* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DONNA PEYTON. IT IS NINE 16 AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING. WE HAVE NO ORDINANCES IN COMMITTEE, AND, UM, [ORDINANCES IN COMMITTEE OUTSIDE AGENCY HEARINGS] WE ARE GOING TO GO DIRECTLY TO OUTSIDE AGENCY HEARINGS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE. MY NAME IS DONNA PEYTON, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE CHARLIE LEGISLATOR, CHARLIE FRANKLIN, AND OUR CHAIR MANNY BARKER WITH US. I CAN'T SEE ON THE SCREEN IF THERE'S ANYONE WITH US. UH, LEGISLATOR SMITH AND LEGISLATOR LAU LAUER, ARE YOU STILL THERE WITH US? WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND PROCEED. WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN, UM, WITH THE 18TH AND VINE ARTS FESTIVAL FOUNDATION. IF YOU COULD COME UP, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND APPRECIATE YOU COMING SO THAT WE CAN HEAR MORE ABOUT, UM, YOUR PLAN, YOUR PROGRAM. ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE APPEARING HAVE SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING THROUGH OUR OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING PROCESS. AND, UM, WE WANT YOU TO SEE US ASK US QUESTIONS, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO TALK WITH YOU AND ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS. AND ONE MAY SAY WE HAVE TO DO ALL THIS IN FIVE MINUTES. YES, WE DO. . SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND PLEASE IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELVES. UH, MY NAME IS QUE. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE AT DIVINE ART FESTIVAL FOUNDATION. AND I'M CEDRIC WILLIAMS, THE CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER FOR THE FOUNDATION. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. UH, WE ARE REQUESTING $300,000 THROUGH JACKSON COUNTY OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING TO SUPPORT AC DIVINE ARTS AND WELLNESS INITIATIVE, A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SERVE 300 JACKSON COUNTY YOUTH. I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING THIS IS NOT A REQUEST TO FUND OUR ANNUAL FESTIVAL. WHILE MANY PEOPLE KNOW US THROUGH THE 18 DIVINE ARTS FESTIVAL, THIS PROPOSAL IS FOCUSED ON THE YOUTH WORK WE DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND OUR VISION TO EXPAND THE WORK. CURRENTLY, OUR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IS ANCHORED THROUGH OUR MONTHLY FIRST SATURDAY PROGRAMMING, HOSTED AT KEYSTONE COMMUNITY CORPORATION. THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, OVER 200 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ARTS, EDUCATION, CREATIVE ACTIVITIES, MENTORSHIP AND CULTURAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. OUR FIRST SATURDAY PROGRAM CURRENTLY SERVES APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 YOUTH PER SESSION, AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG PARTICIPATION AND INTEREST FROM YOUTH AND FAMILIES. WHAT THIS FUNDING WOULD DO, IT WILL ALLOW US TO TAKE THE FOUNDATION AND BUILD IT TO A STRUCTURE A YEAR ROUND YOUTH ARTS WELLNESS INITIATIVE THAT REACHES MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS JACKSON COUNTY. WE ARE CURRENTLY PARTNERED WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS ARTS TECH, THE ACADEMY FOR INTEGRATED ARTS, KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE BELIEVE ARTS, EDUCATION PREVENTION WORK EVERYDAY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH STRESS, TRAUMA, ISOLATION, AND CHALLENGES THAT OFTEN GO UNSEEN THROUGH ART, MUSIC, STORYTELLING, MENTORSHIP, WE CAN PROVIDE POSITIVE OUTLETS, TRUSTED ADULT RELATIONSHIPS, AND IN A SAFE SPACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GROW, LEARN, AND THRIVE. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, YOUTH WILL PARTICIPATE IN ARTS, EDUCATION, WELLNESS THROUGH ART ACTIVITIES, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, YOUTH SHOWCASES, AND CULTURAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THEY'LL BE EXPOSED TO VISUAL ARTS, MUSIC PERFORMANCE, STORYTELLING, CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND THE RICH CULTURAL LEGACY OF KANSAS CITY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS INITIATIVE ENSURES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY ARTS AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES REGARDLESS OF INCOME, NEIGHBORHOOD OR FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES. THE REQUESTED FUNDING BREAKS DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY $1,000 PER YOUTH SERVED, AND THESE FUNDS WOULD SUPPORT TEACHING ARTISTS, MENTORS, PROGRAM CO COORDINATORS, WELLNESS FACILITATORS, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, MEALS AND SNACKS, PROGRAM SUPPLIES, YOUTH SHOWCASES, EVALUATION, REPORTING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLIANCE. NEEDED TO RESPONSIBLY OPERATE A YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM SERVING 300 JACKSON COUNTY YOUTH. THIS INVESTMENT IS NOT SIMPLY FUNDING ACTIVITIES, IT'S FUNDING THE PEOPLE, PARTNERSHIPS AND INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT HIGH QUALITY YOUTH ARTS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE 18 DIVINE ART FESTIVAL, VTE FOUNDATION, HAS BUILT TRUST THROUGH OUR WORK WITH ARTISTS, YOUTH, FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. AND WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE'S BOTH A NEED AND A DEMAND FOR THIS PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT JACKSON COUNTY. THIS INVESTMENT WILL ALLOW US TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THE WORK INTO SUSTAINABLE YEAR ROUND MODEL, SERVING 300 JACKSON COUNTY YOUTH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALSO DOING. ON THE BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH JACKSON COUNTY TO PROVIDE SAFE, CREATIVE, HEALTHY SPACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN LEARN, GROW, AND BELONG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPLAUD YOU, . ANY, ANY, I KNOW ANY QUESTIONS THAT I HAD? YOU ANSWERED THEM AND [00:05:01] AND, AND ANSWERED THEM THOROUGHLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE? LEGISLATURE? I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOUR PROGRAM IS, WELL, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN OPERATION? SINCE, UH, FEBRUARY WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PROGRAM WITH THE YOUTH. WONDERFUL. SO, UM, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT OUTCOMES. I KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS HOW DO YOU DEMONSTRATE OR HAVE THE WELLNESS ASPECT INVOLVED? BUT YOU ANSWERED THAT SO VERY THOROUGHLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, AND I LIKE THAT COMBINATION OF ARTS AND WELLNESS. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IF NO ONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BYE. HELLO, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? GREAT. HOW ARE YOU? IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE SEEING AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S EXCITING TO BE HERE AND IN THE CHAMBER, ACTUALLY, WHERE THE THINGS HAPPEN. SO, UH, MY NAME'S CLAIRE BISHOP. I SERVE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE. I'M RYAN BERNSTEIN. I'M DIRECTOR OF BRAND AND PARTNERSHIPS AT AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE. SHALL WE START? PLEASE? GREAT. AT A TIME WHEN AMERICANS ARE INCREASINGLY DIVIDED, MANY EXIST IN A SOCIETY WITHOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY FROM THEMSELVES. AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE EXISTS TO EX TO ADDRESS THAT CHALLENGE. FOR OVER 10 YEARS, A PS HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER PEOPLE ACROSS POLITICAL, IDEOLOGICAL, RACIAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC DIFFERENCES FOR PROGRAMS AND CONVERSATIONS ROOTED IN CURIOSITY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT. RIGHT HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY, WE PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL, THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART, AND MORE TO BRING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS TOGETHER TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MOST IMPACT THEIR LIVES. OUR A PS SIGNATURE PROGRAMS USE OUR CIVILITY TOOLKIT TO KEEP CONVERSATIONS FACT-BASED AND CIVIL. THIS INCLUDES AUDIENCE QUESTIONS, A LIVE FACT CHECKER, FACT SHEETS, CIVILITY, BILL AND ROVING REPORTER. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE A FORUM FOR PUBLIC DISCOURSE THAT'S ROOTED IN CIVILITY, FACTS, AND PERSPECTIVE. WE ALSO WORK WITH STUDENTS AFTER 10 YEARS OF DOING THIS WORK, AND BASED ON THE FEEDBACK OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, A PS HAS EXPANDED OUR MISSION TO INCLUDE NOT JUST DOING PROGRAMMING AND MODELING THIS BEHAVIOR AND CREATING SPACES FOR RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE, BUT TO ACTUALLY EDUCATE AND, AND CREATE MORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT GIVE PEOPLE THE TOOLS AND THE RESOURCES TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. SO WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR WORK WITH STUDENTS. OUR CIVICS EDUCATION INITIATIVE EXTENDS THAT MISSION DIRECTLY TO LOCAL STUDENTS HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY, PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION, NOT JUST TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY, BUT TO DO SO THOUGHTFULLY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY. SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT MAKES OUR CI PROGRAM DIFFERENT. IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T JUST SIMPLY GO INTO A CLASSROOM TO TEACH CIVICS EDUCATION. WE ACTUALLY BRING STUDENTS FROM PRIVATE, CHARTER, PAROCHIAL, AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND WE BRING THEM INTO ONE ROOM TOGETHER FOR FIVE WORK DAYS OVER THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR. AND IN THAT ROOM, THEY GET A COLLEGE LEVEL EDUCATION WHERE THEY LEARN FROM JOURNALISTS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING A FEW LEGISLATORS THAT YOU MAY KNOW HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY. AND THEY GET TO ACTUALLY WATCH THAT WORK IN PRACTICE. UH, THEY WORK WITH KU PROFESSORS, THEY PLAY GAMES THAT TEACH THEM MEDIA LITERACY. AND OVER THE COURSE OF THAT ONE YEAR, THEY DESIGN ONE OF OUR FIVE A PS SIGNATURE PROGRAMS. SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY PUT THAT WORK INTO PRACTICE. THEY SELECT AN ISSUE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR LIVES. AND THIS YEAR THEY PICKED THE, YOU KNOW, NOT CONTROVERSIAL AT ALL, ISSUE OF ICE AND IMMIGRATION. AND OVER THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR, THEY DESIGNED A PROGRAM AND BROUGHT IN EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, INCLUDING, UH, FORMER DIRECTOR OF ICE UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA, SARAH SALDANA, UH, LOCAL LEGISLATORS, UH, ACL U, AND LOCAL IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS. SO IT REALLY IS WORK IN PRACTICE. AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE VERY FEW PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY THAT BRING TOGETHER STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS TO ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF COLLEGE LEVEL CIVICS, MEDIA, LITERACY, ED EDUCATION. AND SO THIS INVESTMENT WILL ALLOW US TO EXPAND THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH JACKSON COUNTY CITIZENS AND ALSO STUDENTS TO CONTINUE BUILDING THE SKILLS THAT EVERY HEALTHY DEMOCRACY REQUIRES. CRITICAL THINKING, MEDIA LITERACY, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN A PUBLIC FORUM, INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS PUBLISHING OP-EDS WITH THE KANSAS CITY STAR EVERY YEAR. THANK YOU. ABS'S MISSION IS TO BUILD STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES. WE DO THIS THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE OUR CIVICS EDUCATION INITIATIVE [00:10:01] THAT, AGAIN, CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, RESIDENTS TO ACCESS THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN USE AND TAKE TO, TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES ON THEIR OWN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS AND WOULD BE HONORED TO CONTINUE SERVING THE STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF JACKSON COUNTY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NO. WHEN CAN WE HAVE YOU BACK FOR THE SEATTLE ? WHENEVER I AM. I LOVE BEING, UM, A PART OF THE CIVICS PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, WITH CIVICS BEING TAKEN OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE WORK YOU DO IN CIVICS IS INVALUABLE. AND AS YOU SAID, I HAVE SEEN, UM, THE PROGRAM IN ACTION AND KNOW THAT THIS IS COLLEGE LEVEL WORK, AND WE SAY THAT WE NEED TO TRAIN OUR CHILDREN OR TRAIN, TRAIN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, TO BE LEADERS. AND YOU ARE CERTAINLY DOING THAT. UH, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND WE NEED CONFLICT RESOLUTION. BUT WHEN YOU GO TO CIVILITY AND DISCOURSE, I THINK THAT YOU'RE HITTING UP ON SOMETHING THAT WE MAY BE OVERLOOKING. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DID. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. UH, MADAM CHAIR? YES. UM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE AMOUNT WAS AGAIN? I'M SORRY, I MISSED THAT WHEN I WAS STEPPED BACK. WHAT IS YOUR AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? UH, $40,000. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM. MADAM CHAIR? YES, SIR. UM, HAVE WE RECEIVED THE, UM, SEAN SMITH? I'M SORRY WE CAN'T SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT VOICE, BUT YOU ARE FAMILIAR TO, UH, AMERICAN PUBLIC AS WELL, ? YEAH. SORRY. AND I AM ON SCREEN, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VIEW IS THAT THE FOLKS CONTROLLING IT ARE DOING, BUT, UM, DID, DID WE RECEIVE THE PACKET OF ALL THE APPLICATIONS AND APPLICANTS? UM, I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT COME FROM OUR, UM, INTERNAL AUDIT STAFF YET, THAT THEY NORMALLY SEND US SO THAT WE CAN READ THROUGH AND SEE. I'M SORRY, WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR IN THE DOCUMENTATION BEFORE THESE HEARINGS. UH, YOU RECEIVED IT, IT CAME THROUGH AN EMAIL, UM, FROM LEONA BROWN. OKAY. I'LL TAKE A LOOK FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET YOU ON THE SCREEN. SEAN , WE HAVE UP THE, UH, AGENDA, SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA CALL UP AMETHYST PLACE. YEAH. AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING ME ON THE SCREEN. I'M GONNA BE MOSTLY IMMOBILE AND TRYING TO GET, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS TAKEN CARE OF ON MY SIDE WHILE I LISTEN IN, SO. OKAY. BUT PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE CHIMING IN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AM AT THIS PLACE. UM, GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. UM, MY NAME IS LAUREN CLIFTON THOMPSON. I'M DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT WITH PHIS PLACE, AND WE ARE A LONG-TERM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN RECOVERY FROM GENERATIONAL SUBSTANCE USE, POVERTY AND TRAUMA. UM, WE ARE LOCATED AT 28TH AND TRUCE, AND AT 28TH. AND TRACY, I'M HERE TODAY AT HUMBLY REQUEST AN INVESTMENT OF $61,000 ANNUALLY TO SUPPORT THE SALARIES, INFRINGE BENEFITS OF OUR CLINICAL TEAM AS THEY DELIVER CRITICAL THERAPEUTIC SERVICES TO THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WE SERVE. IN 2025, WE EXPANDED OUR CAMPUS AT 28TH AND TRUSS, AND WE ADDED 32 UNITS OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. UM, TODAY WE PROVIDE FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENTS FOR 69 FAMILIES, AND THAT INCLUDES 155 CHILDREN. SO WE EXPANDED OUR GROWTH BY 86%, NEARLY DOUBLING THE SIZE OF OUR FOOTPRINT THROUGH OUR GRADUATE AFTERCARE PROGRAM FOR THE FORMER RESIDENTS OF AM DISPLACED. THAT BRINGS OUR TOTAL OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN SERVED UP TO 300, UM, PER YEAR. AND SO WITH THAT EXPANSION HAS COME TO INCREASED DEMAND FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND IT'S CREATED A WAIT LIST. UM, THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN ENTERING OUR PROGRAM ARE NAVIGATING BOTH RECOVERY AND CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. AND AT THE SAME TIME, MANY OF THE CHILDREN THAT COME INTO OUR PROGRAM ARE CARRYING A LOT OF TRAUMA ON VERY LITTLE SHOULDERS. MM-HMM . AND SO THESE FAMILIES NEED MORE THAN HOUSING. THEY NEED HEALING AS OUR PROGRAM HAS GROWN, SO AS THE NEED FOR THE THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT. SO WE NOW HAVE, UM, WE HAD THREE CLINICAL STAFF MEMBERS, ONE DIRECTOR, AND TWO THERAPISTS. WE HAVE SINCE NOW DOUBLED THAT TEAM'S FOOTPRINT. WE JUST HIRED TWO NEW THERAPISTS THAT WILL START IN JULY. AND ONE OF OUR THERAPISTS HAS TAKEN ON A ROLE AS CLINICAL INNOVATION MANAGER TO HELP US WITH QUALITY ASSURANCE AND COMPLIANCE. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME THIS TEAM AND TO HELP BROADEN THE SERVICES. BUT WITH THAT, WE NEED THE INVESTMENT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES. UM, WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL SERVICES AND A CLINICAL INNOVATION MANAGER MAY EACH PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED AND FAMILY CENTERED CARE WHILE STRENGTHENING, UM, QUALITY ASSURANCE, MEASURING OUTCOMES, AND ENSURING THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF SERVICE DELIVERY FOR THE FAMILIES WE SERVE. AND SO WE'RE SEEKING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SO THESE SERVICES CAN BE DELIVERED IN EXPANDED WAYS. UM, CURRENTLY THERAPY IS LARGELY CONFINED TO [00:15:01] OUR CAMPUS AND THE HOURS WHEN FAMILIES ARE AVAILABLE, ONCE THEY'RE MORE STABLE IN OUR PROGRAM, THAT'S WHEN EMPLOYMENT BEGINS. THAT'S WHEN SCHOOL BEGINS. