Kc Common Good Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL CITIZENS CAN LIVE SAFELY AND HAVE ACCESS TO REAL OPPORTUNITIES.

ENGAGEMENT MODEL. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A UNIQUE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. IN 2021 KC COMMON GOOD RECEIVED EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK FROM REPRESENTATIVES FROM CLERGY, HEALTH, EDUCATION, HEALTH, BUSINESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY HOUSING, FUNDERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THIS WORK SUPPORTS OUR MISSION AND OPERATIONS BY WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND RETAINING EXPERTS TO CREATE THE RIGHT MODEL FOR THE GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY THAT RELIES ON A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE, BUILD STRONGER POLICY-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, INCREASE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND INSTITUTE RESPONSIBLE JUSTICE REFORMS.

COMMUNITY CONNECTOR WAS DEVELOPED BY KC COMMON GOOD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED WAY 2-1-1 AND COMMUNITY CARELINK, AND OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN FALL 2021. THIS ONLINE RESOURCE HUB PROVIDES A SEARCHABLE LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF SERVICES TO THE KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR HAS RAPIDLY GROWN TO INCLUDE A LISTING OF 1,841 ORGANIZATIONS, FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING AND AMPLIFYING SMALLER, COMMUNITY DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS PREVENTING AND REDUCING VIOLENCE. KC COMMON GOOD WORKED WITH 5 VOLUNTEERS AND 72 HOURS TO ASSIST WITH ADDING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

IN 2020, AFTER OBSERVING CONCERNING RATES OF YOUTH VIOLENCE IN KC, KC COMMON GOOD SPEARHEADED OUTREACH TO 30 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT FOR AT-RISK YOUTH. WORKING FOR YOUTH IS A PROGRAM KC COMMON GOOD OVERSAW AND MANAGED. THE GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RECEIVED DONATIONS FROM FOUNDATIONS, INDIVIDUALS, AND CORPORATE COMMUNITIES FOR THE WORKING FOR YOUTH FUND. WORKING FOR YOUTH IS A SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES AND REAL WORLD SKILLS TO HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH. LAUNCHED IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, 89 EMPLOYERS HOSTED 427 YOUTH. PARTICIPANTS SELECTED EITHER AN EIGHT-WEEK TRADITIONAL INTERNSHIP OR FOUR-WEEK ENTREPRENEURIAL INTERNSHIP, EARNING A STIPEND AND ACADEMIC CREDIT. OUR ORGANIZATION BELIEVES IN ALIGNING RESOURCES IN GAP AREAS TO CREATE SYSTEMIC CHANGE. PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IS CRITICAL TO RETAINING TALENT, REDUCING VIOLENCE AND GROWING GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. NINETY PERCENT OF PARTICIPANTS WERE YOUTH OF COLOR AND 1/3RD WERE RESIDENTS OF SIX KCMO ZIP CODES WITH THE LOWEST LIFE EXPECTANCY RATE AND "CRIME HOT SPOTS" (AREAS EXPERIENCING THE HEIGHTENED VIOLENT CRIME RATES). KC COMMON GOOD WORKED WITH 30 VOLUNTEERS AND TWO PROGRAM PARTNERS TO RECRUIT EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE THE INTERNSHIPS. THE PROGRAM RAISED $588,393 FOR PROGRAMMING, ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, AND STUDENT STIPENDS. OVER 25% OF THE YOUTH WERE OFFERED A JOB THROUGH THEIR SUMMER EMPLOYER. THE DEBRUCE FOUNDATION'S ANALYSIS OF WORKING FOR YOUTH'S INAUGURAL YEAR CONCLUDED THAT PARTICIPATING YOUTH EXPERIENCED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THEIR OVERALL CAREER LITERACY, NETWORKING, AND CAREER EXPLORATION ABILITIES.