Weve got to get families to a place where theyre thriving, you know, theyre being successful. Harris also opposed the sale and said Lyman and BEU Treasurer Charles Parker lied to him about the the sale's purpose. The last city permit currently posted for the Lincoln Building elevator expired on Aug. 1, 2014, roughly six weeks before the contract was signed to upgrade the elevator. I always order the oxtails and curried goat because #gobigorgohome. That's why a Juneteenth fundraiser is stepping in to get Kansas City organizations access to capital. Reached by phone, Thompson said a lot of hard work was put into the building. Get started with eight dining recommendations from local foodie Kasim Hardaway. And truly, its unjust for the burden of change to fall on Black youth when inequity is consistently maintained by those with power and privilege. Do not distribute mail in the building, thank you.. Contact: Sharmin Lang Fax: (816) 471-8543, American Indian Enterprise & Business Council There are networks of young Black people, especially Black women, doing the things I want to do: writing fiction, engaging in the arts scene, working at predominantly Black nonprofits, founding organizations for Black girls, supporting a wide variety of Black-owned businesses, and attending predominantly Black colleges. 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City is devoted to improving the quality of life for young African American men through several mentoring, educational, and life skills . Mission. HEDFC operates as a bank with federal money used to fund low-income housing projects. Court records show BEU still has 11 active liens against it for unpaid bills dating as far back as 27 years. Phone: (816)923-5399 They don't need a four-year college degree.. A sign now on the window of the office reads, To mail carrier from BEU, please hold all mail in the post office. It's leading up to the Juneteenth holiday . Learn more UMKC Innovation Center When the 41 Action News Investigators asked Wood why the city would agree to give money to fix the elevator and five years later, still hasn't inspected it after the permit ran out, he replied, "I don't know. A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. McCray has lived in Kansas City her whole life. More by Ashley Clarke. And those same city audit records show BEU had accounting issues every one of those years, including two years when BEU failed to submit a timely report for the auditor's review. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Religious activists are trying to weaken new protections for LGBTQ workers, Public Integrity acquires tool to make data more accessible to journalists, Public Integrity staff share expertise in using data to cover inequality, Funding decisions often shortchange homeless students, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Programs like Awesome Ambitions, which encourage economic and social mobility, prepare young people for college and careers, and create rich networking opportunities, should be heavily funded. In the document, Harris wrote the contractor clearly is not qualified to do such technical work which requires a license and the elevator never got fixed.". I watched my brother chase chickens with the other young kids and tried to grapple with the fact that I was standing in the middle of a nonprofit community garden and urban farm at 29th and Wabash. As the Three Light apartments are constructed, and plans for Four, Five, and Six Light apartments are underway, I wonder if young Black people in Kansas City feel the same way as I do. We always hear a lot about, you know, taking care of ourselves, but its so important that we take care of each other. Let us know on Instagram or via email. Fax:(816)531-5256, Kansas City Hispanic News a list of 28 active organizations that service a range of black communities. Bullington responds by sending a 2014 contract between BEU and the city to improve the Lincoln Building. Banks that Cotton approached for startup capital would only lend to existing businesses. Lora McDonald, director of the Kansas City-based social justice organization More2, . 4220 Shawnee Mission Pkwy #350b Phone: (913) 432-3486, Dos Mundos Bilingual Newspaper The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Learning through measurement and evaluation help us better support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive. According to executive director Michael Watson, REAP began in the basement of Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church in 1982. Cotton plans to use the grant from Give Black KC to extend her lease on the shop. In Kansas City, patrons can find Black-owned businesses on Kcblackowned.org, said Richardson. Most recently, the 41 Action News Investigators obtained invoices showing Kansas City's Neighborhoods and Housing Services Department gave roughly $214,000 in funding to BEU from 2012 through 2016, but nothing since the contract to refurbish the Lincoln Building was canceled in 2016. From West AfricanSuya, meat skewersorEast African Injera with stewed meat, you can get it all atFannie's African Cuisine., "You have to order chicken and donuts. Kansas City, MO 64106 Communal care is very important. ); In our community, we have a lot of violence, we have a lot of poverty, we have a lot of broken infrastructure, Barnes said. Black Lives Matter was formed in response to the, BAJIs efforts to unite black immigrants and African Americans is extremely crucial to overcoming the current, Blackout curates a unique way to protest the repetitive inattention to the work of black artists by tuning out from events like the Academy Awards. Raytown Emergency Assistance Program, or REAP, helps families in Raytown through utility assistance and rental assistance, as well as food pantry services. If you have an idea for a column, please read the guidelines for contributors. A bank today is still less likely to give a loan to somebody on Prospect because its not seen as economically viable as starting that business on Main Street, said Brandon Calloway, co-founder and CEO of GIFT. The organization works to ensure social justice and equality for black immigrants. "I was told that the BEU only had two months before it would face foreclosure and not enough income to pay its utilities. window, Try a low commitment monthly plan today. She knew it was important for students to have representation in the classroom. SO WERE TRYING TO IN THAT PIECE AND ENCOURAGE KIDS TO GO TO COLLEGE AND SEEK HIGHER EDUCATION ORGANIZERS BELIEVE WORKING TOGETHER BRINGS CHANGE YOU GIVE A LITTLE YOU GET A LITTLE YOU GIVE A LITTLE AND WE DONT WANT YOU TO DIMINISH OR DISCOUNT THE IMPACT THAT THAT COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A MILLIONAIRE TO MAKE CHANGES IN PEOPLES LIVES IS REALLY COOL. But it's not. Phone: (816) 221-4747 Phone: (816) 392-7611, Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Development Council (MSDC) In other communities, local business associations can help find resources. Thats one reason Trinity Davis started Teachers Like Me. The Urban League of Greater Kansas City, The Green Line Initiative and G.I.F.T. Blue Springs, MO 64013-1312 Not only in those buildings, but in that area, in the Power & Light District. In addressing Harris' claims, Lyman said in an email response to the 41 Action News Investigators there was "no malfeasance or illegal activity by me.". Higher ACT test scores open up acceptance to more colleges and additional scholarship opportunities, which are vital in ensuring more students attend four year colleges. There, I experienced a sense of belonging and comfort that I had struggled to create for myself in Kansas City. Otherwise, my young, diverse generation will take our talent, leadership, and drive to create equitable, anti-racist communities elsewhere. Where have all the candidates gone? The opportunities to supportKC's local Black-owned businesses are vast, from favorite area restaurants to bookstores that foster a connected community of readers. Amplifying Black voices through news that matters. "I can confirm the Office of Inspector General (of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General) did sit down and talk to me and I can confirm that I've got information that the FBI is looking into that organization," Service said in an interview. Speaking from an upstairs window, Denmon said, "Get off my property.". Overland Park, KS 66210 The following list provides information for contacting some minority and women business organizations and publications. Start with this beginner's guide to the neighborhood, Kansas City's new airport terminal carries on the legacy of a 10-year-old who fought for inclusivity, Local public health officials fear a Kansas bill would undercut work to contain diseases, A federal lawsuit against Missouri's 'dysfunctional' SNAP call center has gotten bigger, Young Black Professionals In Kansas City Feel A Responsibility To Help Next Generation Succeed, Kansas City's Black Professional Women Change Corporate Culture By Chipping Away At Stereotypes, This Kansas City Nonprofit Is Stepping In To Bolster Black-Owned Businesses, With 'Resiliency And Grit,' Black Women In Kansas City Have Been Growing Their Own Businesses. 615 E. 29th St. Collaboration is key Randolph said the Heartland Business Chamber of Commerce ramped up partnerships with other organizations doing similar work during the pandemic. [CDATA[// >