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SEEING FAMILIES AFTER HOURS. YAY. UM, WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING, OUR THERAPISTS CAN MEET FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE, WHETHER THAT BE AT SCHOOL OR IN THE COMMUNITY, OR IN THE SETTINGS WHERE SUPPORT IS MOST NEEDED. THIS FLEXIBILITY WOULD INCREASE ACCESS, STRENGTHEN ENGAGEMENT, ENSURE MORE FAMILIES RECEIVE CARE WHERE AND WHEN THEY NEED IT. UM, AMETHYST PLACE, WE KNOW THAT RECOVERY IS ALSO MORE THAN ABOUT SOBRIETY. IT'S ABOUT HEALING, TRAUMA, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, AND CREATING CONDITIONS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS. AND SO, BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH OUR PROGRAM, 93% OF MOTHERS SUSTAINED A RECOVERY. 92% OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN SEPARATED DUE TO HOUSELESSNESS AND PARENTAL SUBSTANCE USE ARE REUNIFIED WITHIN ABOUT 60 DAYS OF MOM COMING TO LIVE AT AMETHYST PLACE. AND SINCE 20 20, 80 3% OF WOMEN WHO HAVE COME THROUGH OUR PROGRAM ARE STILL STATELY HOUSED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO WE DON'T DO THIS IN A VACUUM. UM, THESE OUTCOMES ARE MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE BELIEF IN OUR PROGRAM, AND BECAUSE OF SUPPORTERS LIKE JACKSON COUNTY. SO YOUR SUPPORT INSURERS THAT WOMEN AND CHILDREN NOT ONLY RECOVER, BUT HEAL, REUNIFY, AND THRIVE LONG TERM. ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILIES WE SERVE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS REQUEST AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING FAMILIES ACROSS JACKSON COUNTY. UM, OPEN ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU. UM, WE CAN SEE NOW THAT WE HAVE SEAN SMITH WITH US. AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE. WE ALSO HAVE MEGAN SMITH WITH US, UM, ON THE SCREEN OR VIRTUALLY, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR LEGISLATORS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I, UM, WHEN I WAS ELECTED THREE YEARS AGO, AMETHYST PLACE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT WELCOMED ME IN, SO I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO. YOU MENTIONED, UH, NOT ONLY DO YOU PROVIDE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, RECOVER, BUT YOU SUPPLY A PLACE FOR HEALING. AND, UH, THAT DEFINITELY IS A NEED AND FILLS A GAP THAT WE MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED BEFORE, OR WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE WITH ALL ORGANIZATIONS. UM, AND THEIR WORK IS JUST AS VALUABLE. BUT I LIKE THE, UM, HEALING IMPACT AND THE HOUSING. HOUSING IS SO IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ARTS TECH MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I'M A LITTLE DISTRACTED BECAUSE THE KIDS START COMING IN AROUND THIS TIME, AND I'M THE TRANSPORTATION GURU, SO OH MY GOODNESS. THE KIDS ARE TEXTING, TEXTING, MY GOODNESS. SO, BUT YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH YOU THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I'M SURE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH US THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME, UH, AMAZING YOUNG PEOPLE. SO ARTS TECH, UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH ARTS TECH, I'VE BEEN IN THE POSITION, UH, NOW FOR TWO YEARS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. MY NAME IS TRU KEISHA SMITH. WE'RE HOUSED RIGHT HERE OFF OF 15TH AND HOMES. UH, WE HAVE A EXTREMELY LARGE BUILDING. MOST PEOPLE KNOW US AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON YOUTH WHO HAVE BARRIERS OF SOME SORT, WHETHER THAT'S HOUSING INSTABILITY, UH, FINANCIAL OR ECONOMIC INSTABILITY, UH, CHALLENGES WITH GOING TO SCHOOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHAT HAS COME AS I'VE BEEN THERE IS, IS THAT WE HAVE SEEN A NEED FOR US TO WORK MORE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT FOCUS ON, UM, ISSUES LIKE AMETHYST PLACE. WE'RE SEEING PARENTS WHO NEED SPACES AND OUTLETS FOR THEIR KIDS. SO THIS LAST YEAR, WE GOT 53 CALLS FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, SHELTERS, NEW HOUSE, HOPE HOUSE, UM, ROSEBROOK. WE'VE GOTTEN CALLS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE'VE GOTTEN CALLS FROM AIM FOR PEACE, ALL OF THEM ASKING CAN THEY BRING YOUNG PEOPLE TO US TO ADDRESS, UH, HEALING OR TRAUMA THROUGH ART. WE'VE SEEN SOME SURVEYS THAT COME OUT HAVE COME OUT. SO THE OFFICE, OUR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UH, FEDERALLY, THEY'VE SAID THAT ART IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, IN HELPING THEM ON THEIR HEALING JOURNEY. AND SO OUR ASK IS FOR JACKSON COUNTY TO SUPPORT US WITH A LITTLE UNDER $35,000 TO PUT TOGETHER ARTS AND ARTS AS A PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM. UH, THE GOAL OF IT IS, IS THAT WE CAN BRING IN MORE YOUNG PEOPLE. RIGHT NOW IN OUR BUILDING, WE HAVE ABOUT 70 TEAMS THAT WILL BE THERE FROM 10:00 AM TO ABOUT 2:00 PM TODAY. UH, THAT'S JUST THE SUMMER. FROM JUNE TO AUGUST, COME [00:20:01] SEPTEMBER, WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 80 TEENS THAT WILL COME AFTER SCHOOL AND ON SATURDAYS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THEY WILL BE LEARNING THINGS LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY. THEY WILL BE LEARNING THINGS, UH, LIKE TECH PROGRAMMING. THEY WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN, UH, WORK READINESS EXPERIENCE. AND SO, UH, AND MOST OF OUR KIDS GET PAID. SO ALL 70 OF THE KIDS THAT ARE THERE THIS, THIS SUMMER, THEY'RE ALL GETTING PAID. THEY GET 15, $15 AN HOUR. IT'S A STIPEND. UH, THE GOAL IS, IS TO PER, TO SET THEIR COURSE RIGHT, FOR THOSE HAVE HOUSING INSTABILITY, IS TO HELP THEM TO START TO THINK ABOUT, WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SAY, I HAD A YOUNG PERSON WHO CALLED ME YESTERDAY AND SAID, WELL, MISS KEISHA, I NEED TO HELP PAY A UTILITY BILL. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, MY JOB IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW I CAN HELP CIRCUMVENT THAT UTILITY BILL. LIKE, OH, LET ME FIND A DIFFERENT PARTNER. BUT WE HAVE KIDS WHO HAVE REAL EXPERIENCES AND LOT LIVED EXPERIENCES. AND SO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WILL ALLOW US TO HELP THESE YOUNG PEOPLE SET THEIR COURSE A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. THEY COME IN, THEY GET TO DO, IF YOU'VE BEEN ON 31ST IN PROSPECT, WE'VE DONE SOME ELECTRICAL BOXES. UH, WE'RE WORKING ON A COUPLE OF STOREFRONTS FOR THE PLAZA. SO THEY ARE ALL OVER KANSAS CITY PRODUCING ART, NOT JUST PRODUCING ART, BUT ALSO DEVELOPING A PORTFOLIO THAT OFTENTIMES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T CONSIDER, UH, WHEN THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT, WELL, WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH MY LIFE? OR HOW DO I TELL MY STORY? AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO HELP THEM TELL OUR STORIES. ULTIMATELY, OUR AT AZ TECH, OUR VISION IS, IS THAT WE ARE A PLACE WHERE YOUTH CAN CREATE OR DESIGN THEIR OWN FUTURE. AND SO THEY CAN DO THAT THROUGH ARTS TECHNOLOGY AND WORKFORCE READINESS. THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD A YOUNG MAN WHO CAME FROM TRUE LIFE, UH, HAD BEEN IN A, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION. HE GOT, HE WENT THROUGH ARTS TECH. WE GOT, HE GOT HIS GED, AND WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO HELP HIM FIND A JOB THROUGH A TRADE. SO HE GOT HIRED WITH J DUNN. AND SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 TO 24 CAN FIND THEIR WAY. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATORS? WHAT'S THE QUANTITY AGAIN? THE QUANTITY OF YOUTH? 35,000 REQUESTED, UH, 35,000. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHEN, UH, YOU WERE SPEAKING IT MAY I HAVE AN ACRONYM FOR YOU? E THREE EQUIPPING, ENABLING, AND ELEVATING. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND I LOVE YOUR BUILDING, BY THE WAY, SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING MORE STOREFRONTS. THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE DOING MORE STOREFRONTS. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. OKAY. CAN I, THAT YOU SAID EQUIPPING, YOU CAN HAVE IT MM-HMM . E EQUIPPING, ENABLING, AND ELEVATING E THREE. I LOVE THAT. SO I'M GONNA TAKE THAT BACK TO THEM, , AND I'M GONNA YELL IT ALL DAY TODAY. , THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, AND WE HOPE YOU CONSIDER US. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. YOU TOO. WE HAVE ASYLUM CLINIC, KC HEREAFTER, A CKC HERE AFTER THIS MEETING, OR HEREAFTER AND THEREFORE . YOU CAN CALL US A CKC OR ASYLUM CLINIC, OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LESLIE TAB. UM, I'M A MANAGING ATTORNEY AT ASYLUM CLINIC, CASEY, AND I'M STANDING IN FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLAIRE MURPHY SHAW THIS MORNING. WHO'S OUTTA TOWN? AND GOOD MORNING. I'M JOHN TEESDALE. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT MARKETING. UM, I JUST WANNA START OFF BY THANKING YOU SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERING US AND FOR, UM, GIVING US THE TIME THIS MORNING TO SPEAK. UM, ASYLUM CLINIC, KANSAS CITY IS THE ONLY LOCAL NONPROFIT FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON PROVIDING FREE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES. UM, WE SERVE LOW INCOME IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE REFUGEES, UH, SURVIVORS OF CRIME AND, UH, TRAFFICKING, ASYLUM SEEKERS, CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE FAMILIES. UM, HISTORICALLY WE'VE BEEN FUNDED PRIMARILY THROUGH TWO FEDERAL GRANTS. BOTH OF THOSE GRANTS ARE GONNA SUNSET THIS YEAR. UM, OVER THE PAST YEAR, HOWEVER, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PIVOTED TOWARDS, UH, PHILANTHROPY CON COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. UM, WE'VE HAD A VERY STRONG RESPONSE, AND WE THINK THAT EVIDENCES THAT OUR SERVICES ARE MUCH NEEDED. UM, THE COMMUNITY NEED REMAINS SIGNIFICANT. UM, THE DEMAND FOR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES CONTINUES TO GROW. UM, LEGAL AID PROVIDES MANY, UH, VALUABLE LEGAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, BUT THEIR FUNDING RULES PREVENT THEM FROM, UH, FROM REPRESENTING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS. AND SO THERE'S A GAP THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED. UM, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT GAP. UM, SO WE'VE BEEN, UH, BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS AND IDENTIFY THAT NEED. UH, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH CHILDREN'S MERCY HOSPITAL, CASA, THE CHILD PROTECTION CENTER, OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH JVS AND DELLA LAMB. UM, THROUGH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, WE'VE [00:25:01] ACCEPTED REFERRALS, CLIENT REFERRALS FROM THEM. WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED IMMIGRATION LEGAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION TO THEM. SO WHY SHOULD THIS INTEREST JACKSON COUNTY? NEARLY HALF OF OUR CLIENTS ARE JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND JACKSON COUNTY FUNDING WOULD DIRECTLY SUPPORT COUNTY, UH, JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENT FA RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES. UM, THE MONEY THAT WE'VE, UH, THAT WE'VE, UH, REQUESTED, WE BELIEVE WILL SUPPORT ANOTHER A HUNDRED, UH, UH, US SERVING ANOTHER A HUNDRED JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. IMMIGRATION, LEGAL SERVICES MATTER. UM, THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT BOTH TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, THEY HELP PEOPLE OBTAIN WORK AUTHORIZATION, HELP FAMILIES ACHIEVE LEGAL STABILITY AND SECURITY. UM, HAVING AN ATTORNEY REDUCES THE CHRONIC STRESS, UH, THAT, UH, IS CAUSED BY HAVING UN UH, ADDRESSED IMMIGRATION ISSUES. AND IT IMPROVES, THAT IMPROVES ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND FOOD SECURITY. BUT THERE'S A BENEFIT TO JACKSON COUNTY TOO. MORE RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO LEGALLY WORK AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. SO THERE'S A STRONGER WORKFORCE, A STRONGER ECONOMY, AND HEALTHIER, MORE STABLE COMMUNITIES. YOUR INVESTMENT WILL HELP VULNERABLE RESIDENTS THRIVE WHILE STRENGTHENING THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION, UH, APPRECIATE VERY MUCH, UH, THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TODAY. THANK YOU. AND WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF YOUR REQUEST? 100,000. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NO. NO. WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR LEGISLATORS? MADAM CHAIR? YES, SIR. SO I'M HEARING YOU ASK AGENCIES. SO FIRST OFF, UM, WHEN YOU SAID NETTE HAD SENT THINGS OUT YOUR AID, ALL I HAVE IS THE LIST OF AGENCIES WHO ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED. I HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION CONCERNING THE APPLICANT'S, UH, HOW THEY, UH, COURT. AND THIS IS NOT FOR THIS AGENCY. THIS IS JUST REGARDING THIS PROCESS. UM, I HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION ON WHAT PROGRAM THEY'RE ACTUALLY ASKING US TO FUND, HOW IT RELATES TO HEALTH, SINCE THIS IS FUNDED OUTTA THE HEALTH FUND. AND I'M HEARING EVEN, YOU HAVE TO ASK EVERY APPLICANT HOW MUCH THEIR APPLICATION IS. SO I GUESS BACK TO MY ORIGINAL QUESTION, HAVE WE SEEN THE APPLICATIONS SO THAT WE HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK THESE AGENCIES WHILE THEY ARE BEFORE US? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THEM, I'M NOT A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'M JUST EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT THESE ARE SCHEDULED AND WE HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION. UM, MELINDA BOWLING IS GONNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU. SEAN. I'LL SEND YOU A SPREADSHEET RIGHT NOW. IF YOU'D JUST LET ME KNOW EVERYTHING YOU WANNA SEE. UM, THE DASHBOARD, I CAN'T LINK YOU TO YET, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A READ ONLY VERSION. I WANNA SEE THE APPLICATIONS, THE AMOUNTS THEY REQUESTED, HOW THEY ARTICULATE THE NEXUS TO THE HEALTH FUND, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY GRANTS GIVEN UNDER THIS FUND. I DON'T JUST WANT A SPREADSHEET. SORRY, MELINDA. I, AND, AND I SHOULDN'T BE GETTING THAT HALF AN HOUR INTO AGENCIES THAT HAVE ALREADY TESTIFIED THIS, THIS, I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M SURPRISED NOBODY ELSE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR. UM, SO I, I DON'T WANNA CALL THIS CRITICISM OUT PUBLICLY, BUT, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE ARE, WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS. IS IS THE IMPRESSION THAT I'M GETTING, AND I'M NOT A MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE, SO I GUESS I'LL JUST SIGN OFF, BUT I'M JUST, UM, BRINGING MY CONCERNS TO THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, MELINDA. THIS SPREADSHEET DOES HAVE ALL OF THE ENTIRE APPLICATION ON IT. YEAH. AND ACTUALLY SHE, OKAY. LEGISLATOR SMITH HAS A VERY GOOD, UM, POINT THAT IT, THAT HE DID NOT HAVE IT BEFORE, SO SHE'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT SHE SENDS IT TO ALL THE LEGISLATORS IMMEDIATELY. LEGISLATOR SMITH AND I PERSONALLY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. SOMETIMES WE JUST GET A LITTLE TOO HUMAN, I THINK. SO IT'LL BE COMING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT OUT FOR US, AND THANK YOU, LEGISL. YES. UH, CHAIRWOMAN, SORRY. UM, TO INQUIRE OF YOU ALL, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON THE IMPACT OF HELPING FOLKS AND THE DIRECT TIES TO US CITIZENS AND CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS AND TAXPAYERS THAT ARE PAYING ON PROPERTY TAXES? BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONNECTION, RIGHT? BUT I'M WELL AWARE, AND I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE IMPACT OF SUPPORTING THESE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. MM-HMM . WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA, UH, ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO ASYLUM CLINIC, CASEY, [00:30:01] JUST BECAUSE WE'RE SO NEW IN THIS SPACE, UM, WE CAN GET IT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT THERE IS ALL KIND OF DATA THAT SHOWS, UM, WITH, UH, LEGAL STATUS, UM, KIDS IN SCHOOL, PARENTS IN THE WORKFORCE, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, UM, STAYING OUT OF DETENTION FACILITIES. UM, THERE, THERE IS DATA ON THAT, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU AFTER THIS. YEAH. AND I'D SAY MAKE SURE YOU SEND IT TO EVERYONE, JUST SO I'M WELL AWARE. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ALL ARE, ARE, ARE TO OUR VICE CHAIR'S POINT, UH, CONNECTING TO THE HEALTH NEXUS. UM, AND, AND AS WELL AS YOU ARE LEGITIMIZING THE PATHWAYS TO CITIZENSHIP FOR FOLKS WHEN THERE IS NO SUPPORT SYSTEM. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE, AND, AND MAKE SURE YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL, SO THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THE VALUE AND IMPACT BECAUSE THE GAPS ARE CLEAR. UM, FOLKS ARE FALLING THROUGH OUR, OUR, OUR SYSTEMS AND, UM, HOUSES AND BANK ACCOUNTS AND SCHOOLS AND ALL THESE FOLKS ARE MISSING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU AREN'T ABLE TO REACH WITHOUT THIS TYPE OF FUNDING. