Court Appointed Special Advocates of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties (CASA) recently received a grant for $10,000 from Country Club Christian Church to support their Youngest Victims program.  This program provides specialized training and support for CASA staff and volunteers advocating for children from birth to age five who are involved in the court system due to abuse or neglect.

Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from Oppenstein Brothers Foundation to support the new Northland Service Center. The new Northland Service Center will increase MLM’s ability to provide direct services which promote self-sufficiency for disadvantaged people in Clay and Platte counties.  The new Northland Service Center will be a visible and strong anchor in North Kansas City, and a beacon to those in economic crisis who need a lifeline.  A new 4,300 square foot Service Center will be created through a renovation of the former sanctuary of St. James Lutheran Church.  Over 3,460 square feet of the former sanctuary will be renovated for the new Service Center and an additional 840 square feet will be added through construction to the existing space.  This Service Center will have locations for food storage, three offices for case management, a reception and waiting room for clients, a bathroom, additional storage space, and room to grow.  A dock and ramp will be added to aid food deliveries.

Developing Potential Inc. (DPI) recently received a grant for $74,924 from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City to support their Access to Services program. DPI’s Increase Access to Services program utilizes a full-time, registered nurse to oversee participants’ on-site medical needs. The comprehensive spectrum of integrated services provided by DPI – high-quality day habilitation services combined with professional medical support – allows adults with developmental disabilities to actively participate in the Day Habilitation and Community Integration programs where they can progress toward self-care and the highest level of independent living possible. These services foster client’s need for independence while addressing their mental and physical health needs.  This allows them to enjoy the basic qualities of life that have often been out of reach and gives the client and their caregivers the tools needed to advocate on their behalf.

Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) was recently awarded a $60,000 grant from the William T. Kemper Foundation to support renovations to their Northland Community Service Center. A new Service Center for MLM will be built to increase MLM's ability to serve the Northland community. The new Northland Service Center will be a visible and strong anchor in North Kansas City, and a beacon to those in economic crisis who need a lifeline.  A new 4,300 square foot Service Center will be created through a renovation of the former sanctuary of St. James Lutheran Church.  Over 3,460 square feet of the former sanctuary will be renovated for the new Service Center and an additional 840 square feet will be added through construction to the existing space.  This Service Center will have locations for food storage, three offices for case management, a reception and waiting room for clients, a bathroom, additional storage space, and room to grow.  A dock and ramp will be added to aid food deliveries.

Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) recently received a grant for $25,000 from the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund to support the MLM Saturday Breakfast Program. The Saturday Breakfast Program is one of the more recently established MLM programs for the homeless and near homeless in the Kansas City metro area. The goal of this successful program is to provide a hot breakfast to people facing poverty.

Lutheran Legacy Foundation (BTLLF) recently received a grant for $10,000 from the Wyandotte Health Foundation to support Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet (KCMC). Kansas City's Medicine Cabinet facilitates better access for low-income individuals to emergency health care assistance. KCMC utilizes a voucher system to provide access to short-term emergency medical assistance in five specific areas: dental emergencies, diabetic supplies, durable medical goods (including hearing aids), prescriptions and vision care.

Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) recently received a grant for $15,000 from the United Way, United for Hope to support development of the Family Stability and Empowerment Initiative. The Family Stability and Empowerment Initiative is a joint initiative linking MLM's Emergency Assistance program, providing short-term food and housing stability relief, with the Learning to Earning program, providing long-term support of education and employment services.

St. Cloud State University (SCSU) was recently awarded a $30,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation to provide housing, customized programming, peer support and clinical services to students in recovery who are working to obtain a college degree. The SCSU Recovery Community is a Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC).  CRC’s provide recovery coaching, and provide linkages to a wide spectrum of resources including recovery housing and recovery-conducive education and employment. CRC’s often host recovery support meetings, or connect participants to recovery support meetings helping to facilitate their continued social participation. They also serve as sites for recovery-focused social networking, advocacy, peer support, and community service activities. CRCs at educational institutions like SCSU focus on recovery supports ranging from sober housing, on-campus recovery support groups, recovery coaching, academic mentoring, study groups, sober social activities, community service projects, and scholarships for students in recovery.

Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) recently received a grant for $15,000 from the Frank & Margaret G. McGee Foundation support MLM's free Saturday Breakfast Ministries in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. MLM will use the funds from the Frank & Margaret G. McGee Fund to support MLM's free Saturday Breakfast Ministries in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. Specifically, we use these funds to buy food (scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee), supplies for the breakfast, and pay for the yearly permits, licenses and fees to host the breakfast. Funds will also be used to support the staff time supervising the volunteers and managing the program.