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT GROUP I CANNOT PRONOUNCE. IT'S THE, UH, BEN OWL. BEN OWL HALL. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYONE HERE. OKAY. RESPOND TO YOU. ALSO, I'M GONNA GO WORK ON THAT STUFF FOR SEAN REAL QUICK, BUT, UM, VIRGINIA GAP IS HERE, BUT WILL ALSO NOT BE HERE. THEY HAD MEDICAL, OH, I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT. BRIDGING THE GAP. GOOD MORNING. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. LIKEWISE, LIKEWISE. I, UH, I SHOULDN'T ASSUME THAT BECAUSE OTHERS DIDN'T SHOW I GET THEIR TIME RIGHT. , IT DOES NOT WORKS. I'LL DO MY BEST WITH THE FIVE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME. UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS SCOTT WAGNER. I SERVE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BRIDGING THE GAP. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR WATER AND ENERGY SRS PROGRAM. I MIGHT BEGIN BY THANKING YOU, UM, WHICH, UM, I THINK IS DUE BECAUSE YOU GAVE US $400,000 OF ARPA FUNDING TO DO THE VERY WORK THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR TODAY. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE ARE DOING THOSE PROJECTS NOW. AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY COMPLETED HAS ASSISTED A GENTLEMAN WHO COULD ONLY GO TO THE BATHROOM IF HE WALKED OVER TO THE YMCA NEARBY BECAUSE HIS PLUMBING DID NOT WORK. HE DID NOT HAVE WORKING TOILETS. AND YOUR FUNDING ALLOWED US TO ALLOW HIM TO STAY HOME, UH, TO DO WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO. IT'S THIS SORT OF THING THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, NOT ONLY WITH THE FUNDS THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED WITH OTH, BUT WITH OTHER FUNDS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM CDBG EVER AND OTHER FUNDERS. BUT WE NEED THE $260,000 THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR TODAY TO CONTINUE THAT WORK. AND THAT WORK IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK OF YOUR HEALTH FUNDING. I WOULD NOTE THAT THE HOUSING WORK THAT WE ARE ASKING, UH, THAT WE ARE ASKING FUNDS FOR IS EMBEDDED REALLY IN YOUR JACKSON COUNTY HEALTH EQUITY PLAN. UH, BECAUSE WITHIN IT, IT TALKS ABOUT DISPARITIES IN HOUSING QUALITY. IT TALKS ABOUT UTILITY BURDEN, IT TALKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES, ALL OF WHICH AFFECT LIFE EXPECTANCY IN CERTAIN AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THE AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT TO CONCENTRATE THIS FUNDING ON IS IN THE ZIP CODES OF 6 4 1 0 9 6 4 1 2 6 6 4, 1, 2, 7, 1 2, 8, 1 3 0, AND 1 3 2, WHICH CLEARLY HAVE SOME OF THE BIGGEST HEALTH DISPARITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION. WE UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, THAT WHEN IT COMES TO UTILITY COSTS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ABILITY TO WORK ON YOUR HOME, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE, YOUR HOME DEGRADES AND YOUR HEALTH DEGRADES AS A RESULT OF THAT. SO WHEN WE ASK FOR $260,000, IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF MY SALARY OR ANYBODY ELSE'S SALARY, BUT ROOFS COST MONEY, WINDOWS COST MONEY, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ALLOW YOU TO BRING DOWN THE COST OF UTILITIES OR TO JUST SIMPLY HAVE A HOME TO LIVE IN COSTS, MONEY TO, TO DELIVER. AND IT, IT'S NOT ME THAT GOES OUT THERE AND PUTS THOSE WINDOWS IN OR PUTS THAT ROOF ON THERE, BUT, BUT QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES THAT ARE HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY THAT HELP US DO THAT NEEDED WORK. AND SO I, I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION BEFORE, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR TODAY ARE VERY NECESSARY IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK IN THESE VERY ZIP CODES IN JACKSON COUNTY. WHY DON'T I STOP THERE AND I'LL ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRIDGING THE GAP? MR. WAGNER, REMIND [00:35:01] US HOW MUCH AGAIN? 260,000. I THANK YOU. AND THE ZIP CODE YOU MENTIONED, UH, HAVE THE HIGHEST HEALTH DISPARITIES. THEY ALSO HAVE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF POVERTY WITHIN OUR AREA. YES, MA'AM. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR BRIDGING THE GAP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CARE BEYOND THE BOULEVARD. HELLO. HI, HOW ARE YOU? I AM JANELLE OSMAN, ALSO KNOWN AS KK. I AM A FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER AND THE FOUNDER OF CARE BEYOND THE BOULEVARD. WE ARE, UM, THE METRO'S ONLY STREET MEDICINE TEAM. WE PROVIDE HEALTHCARE DIRECTLY TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY IN THE GREATER KANSAS CITY METRO. UM, AS THE FOUNDER OF THE ORGANIZATION, I STARTED IT IN 2016 BECAUSE I SAW A NEED FOR SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO WERE LIVING ON THE STREETS. I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT A SOUP KITCHEN AND PEOPLE KEPT COMING TO ME WITH HEALTH QUESTIONS, AND THAT'S WHY I STARTED THE ORGANIZATION. I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE WHERE IT IS NOW, BUT HERE WE ARE. UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AT THE BEEHIVE. SO I'LL TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BEEHIVE THAT WE HAVE. UM, THE BEEHIVE IS LOCATED AT SEVEN 50. THE POEO, UH, DOWNSTAIRS AT THE BEEHIVE IS NOURISH KC OR, UM, THE PROSPECT, AND THEY PROVIDE A SOUP KITCHEN UPSTAIRS. WE STARTED, UH, KIND OF A COLLABORATIVE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES, CARE BEYOND THE BOULEVARD LEADS THOSE AGENCIES. WE PROVIDE HEALTHCARE THERE. SO THREE DAYS A WEEK WE PROVIDE HEALTHCARE SERVICES. AND WHEN I SAY HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WE HAVE FULLY LICENSED PROVIDERS, PHYSICIANS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, OR PAS WHO SEE AND TREAT PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE. ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY FREE. WE DO NOT BILL FOR SERVICES SO PEOPLE CAN ACCESS OUR SERVICES, OUR PHYSICIANS, OUR NURSE PRACTITIONERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY OR REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE INSURANCE. WE ALSO HAVE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES ON SITE. WE HAVE A PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER. WE PROVIDE MAT AND MOUD FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. WE ALSO HAVE DENTAL AND AN ORAL SURGEON WHO VOLUNTEER. BOTH OF THEM VOLUNTEER WEEKLY. UM, WE PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES BECAUSE WHAT I LEARNED EARLY ON IS THAT HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE. AND ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT DO HOUSING, HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE SERVICES CAN IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SERVING. WE HAVE A COMPUTER LAB ON SITE THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE ACCESS THEIR HEALTH RECORDS AS WELL AS GET ACCESS TO MAINSTREAM BENEFITS SUCH AS MEDICAID AND SNAP BENEFITS IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN MANAGE ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. SO, UM, THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE ARE VITAL IN THE COMMUNITY. IN THE FIRST QUARTER, I'M GONNA LOOK AT MY NUMBERS TO MAKE SURE I HAVE IT RIGHT. IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026, WE SAW, UM, 1500 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS IN 2300 VISITS JUST WITH MEDICAL, DENTAL, PSYCHIATRIC, AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE CASE MANAGEMENT, THE SOCIAL SERVICES PORTION OF THE BUILDING, UH, WE SEE ABOUT 75 TO A HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS PER WEEK. AND THEN WE COLLABORATE, WE INVITE OTHER AGENCIES IN TO PROVIDE SERVICES. CURRENTLY WE HAVE NINE OTHER AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES IN THAT SPACE. AND WE COLLABORATE WITH ABOUT 25 AGENCIES PER MONTH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I HAVE A LOT MORE, BUT YOU HAVE A LOT MORE. I COULD KEEP TALKING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CARE BEYOND THE BOULEVARD? I MEAN, THAT'S THE HEALTHCARE HE WAS ASKING FOR, SO ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR, BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US. I DO TOO. AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY ARE YOU SERVING THE COMMUNITY, YOU ARE INVOLVED AS AN ORGANIZATION IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHILD PROTECTION CENTER. I, GOOD MORNING. ALRIGHT, SO MY NAME IS BETINA RODRIGUEZ. I'M HERE FROM THE CHILD PROTECTION CENTER. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY SERVICE. OKAY. OH, AND I'M SO SORRY. I'M GONNA, I NEED TO INTERJECT THAT LEGISLATOR, JALEN ANDERSON HAS JOINED US. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, LEGISLATOR. AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU BECAUSE WE NEED YOU TO BE HEARD OKAY. FOR THE RECORDINGS. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY NOW? YES. OKAY. [00:40:02] OH, I'M SO SORRY. AND WE ALSO HAVE LEGISLATOR VANESSA HUSKY THAT HAS JOINED US. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, I'LL START AGAIN. OKAY. MY NAME IS BETTINA RODRIGUEZ. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AND FORENSIC SERVICES AT THE CHILD PROTECTION CENTER. UM, AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, THE CHILD PROTECTION CENTER IS A CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER AND WE COMPLETE FORENSIC INTERVIEWS, ADVOCACY SERVICES, AND MENTAL, UH, HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE ALLEGED, UM, ABUSE, WHETHER IT BE SEXUAL OR PHYSICAL ABUSE, AS WELL AS C WE INTERVIEW CHILDREN WHO HAVE, UH, WITNESSED SOME SORT OF VIOLENT CRIME AS WELL. WE BRING THOSE CHILDREN IN, UH, FOR THEIR FORENSIC INTERVIEWS. AND, UH, THE, THE FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS ARE WORKING WITH THEM. AND WHILE THEY ARE ALSO THERE, THEIR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS ARE TALKING WITH OUR ADVOCACY TEAM. AND OUR ADVOCACY TEAM IS WELL, WORKING WITH THAT FAMILY TO PROVIDE CRISIS INTERVENTION TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS, MAKE SURE THEY'RE, THEY'RE UNDERSTANDING WHO THE INVESTIGATORS ARE ON THEIR CASE, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN THAT INVESTIGATION. ONCE THEY LEAVE OUR OFFICE, WE ARE ALSO CHECKING IN WITH THEM TO SEE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT TRAUMA CAN IMPACT THE ENTIRE FAMILY. AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CHILD WHO IS BEING INTERVIEWED IS GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND ARE ABLE TO HEAL. BUT MAKING SURE THAT THAT FAMILY AS A WHOLE IS ALSO ABLE TO HEAL THROUGH THE, UH, PROCESS. AND SO WE'RE PROVIDING THOSE, UM, CHILDREN AND, UH, FAMILIES WITH, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. WE DO HAVE AN IN-HOUSE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A TRAINING AND PREVENTION PROGRAM AS WELL. AND SO, UM, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS FUNDING BEFORE AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP, UH, WELL OVER A HUNDRED, UH, FAMILY UNITS. UM, AND SO WE ARE ASKING, UH, TODAY FOR FUNDING. UM, SO THAT WHEN THOSE ADVOCATES ARE WORKING WITH THOSE FAMILIES, THOSE FAMILIES ARE IDENTIFYING THAT THEY NEED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR MORTGAGE OR RENT. UH, THEIR UTILITY BILLS HAVE FOOD ON THE TABLE, AS WELL AS, UM, TRANSPORTATION TO, UH, GETTING TO AND FROM THEIR THERAPY APPOINTMENTS. UM, SO WE'RE ASKING, UH, TODAY, UM, FOR 58 6. UM, AND THAT WOULD, UH, CONTINUE THE EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR THOSE FAMILIES. UM, AS WELL AS, UM, ASKING FOR, UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR FAMILY ADVOCATES, UM, UH, AT THE CHILD PROTECTION CENTER. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A PORTION OF THAT TO, UM, FUND, UH, THE SALARY, UM, AND FRINGE BENEFITS FOR, UM, A FAMILY ADVOCATE. BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT ONCE THOSE FAMILIES ARE ASKING, UH, AND WE'RE IDENTIFYING THAT, THAT THEY NEED THAT EMERGENCY, THAT EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE THAT WE'RE, UM, HAVING TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME CASE MANAGEMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE FAMILIES, UM, CAN GET THE RESOURCES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M LISA MIZEL, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO, AND I'M STANDING IN FOR JEAN PETERS BAKER, OUR BOARD MEMBER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. I'M SECOND BEST TO JEAN, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE FUNDING WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. AND THIS PROGRAM REALLY SERVES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. EVERY SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE IS FREE OF CHARGE. WE DON'T CHARGE ANYTHING. THE ADVOCACY PROGRAM AND THE FORENSIC INTERVIEW PROGRAM ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT CORNERSTONES OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. WE'VE, WE PROVIDE ADVOCACY SERVICES FOR THESE FAMILIES FOREVER. SO IF YOU COME TO CPC, YOU CAN, 10 YEARS LATER, YOU CAN CALL BACK AND SAY, I HAVE A PROBLEM, CAN YOU HELP ME? UM, THE SERVICES, WHAT WE OFTEN FIND IS THE ALLEGED PERPETRATOR IS THE MAJOR BREADWINNER. SO HELPING THESE FAMILIES FIGURE OUT THEIR FINANCES IN THE SHORT TERM SO THEY CAN GET BACK ON THEIR FEET IS VIOLENT IN HELPING THEM BE SUCCESSFUL IN MOVING PAST THE TRAUMA THEY'VE EXPERIENCED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'RE, SATINA CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. SHE'S FAR BETTER AT THIS THAN I AM. AND I JUST KIND OF WANNA THROW IN SOME NUMBERS TOO. UM, I TALKED ABOUT HOW WE ASSISTED ABOUT A HUNDRED FAMILY UNITS MM-HMM . UM, LAST YEAR, UM, AS FAR AS 2025, WE COMPLETED 788 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS FOR CHILDREN, UM, THUS FAR AS OF MAY, 2026. WE COMPLETED 341 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS. WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED, UM, ADVOCACY SESSIONS IN TWO, IN AS FAR AS MAY OF 2026, UM, 306 ADVOCACY SESSIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHERE WE'D BE WITHOUT SOMETHING [00:45:01] LIKE THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND. GOOD. MOR. UH, GOOD MORNING. I'M JULIE HOLLAND. I'M THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE PARENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE, AND WE ARE A SPONSORED PROJECT OF COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUNDS. SO WE ARE APPLYING UNDERNEATH THEIR NAME, BUT I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS SHANTE LEWIS AND I'M AN ALUMNI OF THE PARENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE, OR P-L-T-I-K-C. AND I NOW SERVE ON THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SO P-L-T-I-K-C IS A FREE 21 WEEK LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT EQUIPS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS WITH THE SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, RELATIONSHIP, AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO IMPROVE CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. WE REMOVE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION BY PROVIDING MEALS, CHILDCARE, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, INTERPRETATION SERVICES, COACHING AND ONGOING SUPPORT. THE FUNDING REQUESTED FROM JACKSON COUNTY WILL HELP POTI CONTINUE SERVING PARENTS AND CARE CAREGIVERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY BY STRENGTHENING LEADERSHIP, INCREASING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, IMPROVING FAMILY WELLBEING, AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS TO RESOURCES AND SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES. DAILY. POTI ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH JACKSON COUNTY'S GOALS BECAUSE IT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE. LIFE STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY CONNECTION, INCREASES ACCESS TO SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND HELPS FAMILIES BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND ENGAGED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AS A MINISTER, WIFE AND MOTHER OF FOUR, I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT LEADERSHIP WAS WITHIN ME. BUT PLTI TAUGHT ME HOW TO INTENTIONALLY PUT THEIR LEADERSHIP INTO ACTION. DURING THE 21 WEEKS PROGRAM, I GAINED THE TOOLS THAT STRENGTHENED THE WAY I LED MY HOME, CHURCH, AND COMMUNITY. POTI INCREASED MY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, HELPED ME BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT FAMILIES, AND EQUIPPED ME TO ADVOCATE MORE EFFECTIVELY FOR THOSE I SERVE. MY EXPERIENCE WAS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL DURING PLTI. MY FAMILY FACED HOMELESSNESS, TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS AND FOOD INSECURITIES. THE RESOURCES, RELATIONSHIPS, AND SKILLS I GAINED HELPED MY HUSBAND AND I NAVIGATE THOSE CHALLENGES AND BUILD MORE SA UH, STABLE, STABLE SELF-SUFFICIENT FUTURE FOR OUR FAMILY, ULTIMATELY STRENGTHENING OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND OVERALL ABILITY TO CARE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OURSELVES. THE CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS I DEVELOPED THROUGH PLTI ULTIMATELY HELPED ME LAUNCH NAPS POSTPARTUM SUPPORT CIRCLE, WHERE I NOW USE THOSE SAME SKILLS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES. T'S MISSION HAS DEFINITELY BEEN EFFECTIVE IN MY LIFE. T'S IMPACT IS MEASURABLE. UH, EVALUATION DATA FROM NYU SHOWS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CIVIC CONFIDENCE, KNOWLEDGE, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AMONGST PARTICIPANTS. PARENTS REPORT IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR FAMILY SITUATIONS, HEALTH AND WELLBEING, EDUCATION, CAREER ADVANCEMENTS, AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. MORE IMPORTANTLY, PLTI CRE CREATES LASTING CHANGE. GRADUATES LIKE MYSELF, CONTINUE SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, LEADING COMMUNITY PROJECTS, ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND STRENGTHENING NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS JACKSON COUNTY LONG AFTER THE PROGRAM ENDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING PROGRAMS THAT STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HOW PLTI HELPS PARENTS BECOME LEADERS CREATING LASTING BENEFITS THROUGHOUT JACKSON COUNTY. THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATORS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND ON BEHALF OF HEALING HEROIC HEALERS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. NO, THAT WAS BE CAPITAL FRONT. THIS IS THE OTHER. IT'S GOOD. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE. I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, SO I HAVE TO NAME THAT. SO MY NAME IS CARLA PEREZ LOZANO. I AM AN EMT FIRST RESPONDER AND THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HEALING HEROIC KILLERS. HEALING HEROIC KILLERS IS A KANSAS CITY BASED NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING THE GROWING MENTAL HEALTH AND BURNOUT CRISIS AMONG FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. ONE IN FOUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE REPORT EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES, [00:50:02] YET THEY CONTINUE TO SUFFER SILENTLY AND LACK RESOURCES AND RESTORATIVE WELLNESS SERVICES, ESPECIALLY HOLISTIC SERVICES THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES. AS AN EMT AND HEALTHCARE WORKER, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A GLIMPSE INTO OUR WORLD. IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO HEAR, BUT IT HELPS EXPLAIN WHY THIS WORK MATTERS. IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT. IT'S 2:00 AM IN THE MORNING. A TRIPLE SHOOTING ARRIVES IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. THREE TEENAGERS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR THEIR LIVES. EMTS, THE NURSING STAFF, THE MEDICAL TEAM, ARE RUSHING INTO THE TRAUMA BAY. WE'RE FIGHTING TO CONTROL THE BLEEDING AND STOP THE HEMORRHAGING. WE'RE PERFORMING CPR, WE'RE ADMINISTRATING MEDICATION, WE'RE MOVING QUICKLY AND FIGHTING AGAINST TIME, DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SAVE THEIR LIVES. WHEN THE EMERGENCY FINALLY ENDS, ONE PATIENT SURVIVES. ONE PATIENT DIES, AND THE THIRD REMAINS IN ICU. THE FAMILY ARRIVES TO SAY GOODBYE. THE TEAM CLEANS THE ROOM, PREPARES THE BODY SO THE FAMILY COULD COME AND SAY GOODBYE, AND THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PATIENT. WHAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T SEE IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE EMERGENCY. THE EMT GOES HOME WITH BLOODY SHOES AND A STRAINED BACK FOR PERFORMING CPR FOR OVER AN HOUR, THE HEALTHCARE WORKER REPLAYING THE RESCUE IN THEIR MIND, WONDERING, DID I DO ENOUGH? THE PROVIDER CARRYING THE WEIGHT OF THE LOSS AFTER PRONOUNCING WHILE PREPARING FOR THE NEXT EMERGENCY, THE FIRST RESPONDER WHO'S NUMBING SILENTLY BECAUSE IT HAPPENS, FIRST RESPONDERS HAVEN'T PROCESSED OR CAUGHT, CAUGHT UP, OR CAN'T EVEN CATCH THEIR BREATH. WHEN THE NEXT EMERGENCY COMES IN HEALING HEROIC KILLERS BRIDGES THE GAP BY PROVIDING HEALING CIRCLES, HEALING CIRCLES, WELLNESS CARE PACKAGES, PEER CONNECTION, AND OUR RESCUE. WITHIN FRAMEWORK, WE HELP FIRST RESPONDERS REGULATE THEIR NERVOUS SYSTEM, REDUCE STRESS AND REBUILD EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND PHYSICAL PURPOSE-DRIVEN RESERVES NEEDED TO CONTINUE SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY WITHOUT LOSING THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS. THE FUNDING WE ARE REQUESTING WILL HELP ACCESS THESE SERVICES THROUGH JOHNSON COUNTY, THE SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR, FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES BY INVESTING IN FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS. WE'RE BUILDING EMPLOYEE RETENTION, WE'RE STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, AND WE'RE KEEPING A HEALTHIER, STRONGER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATORS? REMIND ME HOW MUCH AGAIN ARE PROJECTING TO SUPPORT 120 FIRST RESPONDERS IN JOHNSON COUNTY AND YOUR FINANCIAL REQUEST. JACK, YOU SAID JACKSON COUNTY. SORRY. JOHNSON COUNTY. . JACKSON. SORRY, JACK. IT'S OKAY. I YOU'RE NERVOUS. IT'S OKAY. IT'S VERY AND HOW MUCH AGAIN, UH, FUNDING WISE, DID YOU REQUEST? YES. YOU TELL THEM THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ASKING. SORRY. SHE'S REQUESTING 120,000. I'M STEPHANIE BOYTON. I'M A MANAGER OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WITH COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND. THANK YOU. PERFECT. THANK YOU. SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. QUICK QUESTION, I'M SORRY. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. JUST SINCE THE WITNESS MENTIONED JOHNSON COUNTY TWICE AND I JOINED, OR THROUGH YOUR TESTIMONY, UM, DO THEY SERVE MULTIPLE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE METRO AREA? AND DO WE HAVE A CLEAR DELINEATION OF HOW THE FINANCES IN THIS CASE SEEK TO SERVE SPECIFICALLY JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS? YES. SO, UM, WHEN WE STARTED PILOTING THIS PROGRAM, IT WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM. AND THEN BY WORD OF MOUTH, IT TRICKLED INTO 99 DIFFERENT ZIP CODES AS WELL AS, UM, 38 DIFFERENT FACILITIES. ALL WORD OF MOUTH. SO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, WE HAVE SERVED, UM, MORE THAN ONE COUNTY. THANK YOU. AND THE COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND. COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND IS OUR ANSWER MY QUESTION. MAD CHAIR. I'M SORRY, MY, MY QUESTION THAT DIDN'T REALLY ANSWER MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION WAS WHETHER OR NOT THEY ACTUALLY HAD DATA ON HOW MANY JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS THEY SERVE, AS OPPOSED TO SHE MENTIONED ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES. UH, OUR, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE WE FUND JACKSON COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE JACKSON COUNTY. AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY IF THEY HAVE A COUNT OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY SERVE OR INTEND TO SERVE ARE IN [00:55:01] JACKSON COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO OTHER STATES AND OTHER COUNTIES. FOUR MORE THAN 40%. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOES, UM, NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNITY LINK, UM, CONNECTIONS TO SUCCESS. HI, MY NAME'S ANNA VOTA. I'M THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WITH CONNECTIONS TO SUCCESS. CONNECTIONS TO SUCCESS INSPIRES INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO REALIZE THEIR DREAMS AND ACHIEVE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE THROUGH HOPE, RESOURCES AND A PLAN. OUR EVIDENCE-BASED HOLISTIC WORKFORCE READINESS PROGRAMS PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR SERVING HARD TO SERVE POPULATIONS. SO THOSE THAT ARE REENTERING THE SOCIETY FROM INCARCERATION IN LEAVING NEIGHBORHOODS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF VIOLENCE AND THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED GENERATIONAL POVERTY. OUR PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS PROGRAM BEGINS WITH A TWO WEEK PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CLASS. DURING THIS COURSE, INDIVIDUALS LEARN HARD AND SOFT SKILLS TO MAKE THEM MORE EMPLOYABLE AND HELP THEM WITH MAINTAINING AND ATTAINING LIVABLE WAGE EMPLOYMENT. THEY WORK ON A LIFE PLAN, WHICH IS NINE DIFFERENT AREAS IN THEIR LIVES WHERE THEY SET SMART GOALS. WE KNOW THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ATTAIN AND MAINTAIN LIVABLE WAGE EMPLOYMENT, THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN JUST EMPLOYMENT FOCUSED SCHOOLS. SO WE WORK WITH THEM ON DISCUSSING STABLE HOUSING, THEIR TRANSPORTATION, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO GET EMPLOYED. THIS IS ALSO A LOT OF HARD WORK, WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS LOOKING INWARDLY ON THEMSELVES AND ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE THE TOOLS AND SKILLS THAT THEY NEED, WHICH WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE, BUT MAKING SURE INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THOSE AS WELL. WE OFFER WRAP WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGH OUR LIFE TRANSFORMATION COACHES. THEY WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH INDIVIDUALS TO ADDRESS BARRIERS THAT THEY MIGHT BE FACING, UM, THAT'S KEEPING THEM FROM GETTING THAT LIVABLE WAGE EMPLOYMENT AND ALSO MAINTAINING THAT EMPLOYMENT. SO NOT ONLY ARE LIFE TRANSFORMATION COACHES WALKING ALONGSIDE INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE THEM TO THE DMV TO GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS MAY BE LACKING OUTSIDE OF OUR SERVICES. WE ALSO HAVE JOB DEVELOPERS AND EDUCATION SPECIALISTS AND CAREER COACHES. SO THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS AND EDUCATION PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND REALLY HELPING LINK THOSE EDUCATION PARTNERS TO OUR PARTICIPANTS. SO WITH CDL LICENSE OR MAYBE OSHA 30 CERTIFICATIONS, UM, OUR PARTICIPANTS HAVE A WARM HANDOFF TO THESE EDUCATION PARTNERS AS WELL AS, UM, WARM HANDOFFS TO EMPLOYMENT PARTNERS. WE OFFER WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES, SO CONNECT NIGHTS, UM, CAREER CONNECT, DIFFERENT EVENTS WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO HAVE PRO SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND REALLY BUILD A COMMUNITY WITHIN OUR, UM, STAFF AND OUR PARTICIPANTS. WE RECENTLY WRAPPED UP, UM, SERVING 150 MEN THAT WERE AT THE TRANSITIONAL CENTER OF KANSAS CITY. UM, THIS WAS A THREE YEAR PROJECT WHERE 74% OF THEM BECAME EMPLOYED AND THEIR STARTING WAGE WAS AN AVERAGE OF ALMOST $20 AN HOUR. SO THIS IS JUST A REALLY QUICK GLIMPSE OF, UM, THE IMPACT THAT OUR SERVICES HAVE ON NOT ONLY OUR PARTICIPANTS, BUT AS, UM, AS OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AND WE'VE SEEN REALLY THE TRANSFORMATION THAT OCCURS WITHIN, UM, OUR PARTICIPANTS' LIVES, BUT ALSO THE LIVES OF THEIR KIDS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND OUR COMMUNITY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE, LEGISLATORS? YOU MENTIONED WORKING WITH TCKC. MM-HMM . WHAT, UH, AND T-T-C-K-C IS NOT A JACKSON COUNTY ORGANIZATION OR ARE THEY A JACKSON COUNTY ORGANIZATION? UH, THEY ARE RUN BY THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, PROBATION AND PAROLE. SO THEY'RE THE TRANSITIONAL BUT RUN BY THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND YOU GET REFERENCES FOR, UH, CONNECTIONS TO SUCCESS FROM WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR PARTNERS? YEAH, SO WE HAVE, UM, [01:00:01] DIFFERENT HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS. UM, WE WORK WITH PARENTS FROM OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH. UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH MOMS FROM THE AMETHYST PLACE, JUST, UM, WORD OF MOUTH, DIFFERENT PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICES. SO JUST DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AROUND JACKSON COUNTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. AWESOME. THANK YOU. UM, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THREE MINUTES TO GO GET COFFEE, TWO MINUTES TO GO GET COFFEE, AND THEN WE'LL BRING UP AND, UM, DD LAMB. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU ANYTHING CHARLIE? I'M GOOD. THANKS. D LAMP COMMUNITY SERVICES. IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND GO RIGHT AHEAD. SURE. UM, GOOD MORNING COUNTY LEGISLATORS. IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO JOIN YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, MY NAME IS RYAN HUDL AND I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DELLAM COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND I'M JOINED BY KATE KERSHAW, DELL LAMB'S DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. TODAY WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS THE RELAUNCH OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTER AS A DEDICATED YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER AT DELL LAMB, WE BELIEVE IN HUMAN CONNECTION. SO INDIVIDUALS GROW, FAMILIES FLOURISH, AND COMMUNITIES THRIVE. THAT BELIEF HAS GUIDED OUR WORK SINCE 1897. FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, DELAWARE HAS EVOLVED ALONGSIDE KANSAS CITY, RESPONDING TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR CITY AND FAMILIES. WE HAVE SERVED IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND CHILDREN LIVING THROUGH THE GREAT DEPRESSION FAMILIES SEEKING OPPORTUNITY IN THE HISTORIC NORTHEAST AND NEWCOMERS REBUILDING THEIR LIVES. TODAY, OUR PROGRAMS HAVE NEVER REMAINED STATIC BECAUSE OUR CITY HAS NEVER REMAINED STATIC. INSTEAD, DELL LAMB HAS CONTINUALLY ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION, WHAT DO OUR NEIGHBORS NEED TO FLOURISH? AND TODAY, THAT SAME QUESTION BRINGS US HERE, BECAUSE THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY IS EXTRAORDINARY. ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU, ABOUT ONE IN SIX CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES LIVE IN POVERTY IN MISSOURI. IT IS ABOUT ONE IN SEVEN CHILDREN IN JACKSON COUNTY. IT IS NEARLY ONE AND FIVE, BUT ZIP CODE 6 4 1 0 6. WHERE DE LAMB'S YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER WILL BE MORE THAN THREE OUT OF EVERY FOUR CHILDREN LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT. IN AMERICA, THERE ARE TOO MANY CHILDREN AFFECTED BY POVERTY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. POVERTY SHAPES CHILDHOOD ITSELF. AND THAT LEVEL OF CONCENTRATED NEED REQUIRES US TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE GATHER, HOW WE SERVE, AND HOW WE PREVENT HARM BEFORE IT BECOMES CRISIS. AS WE HAVE CONSIDERED OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN OUR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE NOTED AN IMPORTANT BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION IN AFTERSCHOOL AND OTHER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WHOSE FAMILIES RELY ON SCHOOL, BUSES WHO LIVE IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, WHOSE PARENTS WORK MULTIPLE JOBS, OR WHO ARE STILL BUILDING STABILITY AFTER HARDSHIP. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT A SMALL BARRIER. IT IS THE BARRIER. IF WE WANT CHILDREN TO THRIVE, WE MUST BRING OPPORTUNITY CLOSER TO FAMILIES. THAT IS WHY DE LAM IS RELAUNCHING OUR YOUTH ACTIVITIES CENTER AT 4 0 6 WOODLAND AVENUE, THE YOUTH ACTIVITIES CENTER WILL BE A PLACE FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, ARTS AND ENRICHMENT, AND COMMUNITY GATHERING. IT'LL BE A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN CAN BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, DISCOVER THEIR STRENGTHS, AND EXPERIENCE JOY. AND WHILE PLACE IS A DEFINING FACTOR IN OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION AND OPPORTUNITY IS NOT THE SINGULAR FACTOR, AND EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH MUST ALSO CONSIDER HOW PARTNERSHIPS CAN AMPLIFY EACH OTHER'S WORK. AS PART OF THIS WORK, DELL LAMB IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF KANSAS CITY. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS MUCH MORE THAN A PROVIDER OF HOUSING. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONS SUPPORTING FAMILIES AS THEY WORK TOWARDS STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. EVERY DAY, THEY WALK ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS WHO ARE BUILDING CAREERS, PURSUING EDUCATION, RAISING CHILDREN, AND CREATING A BETTER FUTURE. OUR YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER IS LOCATED NEAR SEVERAL HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTIES AND OVERCOMES CRITICAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION. TOGETHER. WE'RE BUILDING SOMETHING LARGER THAN A PROGRAM. WE'RE BUILDING AN ECOSYSTEM OF CARE WHERE HOUSING, EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH, RECREATION, AND COMMUNITY ARE CONNECTED. THAT IS OUR VISION FOR THE YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER. NOT SIMPLY A PROGRAM, BUT A PLACE WHERE HUMAN CONNECTION BECOMES THE FOUNDATION OF HEALTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CENTER POSSIBLY OPENING OR IT IS GONNA OPEN. WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING, UM, IMPORTANT STEPS FOR US. WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH STATE LICENSURE SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE FAMILIES WHO, UM, WHO QUALIFY FOR SUBSIDY HAVE ACCESS TO CARE [01:05:01] AFTER SCHOOL. SO THAT'S IN PROCESS. YOU'LL SEE IN OUR BUDGET, THERE'S NO AMOUNTS INCLUDED FOR FACILITY UPDATES. THOSE THINGS ARE ALL HAPPENING, HAPPENING SEPARATELY. UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING SOME RENOVATIONS TO OUR BUILDING, INCLUDING NEW WINDOWS, TO PREPARE THE SPACE WITH FULL EXPECTATION THAT WE'LL BE OPERATING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THIS FALL. WONDERFUL. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATION? UH, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND SERVING THE COMMUNITY. UM, I'VE, DELLA LAMB HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1897. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME. I KNEW IT WAS, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE. IT'S BEEN A MINUTE. AND CANDIDLY, YOU KNOW, AS ALL NONPROFITS WILL SAY, ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS IN JACKSON COUNTY, BUT I THINK THAT ALL NONPROFITS NEED TO BE ANSWERING A DEFINING QUESTION EACH YEAR. HOW ARE WE RELEVANT? HOW ARE WE UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY NEED AND RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY NEED? AND IN THE POST COVID ERA AND A NEW, UH, IN A TIME WHERE WE'RE BEING AFFECTED BY FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY CHANGES, SOME OF WHICH WILL GO TO EFFECT LATER THIS YEAR, WE NEED GREATER CONNECTION IN ORDER TO STU UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THOSE THAT WE WALK ALONGSIDE. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. YOU REMEMBER THAT 1897. YEAH. EMMANUEL FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER. MORNING. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD MORNING LEGISLATION. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS DEBORAH MANN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR EMANUEL FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT 47 36 PROSPECT AVENUE. AND, UM, AND MRS. MANN, IF YOU COULD PULL THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I SCREWED UP. THIS CHAIR'S KINDA LOW HERE. NEITHER . OKAY. UH, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT EMANUEL FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR OUR PREVIOUS FUNDING AND WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FUNDING IS OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. UM, RIGHT AFTER COVID EMMANUEL, WE EXPERIENCED A REALLY SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS COMING BACK INTO THE FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. AND SO WHAT WE HAD TO DO WAS TO RE OR DEVELOP OUR OWN SOURCE OF FINDING TEACHERS TO COME BACK. THEY JUST WAS NOT FINDING QUALIFIED TEACHERS. AND SO EMMANUEL CREATED ITS OWN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, UM, THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FAMILY CONSERVANCY, UM, PENN VALLEY, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. WHAT WE DID WAS WE WENT BACK, WE FOUND INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ENTRY LEVEL INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD NO EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN THE FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. WE, OUR PROGRAM WAS DEV DESIGNED TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE TEACHERS COULD RECEIVE THEIR CDA, UH, CHILDCARE CREDENTIALS SO THAT THEY COULD EARN THEIR CDA IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM. AND TODAY WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT 106 PARTICIPANTS, 43 HAVE ACT ACTIVELY COMPLETED THEIR CDA COURSEWORK, UH, AND EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 13 RIGHT NOW THAT ARE FINISHED THEIR COURSEWORK PREPARING TO TAKE THEIR TEST, TO EARN THEIR CERTIFICATE. AND THE REMAINING ARE ONES THAT WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE WITH MORE FUNDING. UM, THIS HAS TRANSFORMED OUR PROGRAM. WHEN YOU HAVE A QUALIFIED TEACHER PROVIDING EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN, IT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD OF HOW THOSE TEA, THOSE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO, UH, TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES INTO TRANSITIONING INTO KINDERGARTEN. AND SO, AS A PART OF THIS, LIKE I SAID, OUR, OUR TRAINING PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO, UM, PUT TOGETHER COACHING, UM, CLASSROOM ON THE JOB TRAINING, UM, MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS SUPPORT BECAUSE WE WERE WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT, LIKE I SAID, HAVE NEVER GRADUATED FROM HIGH, UH, COLLEGE, HAVE NEVER HAD EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD. UH, ONE OF THE BIG SUCCESS, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD TEACHERS THAT HAVE EARNED THEIR CDA AND NOW ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO GET THEIR AA AT PENN VALLEY IN WHICH THE CDA, WHICH IS SO, SUCH A, UH, BLESSING TO HAVE. IT TRANSFERS INTO SIX CREDIT HOURS OVER AT PENN VALLEY. SO THEY NOT ONLY GET THEIR CDA, BUT THEY AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO PENN VALLEY WITH SOME EARLY CHILDHOOD, UH, CREDIT HOURS TO SUPPORT THE WORK THEY ARE DOING. AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE SHOWN THAT SAID THAT THIS HAS REALLY MADE THEM FEEL THEIR SELF WORTH HAS BEEN REALLY ENHANCED BECAUSE THEY STARTED OUT WITH NO DEGREE. NOW THEY HAVE A CERTIFICATE AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM INTO A ASSOCIATE DEGREE CERTIFIED TEACHER. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NO. [01:10:01] I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS THOUGH FOR YOUR SUPPORT 'CAUSE WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURES? THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, AND IN LISTENING TO, UH, YOUR PROGRAM, WHAT COMES TO MIND IS TAKING LEMON AND MAKING LEMONADE. OH, YES. SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING LEMONADE, . THANK YOU. YES. TAKE CARE. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE ESSENTIAL FAMILIES, MIDWEST. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TERRY ENGLISH HANZI. I'M THE FOUNDER AND CEO FOR ESSENTIAL FAMILIES. OUR MISSION IS STRENGTHENING FAMILIES IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY, CITY, AND STATE. AND WE BELIEVE EVERYTHING STARTS AT HOME. SO BEFORE I START, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. HOW MANY OF YOU ALL USE AMAZON? I KNOW YOU ALL USE AMAZON. OKAY. SO YEAH, . SO ESSENTIAL FAMILIES LIKE THE AMAZON FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY WHERE WE BRING THE SERVICES DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE BY WAY OF THEIR PHONE OR THEIR COMPUTER TO THEIR HOME. SO, UM, ESSENTIAL FAMILIES, WE ARE A MISSOURI MEDICAID PROVIDER, BUT WITH THE JACKSON COUNTY FUND, UM, IT WILL HELP US TO INCREASE OUR AWARENESS OF OUR ESSENTIAL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM AND ALSO SERVE THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE UNINSURED. UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OVER 719 FAMILIES ON OUR WAIT LIST THAT ARE WAITING FOR OUR ESSENTIAL TELEHEALTH SERVICES. AND SO THIS FUND WILL HELP SUPPORT 360, UM, OF THOSE FAMILIES. AND WHAT WE PROVIDE WITH OUR TELEHEALTH IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PRIMARY CARE, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, PRESCRIPTION SERVICES. SO IT IS EASIER ACCESS AND IT'S, UM, FASTER WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND IT'S CHEAPER THAN GOING TO THE ER FOR FAMILIES. UM, SO OUR ASK IS TO, UH, SUPPORT OUR 360 FAMILIES FOR OUR CENTRAL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM. UM, THIS FUND WILL HELP, UM, EXTEND OUR AWARENESS OF NOT JUST MEDICAID, BUT IT'LL HELP US SERVE THOSE UNINSURED IN THE JACKSON COUNTY, UH, COMMUNITY. SO THAT IS OUR ASK. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. OKAY. THANK YOU. I KNOW FOOTPRINTS. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. UH, MY NAME IS ANDY ASHER. I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR WITH FOOTPRINTS. UH, THIS IS JOEL BAILEY. HE IS OUR CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. UM, FOOTPRINTS OPERATES THREE PROGRAMS SERVING JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. UH, TURNING POINT, OUR TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM FOR MEN IN RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS WHERE WE PROVIDE HOUSING, CASE MANAGEMENT, DRUG TESTING, DRUG COUNSELING, AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR MOVING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. THE WAYNE D. WHITE RECOVERY CENTER, OUR OUTPATIENT DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE PROVIDE DRUG COUNSELING, PEER SUPPORT GROUPS, CASE MANAGEMENT, DRUG TESTING. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HEROES HOME GATE. OUR TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WHERE WE PROVIDE HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT, THREE MEALS A DAY, TRANSPORTATION, CLOTHING, AND OTHER PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR, UH, SECURING PERMANENT HOUSING. UH, WE ALSO HAVE RECENTLY EXPANDED INTO WYANDOT COUNTY, UH, WITH A SECOND HEROES HOME GATE LOCATION. UH, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING, UH, FROM OUTSIDE AGENCY TO SUPPORT, UH, ALL THREE OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM, THIS FUNDING PRIMARILY SUPPORTS THE SALARIES OF OUR FRONTLINE STAFF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR CLIENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. UH, OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF OUR BRAND NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY, UH, FOR OUR VETERANS PROGRAM. IN THE HEART OF THE IVANHOE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WE'VE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 14 BEDS. OUR PROGRAM, WE'VE IMPROVED THE CONSISTENCY AND QUALITY OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SERVICES AT OUR SOBER TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM. WE'VE BEGUN PRE-DEVELOPMENT ON A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE LIVING PROJECT FOR VETERANS. WE PROVIDED 2,860 HOURS OF SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELING AND WE SERVED 254 JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. THIS MORNING. WE ARE ASKING TO CONTINUE RECEIVING OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING TO COVER VITAL OPERATING EXPENSES. THIS WILL, UH, HELP ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND CONTINUE EXPANDING AND IMPROVING. UH, WE'D LIKE TO USE THE REMAINDER OF OUR TIME TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT, UH, OUR PROGRAMS OR OUR PROPOSAL. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SINCERELY INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME SEE OUR NEW BUILDING. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF IT. UM, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SHOW IT OFF. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. YEAH, I REMEMBER IT IS WHEN YOU FIRST [01:15:01] SHOWED US THE VACANT LOT, IT'S NOW LIKE A $7 MILLION BUILDING. . WE'VE GOTTA GO SEE THAT. MANNY, I'M ALREADY THERE. VANESSA. I WAS THERE. WE WE, MANNY. BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK OUR GRAND OPENING. YES. SO WE WILL HAVE A, UH, SEND OUT AN INVITE TO EMAILS TO YOU. SEE WANT COME FROM . THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. FRONT PORCH ALLIANCE. I DON'T SEE FRONT PORCH ALLIANCE HERE. IT'S NOT, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES, SO IF THEY COME IN, WE'LL GO BACK TO THEM. BUT FULL EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL IS HERE. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US, GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. UM, MY NAME ISLY MCQUEEN. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE FULL EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL AND ANDREW ROBINSON IS OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR. AND, UH, BASICALLY OUR PROPOSAL TODAY REQUIRES WHAT WE CALL A CAREER GAP SERVICES PROGRAM. UH, WE KNOW THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE PLACED ABOUT 7,100 PEOPLE ACCORDING TO, TO THE MISSOURI $189 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT. AND IN EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY, IT WAS ABOUT 2300 $65 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT. BUT THE KEY INGREDIENT IS HOW LONG DO THEY STAY ON THE JOB? UH, AND THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT IS WE STRIVE FOR RETENTION BEYOND QUARTER FOUR, WHICH WE NEED TO STAY ON THE JOB AT LEAST A YEAR. AND THE ONE FACTOR THAT WE HAVE FOUND, AND WE HAVE, WE RAN OUT OF TRAINING ONE TWO QUARTERS AGO, SO WE HAVE BEEN PLACING A LOT OF PEOPLE DIRECTLY. AND THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY CASH POOR RIGHT ABOUT NOW. THEIR CREDIT CHALLENGED, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE, THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY HAVE IN THE BANK IS ABOUT $600. AND THAT'S BETWEEN SAVINGS AND CHECKING. UM, THEIR CREDIT HAS BEEN COMPROMISED BY COVID. IT IS STILL NOT SIX YEARS YET. AND SO A LOT OF THEM ARE PAYING 38% INTEREST. AND THE ONE THING THAT WE FIND OUT IS HOW THEY MAKE IT TO THE FIRST PAYCHECK. HOW DO THEY PAY FOR THAT GAS? WHAT EMERGENCY HAPPENS AND THAT TYPE OF THING. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROPOSE TO DO IS NOT TO ASK FOR TRAINING, BUT FOR CAREER GAPS TO HER'S PROGRAM. WHERE, EXAMPLE, WE HAD A YOUNG MAN COME TO OUR OFFICE, HE WAS RIDING A BIKE TO AND FROM WORK, DID IN THE TENT. HE HIT A CURB BEND HIS BIKE WHEEL, HE HAD TO BUY A BIKE WHEEL FOR IT. WE SCRAMBLING AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE FIND 50 BUCKS SO PEOPLE JUST PULL, PULL OUT THAT CORNER AND DID THAT. SO OUR APPROACH IS NOT TO JUST DO, GIVE THE MONEY OUT, BUT TO PROVIDE THE PEOPLE THEIR FIRST PAYCHECK, UH, SUPPORT UNTIL THEY GET INTO THAT, THAT PROGRAM, AND THEN FOLLOW THEM FOUR QUARTERS AFTER. UH, ALL THIS, ALL THIS RESEARCH IS THIRD PARTY VERIFIED BY THE STATE OF MISSOURI. WE DON'T KEEP BOOK OURSELVES. THEY KEEP IT AND THE FEDS KEEP IT. UH, AND WE CAN TRACK WHERE THEY ARE, WE CAN KNOW WHAT ZIP CODES THEY COME FROM. SO THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. UH, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE BEEN FINDING THE, THE MOST, THE BIGGEST GAP. UM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE FIND THE BIGGEST NEED TO BE AT THIS POINT. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER 'EM. OTHERWISE, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. AND WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF YOUR ASK MR. MCQUEEN? UH, WE ASKED FOR WAS, IS WAS 300 360 2000, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA PUT, WE'RE GONNA MATCH THAT WITH 520,000 OURSELVES. UH, SO WE'RE GONNA FUND TRAINING AND THIS WILL FUND SUPPORT. SO WE'LL PUT UP 500, $520,000 TO COVER, UH, JACKSON COUNTY. AND WE'RE ASKING 362,000 TOTAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. FOR ANY AMOUNT WILL BE APPRECIATED. SO KEEP THE BUTTONS. ALL RIGHT. NOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM FRONT PORCH OF LIONS? ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. UH, MY NAME IS AARON BRADLEY. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FRONT PORCH ALLIANCE. BUT, UH, WE ARE HERE REQUESTING FUNDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY [01:20:01] RESOURCE. SO WE STARTED A MONTHLY COMMUNITY RESOURCE DAY WHERE FAMILIES COULD GET THOSE BASIC NEEDS MET. 'CAUSE OTHERS, UH, SINCE THEY DON'T COVER THOSE NEEDS. AND SO IT COVERS THE BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, ALLOWS KIDS TO, UM, NO WELCOME QUESTION. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? UM, LEGISLATORS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT A TOOTH, A TOOTHPASTE CAN BE A HUNDRED PERCENT LIKE THAT. WE USED TO DO FOOD ASSISTANCE AND THEN IT BECAME TOOTHPASTE AND BODY SOAP PEOPLE GO THROUGH AND HOW EXPENSIVE LAUNDRY SOAP IS. SO THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT CALL FROM THE COMMUNITY. NO PROBLEM. AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IS SCHEDULED FOR A BREAK. IT'S BREAK TIME. NOBODY IN THERE? GOOD. ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT? COFFEE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF. AND ADD LITTLE COLOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE COMMITTEE WILL BE, OR WE WILL BE BREAKING UNTIL 11:00 AM WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? THE TIME IS NOW 11 O'CLOCK. AND WE WILL RECONVENE OUR OUTSIDE AGENCY HEARINGS, BEGINNING WITH GILDA'S CLUB, KANSAS CITY. PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD SIT THERE, THERE'S A MIC. OKAY. UH, MAKE SURE THE GREEN LIGHT IS ON . THERE WE GO. HELLO. HELLO. HELLO. HELLO. OKAY. THERE WE GO. OKAY. OH, IT MOVES. THIS IS FUN. THANK YOU, . GOOD MORNING. UH, YEAH, GOOD MORNING. UH, MY NAME IS MEGAN HUNTER. I AM THE CEO OF GILDA'S CLUB, KANSAS CITY. AND THIS IS OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR AMANDA TROUT. UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST. GILDA'S CLUB KANSAS CITY PROVIDES SUPPORT GROUPS EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, HEALTHY LIVING, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CLASSES, SOCIAL CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCE REFERRAL SESSIONS AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS FOR ANYONE IMPACTED BY CANCER. THIS INCLUDES PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, FAMILIES, FRIENDS. OUR SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF INSURANCE STATUS, INCOME, OR STAGE OF DIAGNOSIS. CANCER REMAINS ONE OF THE LEADING HEALTH CHALLENGES FACING JACKSON COUNTY. THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ARE DIAGNOSED EACH YEAR WITH MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY LIVING WITH THE EFFECTS OF CANCER RIGHT NOW. WHILE MEDICAL TREATMENT ADDRESSES THE DISEASE ITSELF, MANY INDIVIDUALS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, STRESS, ISOLATION, AND THE EMOTIONAL BURDEN THAT COMES WITH THE CANCER DIAGNOSIS. GILDA'S CLUB FILLS THIS CRITICAL GAP OUR PROGRAMMING OFFERED BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON, IS FACILITATED BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND IS GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL ONCOLOGY PRACTICES. RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT SOCIAL SUPPORT, EMOTIONAL WELLNESS AND COPING SKILLS IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE DISTRESS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE FACING CANCER. LAST YEAR ALONE, WE SERVED OVER 3,400 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING NEARLY 1500 JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. THIS YEAR, WE AIM TO REACH AT LEAST 3,600 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH MORE THAN 6,900 PROGRAM VISITS. OUR OUTCOMES, I'M SORRY. OUR OUTCOMES DEMONSTRATE MEANINGFUL IMPACT. 92% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORT FEELING CONNECTED TO OTHERS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. 90% GAIN INCREASED ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, AND 85% FEEL EMPOWERED TO MANAGE THEIR DIAGNOSIS, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. SUPPORT FROM JACKSON COUNTY'S HEALTH FUND WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THESE VITAL [01:25:01] SERVICES AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS AND ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY CANCER HAVE ACCESS TO THE EMOTIONAL, MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO NAVIGATE THEIR JOURNEY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOUR COMMUNITY, I'M SORRY. YOUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY HEALTH AND YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF GILDA'S CLUB KANSAS CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND HOW MUCH IS YOUR ASK? IT WAS, UH, 1 0 1 900. AND OF THE 1500 IT WAS 1500. YOU SERVED OR 1500? NO, IT WAS 1500 IN JACKSON COUNTY. JACKSON. CORRECT. WHAT PERCENTAGE IS THAT OF YOUR TOTAL? SO OUT OF 3,400, IT'S ROUGHLY, WHAT'S THAT MATH? NOT QUITE HALF? YEAH, I'D SAY NOT QUITE HALF. MM-HMM . YES. OKAY. MM-HMM . THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE? I WANNA THANK YOU BECAUSE I BENEFITED FROM YOU GUYS. OH, YAY. YES, VANESSA. NICE TO SEE YOU. YES. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU . SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. OUR DOORS ARE STILL ALWAYS OPEN. I KNOW. . HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. YOU TOO. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. GIVING THE BASICS IS NEXT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S CHANDRA GOBEL. UM, I'M WITH GIVING THE BASICS AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, WE ARE A HYGIENE HUB. SO WE DISTRIBUTE, UM, HYGIENE PRODUCTS BECAUSE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE LIKE WIC AND SNAP, THEY DON'T COVER, UM, HYGIENE PRODUCTS. SO WE, WE FILL THE GAP THERE. WE'RE ENTERING OUR, OUR 15TH YEAR THIS YEAR. SO WE'RE SO EXCITED TO, UH, TO APPLY AGAIN FOR A GRANT. JACKSON COUNTY'S BEEN REALLY, UH, SUPPORTIVE THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN HELPING WITH THESE PROGRAMS. 'CAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY FOR JACKSON COUNTY STUDENTS. AN OVERVIEW, UM, WE JUST, WE ARE A HYGIENE HUB, SO WE PROCURE PRODUCT INTO OUR KANSAS CITY WAREHOUSE, AND THEN WE SORT PACKAGE AND SEND IT OUT TO SCHOOLS, PANTRIES, UM, SHELTERS, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, SENIOR CENTERS, JUST DIFFERENT DIRECT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT NEED TO GET THESE PRODUCTS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE. UM, WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE, UH, PRODUCTS TO 193 JACKSON COUNTY SCHOOLS, WHICH SERVE OVER 73,000 STUDENTS EACH MONTH. SO THEY GET CONSISTENT, RELIABLE ACCESS TO THE PRODUCTS THEY NEED. SHAMPOO, TOOTHPASTE, UM, PERIOD SUPPLIES FOR YOUNG WOMEN, UM, TOILET PAPER, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF THAT WE KIND OF TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT, THAT WE JUST KIND OF ASSUME THAT'S COVERED. SO WE KNOW THAT, UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME STUDIES DONE AND, UH, ONE IN THREE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THE BASICS. SO THEY SOMETIMES HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES. AND A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, REUSE PRODUCTS OR, OR NOT USE SOAP, UM, NOT, NOT HAVE ANY LAUNDRY DETERGENT. SO JUST SO MANY LITTLE THINGS THAT WE ALL JUST TAKE FOR GRANTED. WE ARE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION, UM, THAT FOCUSES DIRECTLY ON HYGIENE. AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, BE SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL IN FILLING THE GAP THROUGH ALL THESE DIRECT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. UM, I JUST WANNA READ A COUPLE OF STATS. I KNOW STATS ARE SOMETIMES KIND OF BORING, BUT, UM, JACKSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DID A SURVEY A FEW YEARS AGO, AND 67% OF EDUCATORS KNEW THAT THE STUDENTS WERE SKIPPING SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO HYGIENE PRODUCTS. AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UM, CONFIRMS THAT HYGIENE INSECURITY IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF, OF CHRONIC AB ABSENTEEISM IN SCHOOL FAILURE. SO HEALTH AND HYGIENE KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND. IT'S NOT JUST PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW? SO IF YOU WASH YOUR HANDS, YOU, YOU KILL THE GERMS AND YOU, AND YOU STOP THE SPREAD OF DISEASE. BUT IT'S ALSO MENTAL. I MEAN, THESE KIDS THAT, THAT GO TO SCHOOL AND, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE BULLIED OR THEY HAVE THE SHAME OF NOT HAVING THE SUPPLIES AND, AND BEING DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS. IT'S JUST, I MEAN, IT'S JUST DEVASTATING. SO WE WANNA ALSO JUST THAT EMOTIONAL WELLBEING REDUCES STRESS. AND WITH ACCESS TO THESE PRODUCTS, THESE, THESE KIDS CAN, THEY CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF PRI POVERTY, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW THEY CAN GO TO SCHOOL, HAVE THE PRODUCTS THEY NEED, THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, HAVE CONFIDENCE, AND, AND GO ON TO, YOU KNOW, DO GREAT THINGS. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST DOING THE PHYSICAL ASPECT. WE WANNA DO THE MIDDLE. WE WANNA GET THESE KIDS SMART AND, AND SUCCESSFUL AND READY TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO IN LIFE. SO, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF HOW OUR PROGRAM WORKS FOR THE SCHOOLS. SO THEY, UM, REGISTER ONLINE AND ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS PUT IN THEIR ONLINE ORDERS EVERY MONTH. AND THEN WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS, UH, THAT, THAT PACKAGE THE ORDERS AND FILL 'EM. AND THEN ON ONE DAY A MONTH, THE SCHOOLS COME DOWN, PICK UP THEIR SUPPLIES, TAKE IT BACK TO THE SCHOOLS. THEY'RE HOUSED USUALLY IN THE SCHOOL, NURSES' OFFICES, VERY DISCREET SO THAT STUDENTS CAN VISIT ANYTIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, PICK OUT THE PRODUCTS THEY NEED. THEY'RE NOT PUTTING KIDS SO THEY CAN PICK, YOU KNOW, IF THEY JUST NEED SHAMPOO OR JUST NEED TOOTHPASTE, WHATEVER THEY NEED, IT'S TO, YOU KNOW, SECURE THEIR DIGNITY SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, JUST A KIT THROWN AT THEM. MM-HMM . THEY GET TO PICK THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY NEED EVERY MONTH. AND THEN WE RELY ON, ON FEEDBACK, UM, FROM THE SCHOOL NURSES AND FROM SUPERINTENDENTS, UM, COUNSELORS. WE GET ANNUAL FEEDBACK FROM THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL AND, AND DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE ALL THE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE HYGIENE PRODUCTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? [01:30:01] WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF YOUR REQUEST? 60,000. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. GREATER IMPACT, CASEY. OKAY. GREETINGS. GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS. ALRIGHT, . OKAY. SO, GERNER IMPACT, UH, IS A COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S PRIMARILY AN OUTGROWTH OF A, UH, MINISTRY OF THE GREATER METROPOLITAN CHURCH OF CHRIST. WE SERVE AS THE JACKSON COUNTY MIDTOWN STRIVING HUB, UH, WHERE WE RECEIVE REFERRALS FOR EVERY NON-FATAL SHOOTING VICTIM IN KANSAS CITY. ONE OF OUR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS IS MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS. WE SERVE, UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SIX TO 800 INDIVIDUALS, UH, PER MONTH THAT ARE IN ADDICTIONS RECOVERY THROUGH ONE OF OUR 26TH MONTHLY MEETINGS. OUR PEER SUPPORT GROUPS, UM, OUR, UM, OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE, THE PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT WE, UM, WROTE FOR WAS TO, UH, SUPPORT OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS WORK, UH, AS WE TRY TO COMBINE THEM TOGETHER. AS YOU ALL KNOW THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE, UM, HAD STENTS IN ADDICTIONS ALSO TYPICALLY HAVE DUAL DIAGNOSES WHERE THERE ARE SOME COMBINATION OF MENTAL HEALTH THAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO, UM, STRENGTHEN THEIR RECOVERY. AND SO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WE ARE LOOKING AT IS, UM, COMBINING OBVIOUSLY MENTAL HEALTH RE AND RELAPSE PREVENTION AND STRENGTHENING THEIR PEER SUPPORT GROUPS, UH, THAT WILL SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE IN RECOVERY. AND PASTOR, YOU, EXCUSE ME, PASTOR, YOU DIDN'T IDENTIFY, CAN YOU SHARE? OH, I'M SORRY. . I'M PASTOR BRANDON MIMS. I'M THE PASTOR OF GREATER METROPOLITAN CHURCH OF CHRIST AND ALSO, UH, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF GREATER IMPACT. AND THERE'S A CAN SITE? UM, THERE IS A CAN SITE, YES. YES. WE ALSO, UH, UM, I GUESS WE WOULD SAY THAT WE FACILITATE THE EAST SIDE CAN CENTER THERE, UH, IN THE LINWOOD SHOPPING CENTER, WHICH COVERS THE SANTA FE NEIGHBORHOOD, IVANHOE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL THOSE THINGS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR PASTOR MAMS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DO NOT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. RAIDER, CASEY LINK. GOOD MORNING. I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE THIS ALREADY. I THINK YOU BEFORE, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOING GREAT. I USED TO BE OVER ALL THE YEAH. PARTNERS WITH KCPD. OKAY. GOOD MORNING. I'M, UH, JEFF HILL. I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF LINK. AND I'M SEAN ACREAGE, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR LINK. SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR TIME, UH, THIS MORNING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. UH, OUR THING HERE IS THE 8,000 FAMILIES, UH, IN JACKSON COUNTY, UH, IS WHAT WE'RE SERVING THROUGH OUR CARING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM. 7,000 KIDS DAILY IN OUR BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. AND WHAT WE'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, SEEKING THIS FUNDING FOR IS TO HELP SUPPORT THAT NEED. IT COSTS ABOUT, WE HAVE 55 TOTAL CARING COMMUNITY SITES, 44 OF THOSE, OUR BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. IT COSTS ABOUT 150 TO 200,000 TO RUN ONE OF THESE SITES. AND, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HERE, UH, PLENTY OF TIMES WHAT THAT MEANS FOR KIDS IN JACKSON COUNTY IS A PLACE TO BE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL. THEY, THEY, IF, IF NOT, WE KNOW KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE CARE ARE GOING HOME AND MORE, YOU KNOW, SUBJECT TO ABUSE, SUBJECT TO GETTING INTO THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T BE GETTING INTO. AND, YOU KNOW, AFFORDS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH AS WELL AS CONNECT WITH THE FAMILY. AND LINK HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT, BEYOND JUST THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, SUPPORTING CONNECTING FAMILIES TO THE RESOURCES THAT YOU ALL ARE SUPPORTING. SOME OF THE AGENCIES THAT YOU'RE HEARING TALK TO YOU TODAY. UH, WE CONNECT TO FAMILIES DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR CARING COMMUNITY INITIATIVE AND OTHER THINGS WE DO DIRECTLY, LIKE UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, WE USE THESE, UH, THESE CARING COMMUNITY SITES AS HUBS AND CENTERS FOR, FOR THAT WORK. UM, BY AND LARGE, BEFORE WE CAME, BEFORE YOU, UH, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU [01:35:01] KNOW, IT'S BEEN THE STATE THAT HAS BEEN FUNDING THESE THINGS. AND AS WE KNOW, STATE DOLLARS ARE, ARE CONTINUALLY AT RISK. AND GOING INTO THIS YEAR, WE ALREADY KNOW, UH, THAT WE'RE DOWN AROUND A MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE ALLOCATION FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND THAT REALLY DOES MEAN LOOKING AT CUTTING EITHER ENTIRE SCHOOLS OR SPOTS FOR KIDS. AND SO, UM, OUR ASK IS REALLY CENTERED AROUND SUPPORTING OUR CAPACITY TO KEEP, CONTINUE TO SERVE ALL OF THE, THE JACKSON COUNTY KIDS AND FAMILIES THAT NEED THE WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND HAVING WORKED IN A SCHOOL, UM, THAT HAD LINK, I UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS TO THE PARENTS, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU STILL OPERATING. UH, WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY, I WORKED WITH TRENT YEAH. AND HE OPERATED AND SUPPORTED THE CAN CENTERS YES. AND THE GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN FOR SURE. YEAH. SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR WORK AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE STILL EXISTING. YES. THANK YOU. OF THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR COMING. YES. AND I THINK WE'RE UP NEXT TOO. OKAY. YEAH, YOU ARE. SPEAKING OF GRANT, IT'S THE PERFECT TRANSITION. . THANK YOU. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A MISPRINT . NO, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE AGAIN. UM, IF YOU, YOU WANT ME TO GO WITH THE PALESTINE? ASK? CAN WE TRANSITION TO THAT ONE? UH, WHATEVER YOU HAVE PREPARED. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE, IT'S A SEPARATE ASK AND I THINK, UH, MS. HUSKY, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, AND, UH, A FEW OF YOU'RE AWARE. PALESTINE SENIOR CITIZEN ACTIVITY CENTER HAS BEEN A STAPLE OF THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS. MM-HMM . UH, IT W IT WAS BASICALLY SHUT DOWN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND, UH, THE BOARD REACHED OUT TO LINK AND ASKED US TO KIND OF STEP IN AND HELP REOPEN IT AND RUN IT. AND SO THIS IS A, THIS IS AN ASK SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM. MM-HMM . UH, WE SERVE NOT ONLY WE SERVE AS THEIR FISCAL AGENT, BUT ALSO WE OPERATE A PROGRAM. WE OPERATE THE PROGRAM FOR THEM. AND WHAT WE'VE GONE TO IS FROM ZERO SENIORS AT THAT CENTER TO OVER 517 ACTIVE MEMBERS AT 34TH AND PROSPECT. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS, YOU KNOW, HELPING SENIORS NOT EXPERIENCE DEPRESSION FROM LONELINESS. IT MEANS MAKING SURE SENIORS ARE GETTING MEALS. IT MEANS, YOU KNOW, DOING A BUNCH OF ACTIVITIES, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, UH, A UNIQUE CENTER IN AN IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ALLOWS SENIORS TO AGE IN PLACE AND CONTINUE TO BE A VITAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND PART OF THE SOLUTIONS TO, UH, SOME OF THE BROADER PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, IT, IT IS A SEPARATE ASK. IT IS, UH, AGAIN, PALESTINE, UH, AS A, AS ITS OWN ENTITY, BUT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO STEP IN AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE THERE. MOST RECENTLY, WE JUST DID A, A BIG SENIOR PROM, UH, THAT HAD A HUNDRED AND AND 50 SENIORS THERE DANCING. AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT. UH, IT WAS JUST A GREAT EVENT THAT, UH, PEOPLE WERE SMILING AND HAVING A GOOD TIME. THAT THAT'S THE SORT OF STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SORT OF REVIVE THERE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, LAUNCH OUR CARING COMMUNITY. SO WE'VE GOT, THAT'S OUR LARGEST, I THINK, SITE COUNCIL. IT'S, UH, OF 30 ACTIVE MEMBERS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT ISSUES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS, UM, FOR HOW TO HELP SENIORS IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY. YEAH. I REMEMBER THE FIRST SENIOR PROM. OH, YEAH. YEAH. WOW. IT WAS AT SWOPE. OKAY. YES. YEAH, WE DID IT AT YOU. YOU'VE DONE A LOT. YEAH. FOR COMMUNITY, THE CHILDREN TO THE SENIORS, AND REALLY OUR PRESIDENT, JANET MILES, BART, THAT WAS WHEN SHE TOOK OVER LINK, IT WAS HER HEART TO REALLY GET BACK INTO WORKING WITH SENIORS. MM-HMM . UM, BECAUSE THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ALWAYS NEEDS MORE SERVICES MM-HMM . AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE'LL ALL GET THERE ONE DAY. UH, AND SO WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO SUPPORT, UH, FOLKS IN EVERY STAGE OF LIFE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HOW MUCH ARE YOU ASKING FOR THE, THE, UH, FOR PALESTINE? IT IS 200,000. OKAY. UM, AND FOR THE OTHER ASK WAS 300,000. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FOLKS. YOU CAN SKIP TO HARVESTERS. I'M SORRY. HARVESTERS. OH, DEBBIE BOTTOMS IS NOT HERE. NOT YET, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT DUE YET. YEAH, THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY, THEY'RE NOT LATE. AND HEAD IS JUST EARLY. SO, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING EARLY. OH, OF COURSE. I WANNA HELP YOU KEEP THE BALL ROLLING. . HI. HELLO EVERYONE. THANK [01:40:01] YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH KIER. I'M THE CHIEF RESOURCE OFFICER OF HARVESTERS, THE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK. AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP THAT THE JACKSON COUNTY LEGISLATOR HAS SUPPORTED OUR MISSION. UH, YOUR INVESTMENT HAS HELPED ENSURE THAT CHILDREN, FAMILIES, SENIORS AND VETERANS AND WORKING HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS JACKSON COUNTY HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND IT ALL DURING THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THEIR LIFE. FOR 47 YEARS, HARVESTERS HAS SERVED AS THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK FOR 27 COUNTIES IN NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI AND NORTH, NORTH E , WESTERN MISSOURI, AND, AND NORTHEASTERN KANSAS. AND THROUGH A NETWORK OF MORE THAN 580 NONPROFIT PARTNERS SERVING OVER 1200 FEEDING PROGRAMS, WE ACQUIRE STORE AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD SO THAT LOCAL AGENCIES CAN FOCUS, FOCUS ON SERVING THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND TOGETHER WE REALLY WORK TOWARDS A MORE HEALTHY AND THRIVING COMMUNITY WHERE NO ONE GOES HUNGRY. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, HUNGER IS MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION NATIONALLY. AND RIGHT HERE AT HOME. FOOD INSECURITY HAS RISEN TO ITS HIGHEST LEVEL THAN IT'S BEEN IN A DECADE. AND ACCORDING TO FEEDING AMERICA, IN THEIR MOST RECENT STUDY, MORE THAN 112,000 JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS, THAT'S 15.6% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION ARE FOOD INSECURE, INCLUDING 35,000 CHILDREN. UH, THE PEOPLE SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE REPRESENT EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. UH, MORE THAN HALF ARE HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE CHILDREN NEARLY ONE QUARTER INCLUDE A SENIOR IN THE HOUSEHOLD. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HUNGER IS OFTEN A RESULT OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP RATHER THAN JUST SIMPLY UNEMPLOYMENT. 61% OF HOUSEHOLDS SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE HAD AT LEAST ONE ADULT WORKING FULL-TIME IN THE HOUSEHOLD THAT PREVIOUS YEAR. YET MANY STRUGGLE TO AFFORD FOOD ALONGSIDE HOUSING, UTILITY, TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE, AND HEALTHCARE COSTS. AND WE TOO EXPERIENCE THOSE RISING COSTS. FOOD PRICES ARE STILL UP OVER 30% OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. AND MORE RECENTLY, OUR FREIGHT COSTS ARE UP 33%. AND WE ANTICIPATE THESE CHALLENGES TO CONTINUE TO GROW. FAMILIES ARE FACING PERSISTENT INFLATION, RISING HOUSING COSTS AND FINANCIAL PRESSURES. AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE RECENT SNAP REDUCTIONS, WHICH IS WERE INCLUDED IN HR ONE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, PUT FURTHER STRAIN ON HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS AND INCREASED DEMAND ON THE CHARITABLE FOOD SYSTEM AS THOUSANDS HAVE LOST THEIR BENEFITS STAFF, UH, SNAP ROUGHLY REPRESENTS FOR EVERY ONE MEAL. SNAP PROVIDES, UM, HARVESTERS AND FOOD BANKS LIKE US PROVIDE NINE. AND THESE CHARITABLE, THESE CUTS TO THIS SYSTEM REALLY PUT STRAIN ONTO THE CHARITABLE SYSTEM. AND AS THOSE FEDERAL SUPPORT STRENGTH, MORE FAMILIES WILL TURN TO HARVESTERS AND OUR PARTNERS FOR ASSISTANCE TO MEET THIS GROWING NEED. HARVESTER SUPPORTS MORE THAN 500 FEEDING PROGRAMS RIGHT HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY, INCLUDING FOOD PANTRIES, SCHOOLS, SHELTERS, COMMUNITY KITCHENS, SENIOR CENTERS, AND CHILDCARE PROGRAMS. LAST YEAR ALONE, WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 20 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD IN JACKSON COUNTY PROVIDING 16.9 MILLION MEALS. AND OUR PARTNER AGENCIES REPORT THAT 75% OR MORE OF THE FOOD THAT THEY DISTRIBUTE COME DIRECTLY FROM HARVESTERS MAKING OUR ROLE ESSENTIAL AND THEIR ABILITY TO MEET THE NEED. AND TODAY HARVESTERS RESPECTFULLY REQUEST FOR OUR CONTINUATION OF THIS INVESTMENT FROM JACKSON COUNTY, UH, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO PURCHASE THE FOOD AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO TRULY NEED IT. AND I WELCOME YOU ALL TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE? OH, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I GOT DIRTY HELPING YOU GUYS. IT WAS FINE. WELL, WERE YOU DOING POTATOES? THAT'S A LOT. YES. , THEY, THOSE ARE THE DIRTIEST. I'M SO SORRY. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VOLUNTEERING. NO PROBLEM. , THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. MY PLEASURE. TAKE CARE. HAPPY BOTTOMS. HAPPY BOTTOM. OKAY. , I'M VERY PROUD OF MYSELF THAT I GOT DOWN HERE IN SUCH A THAT I KNOW SOMETIMES I YOU DID GREAT. YES. GRAY NERVE WRACKING. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. I'M ELIZABETH MAYER. I'M CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF HAPPY BOTTOMS. WE ARE KANSAS CITY'S DIAPER BANK. UM, SO WE PROVIDE A MONTHLY ALLOTMENT OF DIAPERS, 75 DIAPERS OR 50 PULL-UPS TO FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE TO AFFORD ENOUGH DIAPERS. UM, VERY EXPENSIVE. THE STATISTICS, YOU ALL KNOW THEM. THEY AREN'T CHANGING VERY QUICKLY. UM, THE COST OF DIAPERS ROSE DURING THE PANDEMIC, PARDON ME, PANDEMIC. THEY HAVE NOT COME DOWN. AND WE ARE JUST SEEING A LOT MORE FAMILIES WORKING, FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO AFFORD ENOUGH DIAPERS. UM, SO SPECIFIC TO THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE FROM JACKSON COUNTY, IT'S A HUGE HELP. WE ARE ABLE, UM, IN A YEAR [01:45:01] TO DATE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE. UM, LET'S SEE. UM, WOW. WHERE ARE WE HERE YEAR TO DATE? WE'VE SERVED A LITTLE OVER 12,000 FAMILIES ON DUPLICATED COUNT, UM, IN THE WHOLE SIX COUNTY AREA. AND OF THOSE 4,800 LIVE IN JACKSON COUNTY. UM, AND THEN SPECIFIC TO THE SERVICE DELIVERY, WE PARTNER WITH SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, CHURCHES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. UM, AND SO IN EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY, WE HAVE 10 PARTNER AGENCIES. AND IN THE REST OF JACKSON COUNTY K CMO, WE HAVE 35 PARTNER AGENCIES. AND SO WE'RE MOVING, UM, WE ARE PROCURING, UM, DOING THE COMMUNITY DIAPER DRIVES, THE FUNDRAISING TO GET THE DIAPERS OUT TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE THEM THAT DIRECT DISTRIBUTION EVERY MONTH. UM, IT'S JUST BEEN, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL OF THE HELP THAT WE CAN GET FROM THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR AGENCY AND OUR MISSION IS REALLY INVALUABLE TO US. UM, THE NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK, UM, OF WHOM HAPPY BOTTOMS IS A MEMBER THAT IS, HELPS US BUY IN BULK. UM, AND SO WE CAN BASICALLY TURN A $1 INVESTMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY INTO A $2 SAVINGS IN OTHER AREAS OF SUPPORT MM-HMM . UM, AND SO IT, IT REALLY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO HELP FAMILIES KEEP DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. UM, ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUE I'M SORRY. THANKS, JALEN. YEAH. NO. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T THINK SO. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANKS FOR INVITING ALL OF US, AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY WILL HAVE GREAT TIMING GETTING DOWNTOWN. RIGHT. IT WAS EXCITING. IT WAS JUST A STRAIGHT SHOT. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO FOR US. WE, YEAH, WE, THAT IS WHAT WE KEEP DOING WITH ALL THE HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY. THANK FOR THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT DEFINITELY BRIDGES THE GAP. IT, IT REALLY DOES. OH. AND WE ARE, WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM AND WE ARE REALLY, UM, PROUD OF HELPING THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY HELPING FAMILIES. SO ANYWAY, TAKE CARE. TAKE CARE. THANK YOU. THAT HEALING HOUSE. HEALING HOUSE. OKAY. WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT? YES. THANK YOU FOR BEING EARLY. HI, I AM JOEY THOMAS, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HEALING HOUSE, INC. AND OH, I'M MELISSA HUGHES, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CEO. SO, UH, FIRST WE WANNA, UH, APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF OF OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOBBY JOE REED, WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. SHE'S IN WASHINGTON, DC ADVOCATING ON, ON BEHALF OF THOSE, UH, WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. SO, UH, HEALING HOUSE, OF COURSE, UH, IS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND, AND SO, SO MUCH MORE THESE DAYS. MM-HMM . REALLY JUST GROWING PAST, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO OFFER AS MANY RESOURCES AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. REALLY A ONE STOP SHOP MODEL IS, IS WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS. SO, UH, SPECIFICALLY WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL THE HELP FROM, UH, JACKSON COUNTY COMBAT AND SO MANY OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE. AND, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, JUST BEING ABLE TO HELP SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SO HEALING HOUSE SERVES AS A CRITICAL ACCESS POINT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SEEKING RECOVERY SUPPORT, HOUSING, TREATMENT, REFERRALS, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. HEALING HOUSE, AS OF THIS TIME, RESPONDS TO APPROXIMATELY 58,000 TO 60,000 INCOMING CALLS ANNUALLY. JACKSON COUNTY FUNDING HELPS ENSURE THAT WHEN SOMEONE REACHES OUT FOR HELP, THEY REACH A KNOWLEDGEABLE, COMPASSIONATE, PROFESSIONAL WHO CAN ACCESS THEIR NEEDS AND PROVIDE MEANINGFUL GUIDANCE. OUR ADMISSIONS PROCESS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT FILLING BEDS, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING EACH INDIVIDUAL IS CONNECTED TO THE SERVICES THAT BEST MEET THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS. THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT, WE HELP DETERMINE WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL IS BEST SUITED FOR RECOVERY, HOUSING, RECOVERY HOUSING COMBINED WITH OUTPATIENT SERVICES, RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, OR A REFERRAL TO ONE OF OUR MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, WHEN ANOTHER PROVIDER IS A BETTER FIT. AND, UH, JUST AS OF LAST MONTH OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I THINK WE REFERRED TO OVER, UH, I THINK JUST UNDER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT AGENCIES JUST RIGHT AWAY LAST MONTH. UH, OUR GOAL TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO THE RIGHT SERVICES AT THE RIGHT TIME, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY HEALING HOUSE OR ANOTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. HEALING HOUSE SERVES HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY THROUGH HOUSING AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, ADMISSIONS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND RESOURCE NAVIGATION. OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM HAS DEVELOPED A LIVE ONLINE COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY [01:50:01] CALLED SHARE HOPE, THAT PROVIDES UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON HOUSING, TREATMENT, HEALTHCARE, FOOD ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND SO MANY OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THIS RESOURCE ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS, FA UH, FAMILIES, PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO QUICKLY IDENTIFY AND ASSESS AVAILABLE SERVICES, IMPROVING COORDINATION, REDUCING GAPS IN CARE, INVESTING IN ADMISSIONS AND RESOURCE NAVIGATION HELPS PREVENT PEOPLE FROM FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND ENSURES THE INDIVIDUALS SEEKING HELP ARE CONNECTED TO SERVICES BEFORE THEIR SITUATION ESCALATES INTO A CRISIS. AND I KNOW WHEN WE THINK OF HEALING HOUSE, WE THINK OF THE 200, UH, PEOPLE THAT STAY WITH US EVERY NIGHT, BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT WITH, WITH SO MUCH HELP IN THE COMMUNITY. ANY QUESTIONS? UH, ANY IDEA WHAT YOUR TOTAL INCOME IS? UH, TOTAL INCOME FOR THE ENTIRE AGENCY? YEAH. I, I THINK OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR IS JUST A LITTLE OVER FIVE. YEAH. YOU GUYS HAVE GOT A LITTLE VILLAGE GOING ON AND I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. RECOVERY AND THE ATTENTION, THE CLOTHES. UM, ACTUALLY BOBBY'S SHOWING HER RED HAIR. WELL, I'M SURE SHE'LL MAKE IT DOWN SOMETIMES SOON SHE GETS AROUND. YES, SHE DOES. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE APPRECIATE YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. THIS OPPORTUNITY. YES. SO WE HAVE GUADALUPE CENTERS AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. YES. GUADALUPE CENTERS NEVER ANSWERED SO POSSIBLE. THEY MAY NOT BE HERE WHO DIDN'T ANSWER. OKAY. AND HABITAT DIDN'T ANSWER JUST THE TIME. IF YOU WOULD TAKE A SEAT BY ONE OF THE MICS AND, UM, YOU CAN SHARE YOUR NAME AND WHO YOU'RE WITH AND SURE. WE'RE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. HOW ABOUT THAT TIME? NO, THAT'S FANTASTIC. I APOLOGIZE, I TOOK THE STAIRS SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT WIND HERE. SO GIVE THERE, THROW ME IN. GO FOR IT. OH, PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME. TAKE YOUR TIME. TAKE YOUR TIME. UM, MY NAME IS LINDSAY HICKS. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY. UM, AND I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT SINCE I KNOW WE HAVE LESS THAN THREE MINUTES. UM, BUT WE ARE REQUESTED $150,000. YOU HAVE THE WHOLE DEAL NOW. YEAH. YOU CAN TAKE TEA. NO, GO. NO, I'M SORRY. PLEASE. . OH, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO GET CATCH MY BREATH. YES. . WELL, YEAH. UH, SO YEAH, LINDSEY HICKS WITH HABITAT FOR UNITY OF KANSAS CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. I APPRECIATE IT. UM, CAN I GO INTO, I CAN GO INTO MY PRESENTATION NOW. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. SURE, SURE. YEAH. OKAY, PLEASE. UM, SO, UH, WE REQUESTED $150,000 TO DO CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS IN, UM, JACKSON COUNTY. UH, THAT WOULD IMPACT ABOUT 150 INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS. UM, AND WE REALLY FOCUS ON AS AN ORGANIZATION THE CRITICAL LIFE SAFETY NEEDS OF REPAIRS THAT ARE WITHIN THESE HOMES. SO LOOKING AT HVAC FURNACE, UM, ROOF, A LOT OF ROOF REPLACEMENTS WE'VE HAD TO DO. UM, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY STABILIZE THESE HOMES SO THESE FAMILIES CAN STAY IN THESE HOMES FOREVER. UH, WHEN WE DO THAT, WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OUTSIDE SERVICES AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT YOU MIGHT NEED SO WE CAN CONNECT THEM WITH DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND REALLY PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE FOR THEM. UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY WE LOOK AT WHAT ARE WAYS THAT, UM, WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE THEM WITH OR CONNECT THEM WITH, UM, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE THAT FINANCIAL STABILITY SINCE WE HAVE, UM, CERTIFIED HOUSING HUD CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNSELORS ON OUR TEAM. SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THIS HOME REPAIR. UM, AS OPPOSED TO, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, FIXING A DOOR OR FIXING A GUTTER. WE'RE LOOKING AT A HOLISTIC APPROACH WITH THESE FAMILIES. UM, WE HAVE A LONG, UH, TRACK, A LONG TIME TRACK OF DOING THIS WORK. UH, WE RECENTLY WORKED THROUGH A $1.6 MILLION GRANT FROM THE MISSOURI DED. UH, WE FINISHED THAT ON TIME AND ON BUDGET AND THAT, UM, SERVICED MANY, MANY, MANY FAMILIES, UH, IN JACKSON COUNTY. AND SO, UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PENDING, ANOTHER PENDING ABOUT $1.2 MILLION ASK TO SUPPORT OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM. AND SO, UM, THESE FUNDS WOULD REALLY HELP TO CREATE SUBSIDY THAT MAKE, UM, OUR APPLICATION FOR THOSE LARGER SCALE FUNDS LOOK MORE ATTRACTIVE TOO, SO WE CAN GROW AND EXPAND OUR PROGRAMMING HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT'S PRETTY, UM, DIRECT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SO THE ORGANIZ? YEAH, SO THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1979. UH, I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR, UM, [01:55:01] 13, ALMOST 14 YEARS. UM, AND IN THIS ROLE FOR OVER THREE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST IN TIME FOR MY HEART RATE TO GO DOWN. I'LL GET BACK UP. . THANK YOU ALL. TAKE CARE. UM, WE ARE GOING TO RECESS JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES WHILE WE WAIT ON GUADALUPE'S GUADALUPE CENTER. IF THEY'RE NOT HERE BY 1145, WE WILL BREAK. THANK YOU. THE TIME IS 1144 AND THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL, UH, BREAK AND COME BACK AT 1:00 PM THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS 1:00 PM MY NAME IS DONNA PEYTON, CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. WE HAVE WITH US LEGISLATOR JAYLEN ANDERSON, AND WE ARE GOING TO RECONVENE OUR OUT 2027 OUTSIDE AGENCY HEARINGS AS PART OF OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY. AND WE'RE BEGINNING WITH HEARTLAND 180, INC. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. UM, SO I'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT. SO HEARTLAND 180, UH, WE ARE A NON-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING. SO IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR OR IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, UM, THOSE ARE ALL THE SOFT SKILLS THAT WE DON'T LEARN IN SCHOOL. EVERYTHING FROM INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. UM, THE THREE TENETS OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING THAT WE WORK WITH IS SELF-AWARENESS. HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE, WORKING INTO SELF-DEVELOPMENT, WHO DO YOU WANT TO BECOME AND HOW DO YOU GET THERE? AND THEN THE THIRD TENANT, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, UNDERSTANDING THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT YOU HAVE AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND THE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS THAT YOU'RE IN, WHETHER IT'S HOME, SCHOOL, COMMUNITY WORK, YOU HAVE A ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THOSE ENVIRONMENTS. AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO AS WE DO PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, MY GOAL IS THAT THIS IS THEIR TOOLBOX, RIGHT? AS YOU GO THROUGH NAVIGATE LIFE, YOU CAN ONLY HANDLE LIFE WITH THE TOOLS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR TOOLBOX. AND SO GIVING THEM THE APPROPRIATE SKILLS TO MANAGE ADVERSITY, TO MAKE, UH, GOOD DECISION MAKING, TO SET SMART GOALS, GIVING THEM THOSE TOOLS IN THEIR SCHOOL, IN THEIR TOOLBOX SO THAT THEY'RE BETTER PREPARED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH LIFE. THE OTHER ASPECT OF OUR SERVICES IS THAT WE TAKE A TWO GEN APPROACH. SO NOT ONLY WORKING WITH THE YOUTH, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH THE PARENTS. A LOT OF TIMES THE PARENTS HAVE THE SAME SOCIAL DEFECTS AS THE CHI, AS THE CHILDREN. SO PROVIDING THOSE SOCIAL SKILLS WITH THE PARENTS, BUT ALSO PROVIDING PARENTING PROGRAMMING AS WELL, UM, FOR THOSE PARENTS. SO WE USE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS OR CURRICULA TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS FOR BOTH YOUTH AND PARENTS. I'M GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT THE PARENTS STUFF. TYRONE HERE IS OUR YOUTH COORDINATOR AND HE HANDLES OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS. SO WE USE A MODEL CALLED THE PARENT PROJECT, WHICH IS A, UH, EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE THAT'S DESIGNED FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS. AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT ONCE THE PROGRAM'S DONE, IT ALLOWS THE PARENTS TO HAVE THE TOOLS TO CONTINUE MEETING AS A SUPPORT GROUP TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER THROUGH ADVERSITIES. WE ALSO PROVIDE THE ONE CIRCLE CURRICULUM, WHICH IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE THAT I AM A VERY BIG SUPPORTER OF BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM, BUT IT'S TRAUMA INFORMED AND IT'S CULTURALLY COMPETENT. SO IT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH, HISPANIC YOUTH, THE LGBT TWO-SPIRITED YOUTH, UM, AND GIVES THEM THE CAPABILITIES OF USING, WELL, IT USES THE HEALING CIRCLE, WHICH IS AN INDIGENOUS PRACTICE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, HEALING AND ALSO THE PRE PREDECESSOR OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES. TYRONE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT OUR YOUTH PROGRAM? FOR SURE. FOR SURE. UM, I'M TYRONE WEAVER. UM, MY MAIN GOAL IS TO WORK WITH OUR YOUTH. UM, MY FAVORITE PROGRAM THAT WE DO RIGHT NOW IS CALLED UH, JOURNEY OF A YOUNG GREAT WARRIOR, WHICH I TEACH THAT INSIDE OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER IN WIND DI COUNTY RIGHT NOW. AND OUR BIGGEST THING IS TO INTRODUCE THE YOUNG MEN TO THEMSELVES FIRST. RIGHT? WE, WE FOCUS ON INTRO, INTRODUCING THEMSELVES TO THEM, AND ONCE WE DO THAT, WE THEN COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP THEM ON THAT TRACK TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY WANT. UM, SECONDLY WE HAVE OPEN CIRCLE, WHICH MAX TALKED ABOUT, THAT ALLOWS US THE ABILITY TO CREATE PROGRAMS BASED OFF THE YOUTH THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? SO ONCE WE GET THE YOUTH, WE THEN TALK TO 'EM, WE GET TO KNOW 'EM, AND THEN WE DEVELOP [02:00:01] EACH WEEK OFF WHAT WE CAN DO. 'CAUSE WE HAVE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE OUTLETS AND STREAMS IN THESE. UM, SO OPEN CIRCLE COMES WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CREATE FOR THE YOUTH. AND THEN WE HAVE GIRLS CIRCLE, WHICH WE, UM, HAVE A GREAT STAFF THAT CAN COME IN AND WORK WITH JUST THE GIRLS. IT'S ALSO A SUPPORT GROUP AS WELL. WE'RE BIG ON SUPPORT GROUPS BECAUSE WE KNOW HAVING SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN LEAN ON THAT'S SIMILAR TO YOU AND LIKE THE THINGS THAT YOU LIKE, WE IT, IT'LL KEEP THEM COMING BACK. UM, UH, ANOTHER PROGRAM WE HAVE THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE, WHICH IS CALLED GROWING IN THE MANHOOD. AND THIS PROGRAM IS CULTURALLY COMPETENT TO AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUNG MEN. UM, WE LIKE TO, UM, WORK WITH THESE YOUNG MEN AND THIS IS BASED OFF AFRICAN WEST AFRICAN PRINCIPALS. WE KIND OF INTRO INTRODUCED THAT INTO THE KIDS. AND THEN EACH GRADUATION WITH THESE KIDS, WE GET 'EM HAIRCUTS, WE GET 'EM FULLY SUITED, UH, WITH OUR PARTNER, WHICH IS CONNECTIONS TO SUCCESS. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A NICE GALA FOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND GRADUATION AND WE TAKE IT SERIOUS. EACH KID GETS A A, A PEN. UH, WE GIVE 'EM FLOWERS, WE GIVE 'EM EVERYTHING. 'CAUSE WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHO YOU CAN BE. AND WE TRY TO GIVE THOSE KIDS THE TOOLS TO DO THAT. UM, OUR 180 PROGRAM, WHICH WE TEACH INSIDE OF THE SCHOOLS, WE GO INTO, UH, WASHINGTON AND HARMON RIGHT NOW, TWO TIMES A WEEK DURING THE FA HOURS. AND WE TEACH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING. AND THE BIGGEST THING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT IS TO, WE LIKE TO SAY GET 'EM AWAY FROM AI INTO EI, WHICH IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. A LOT OF THESE KIDS ARE VERY EMOTIONAL AND SOMETIMES THEY COULD BE NERVOUS AND IT COMES OFF AS ANGER, RIGHT? SO WE WORK WITH THESE KIDS INSIDE THE SCHOOL ON HOW TO BE BETTER STUDENTS AND WE TRACKED THEIR GRADES, WE TRACKED THEIR ATTENDANCE, WE TRACKED THEIR, UH, INCIDENT REPORTS AND OUR NUMBERS. THIS PAST YEAR WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT. WE GRADUATED ALL 15 OF OUR KIDS. OH, WONDERFUL. UM, YEAH. AND THEN WE TRY TO, AFTER EVERY SEMESTER WE HOST A, UM, END OF THE YEAR EVENT. SO WE PARTNER WITH SKATE CITY AND KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. WE PARTNER WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. SO. RIGHT. THAT'S OUR BIGGEST THING IS WE'RE TIME. RIGHT? YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, I CAN TALK ALL DAY ABOUT IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION. WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE? MADAM CHAIR? UM, UH, IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME APPLYING FOR OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDS? NO, THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND TIME. AND HAVE YOU BEEN FUNDED BEFORE? NO, WE HAVE NOT. AND WHAT'S YOUR ASK? UM, I THINK WHEN WE ASKED IT WAS AROUND 230,000, 230,000. YEP. AND THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO DO BOTH PARENT SERVICES AND YOUTH SERVICES. AND WOULD THAT GO TOWARDS MAINLY SALARIES OR WHAT DOES THAT GO TOWARDS? UM, IT WILL GO TOWARDS, YEAH, STAFFING, BUT THEN ALSO ALLOWING US TO HAVE, UM, A PLACE ON THE MISSOURI SIDE TO DO THAT. WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH A COMMUNITY ORGAN OR A COMMUNITY BUSINESS TO DO SERVICES MM-HMM . AND IT'S A VERY SMALL SPACE. AND SO WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO ON THE MISSOURI SIDE IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE KANSAS SIDE. AND SO WE REALLY WANNA REPLICATE THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE ON THE KANSAS SIDE ONTO THE MISSOURI SIDE BECAUSE OVER IN KANSAS WE'RE SERVING ABOUT 150 TO 200 KIDS A YEAR, PUTTING OUT ABOUT 20% REDUCTIONS IN DOCUMENTED DISCIPLINARY INCIDENCES. WE'RE SEEING FULL DAY UNEXCUSED ABSENCES. YEAH. DROP. SO WE REALLY WANT TO BRING THAT ROBUST PROGRAM OVER TO THIS SIDE BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY SERVING A SMALL HANDFUL OF KIDS AND BEING IN SUCH A SMALL SPACE, UM, WE COULD DO SO MUCH MORE. AND HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DO YOU HELP IN JACKSON COUNTY WOULD YOU SAY? I'M GONNA BE, SO PROBABLY LESS THAN 20 A YEAR. LESS THAN 20? YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. YEP. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. BILL COURT HILLCREST MINISTRIES. HELLO. AFTERNOON. RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTY SUPPORT IN THE PAST, UM, OF OUR MISSION AT HILLCREST TO, UM, HELP SOLVE HOMELESSNESS WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT TAKES ALL OF US TO SERVE THOSE AT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF WHAT THEIR NEED IS. SO HILLCREST TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS JUST THAT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES AND UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH. WE HAVE ALMOST 60 UNITS IN JACKSON COUNTY, UM, IN EJC IN INDEPENDENCE AND LEE SUMMIT WHERE WE SERVE, UM, HOMELESS FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND AGAIN, UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH. AND WE FOCUS ON, UM, REMOVING HOUSING BARRIERS FOR THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO WORK. UM, [02:05:01] LOTS OF SINGLE MOMS WITH KIDDOS THAT ARE A PAYCHECK AWAY HAVE HAD THAT, UM, UH, CAR BREAKDOWN OR MISS A DAY OF WORK AND JUST CAN'T, UM, STAY AHEAD AND ARE CONTINUING TO GET BEHIND ON BILLS. AND OF COURSE THEN RESULTS CAN RESULT IN EVICTION FOR MULTIPLE REASONS. UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT JUST SINCE THE FIRST OF THIS YEAR WITH THE SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW THAT OUR INCIDENTS OF FIRST TIME HOMELESS FAMILIES THAT ARE APPLYING FOR OUR PROGRAM IS UP 33% SO FAR THIS YEAR. SO, UM, HOW WE SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT THAT WITH THE FOLKS WE WORK WITH. UM, WE HAVE AN 82% SUCCESS RATE FOR EVERY FAMILY THAT JOINS US. UM, IT'S A HIGH ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM. YOU MUST WORK WITH A CASE MANAGER, YOU MUST BE WORKING AT SOME FORM. WE WILL ASSIST YOU, UM, WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO FIND A BETTER JOB, WORK WITH THAT CASE MANAGER AGAIN TO REMOVE THOSE HOUSING BARRIERS, WHATEVER THOSE ARE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE CONNECT WITH EVERYTHING FROM HEALTHCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, AND ALSO HAVE SERVICES ON SITE AT SEVERAL OF OUR LOCATIONS. UM, WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT US IS THAT WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY INTO VOLUNTEER AND SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE. THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM HELPING US TAKE CARE OF OUR APARTMENT UNITS TO HOLDING LIFE SKILLS CLASSES AND AGAIN, SHARING THAT EXPERTISE. SO WHEN A FAMILY OR AN INDIVIDUAL OR YOUTH LEAVES US, THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY HERE IN KANSAS CITY. NOT JUST NOT JUST THE STAFF AT HILLCREST. UM, WE'RE ALSO PROUD OF THE FACT THAT, UM, WE TRY TO CATCH FOLKS BEFORE THEY GET INTO THE HUD CYCLE OF, UM, IT BEING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. SO WE ARE ASKING FOR $225,000 TO HELP KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND PAY THE STAFF. UM, WE HAVE 10 CASE MANAGERS LIVE IN, UM, RESIDENT MANAGERS AND OF COURSE LEADERSHIP STAFF AT EACH ONE OF THOSE SITES. AND, UM, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP FAMILIES, UH, DO EVERYTHING FROM CAR REPAIR TO GET CLOTHES FOR WORK AND ALL THOSE THINGS. SO THESE DOLLARS HELP US FREE UP THE OTHER DOLLARS TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DO NOT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND COMPLETELY OFF OF THE RECORD, UM, I SPOKE WITH KIANA JOE JUST NOT TOO LONG AGO. , UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. TAKE CARE. NEXT WE HAVE HOPE, FAITH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. GOOD TO SEE YOU, CHAIRMAN. HA, BARCA AND LEGISLATOR PEYTON. AND, AND SAME WITH ANDERSON. AND APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR, UM, LEADERSHIP AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THOSE IN MOST NEED IN OUR COUNTY AND IN OUR COMMUNITY. DOUG LANGNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOPE FAITH, SARAH H SHE'S, UH, ON HER SECOND DAY IN OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM. OH MY GOODNESS. SO SHE'S HERE TO LISTEN AND OBSERVE . UM, BUT ANYWAYS, TO, TO GIVE YOU ALL MAYBE A COUPLE MINUTES BACK, WHAT HOPE FAITH IS ASKING FOR IS A, I THINK IT'S RIGHT AROUND 145,000, KIND OF AS LUANNE SAID. UM, SOME OF IT IS FOR BASIC SERVICES. AND, UH, TO GIVE YOU A QUICK STORY, YESTERDAY, A GUY NAMED MICHAEL CAME IN FEET BLOODY, HIS SHOES COLLAPSED THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND WALKING TO HOPE, FAITH, HIS, HE NEEDED SHOES. AND SO BEFORE WE GOT SHOES, WE NEEDED TO GET HIM IN A SHOWER. WE NEEDED TO GET HIM SOME WOUND CARE, UM, AND THEN WE COULD GET SOME SOCKS ON HIM, GET HIM SOME BRAND NEW SHOES, AND, AND GET HIM ON HIS WAY. ALSO, HAS A, HAS A DOG IN HIS CASE, 66-YEAR-OLD MAN. UM, SO HE'S ACTUALLY BECOMING THE NORM OF WHO WALKS IN OUR DOORS ARE, SADLY, THE AGE RANGE IS GOING UP BY ABOUT ONE YEAR PER YEAR OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. SO WE'RE STARTING TO HIT A CRISIS AMONGST SO MANY PEOPLE. UM, BUT ESPECIALLY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AGING AND ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR. UM, WE SERVE A MAJORITY MINORITY POPULATION AT HOPE FAITH. UM, TO REMIND YOU, WE ARE A LOW BARRIER SHELTER THAT HELPS ALL PEOPLE, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, UM, IN CARE, REST, AND WORK. SO THE BIG THING WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A LITTLE BIT, WE EXPANDED OUR SHOWERS. AND SO ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS NOW, INSTEAD OF, UH, TWO MEN'S AND ONE WOMEN SHOWERS, WE NOW HAVE SEVEN SHOWERS THAT GET ANYONE IN IT. THEY'RE A SAFE SPACE FOR ANYONE, UM, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, MAN, WOMAN, OR WHATEVER YOUR, UH, GENDER IDENTITY IS. AND SO THAT JUST GOT OPENED UP WITH A GRANT. WITH THAT, NOW WE HAVE FOUR MORE SHOWERS OF, OF UTILITIES AND EXPENSES. UM, WE HAVE A FOOD BUDGET OF $45,000 A YEAR. WE HAVE SOME AMAZING, UM, HEROES WITHOUT CAPES ON OUR COOKING DEPARTMENT THAT TAKE NOTHING OUT OF SOMETHING. AND WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH OTHER NONPROFITS TO SAY, HOW CAN YOU BRING YOUR FOOD COSTS DOWN? BECAUSE OUR NEED IS GROWING. WE'RE ASKING FOR [02:10:01] A LITTLE BIT OF SALARY FOR THEM AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE. UM, THE FINAL THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR HEART CART PROGRAM. UM, JUST THE SAME AS THE GENTLEMAN THAT CAME IN WITH HIS FEET BLOODIED SLEPT IN A TENT TWO NIGHTS AGO, UM, I BELIEVE IN THE FIRST DISTRICT. UM, AND OFTENTIMES THEY SAY THEY WON'T GO INTO SHELTER BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA LOSE THEIR STUFF, IS THE WORDS GIVEN. SO OUR HEART CART PROGRAM, UM, WHICH SADLY IS GETTING A BUDGET CUT AFTER JULY FROM THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY. IT PROVIDES A SAFE STORAGE PLACE FOR THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN. LAST YEAR WE HAD 45 PEOPLE GO INTO A TREATMENT PROGRAM ON THEIR OWN, AND THEY KNEW THEIR STUFF WOULD BE AVAILABLE WHEN THEY GOT OUT AND GOT INTO THEIR APARTMENT, UM, WHICH OFTEN IS A BARRIER FOR THEM TO EVEN GO IN. AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE KIND OF OUR ASKS. I'M, I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS, UM, FROM ANY OF YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR, I KNOW YOU HAVE HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE WITH A LOT OF GREAT ASS AND LIMITED MONEY, SO WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT. ANY QUESTIONS? YES, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON. THANK YOU, MA'AM. UH, I WANTED TO GO BACK. YOU SAID THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY IS CUTTING WHAT? UH, IN THE HAR CART PROGRAM? MM-HMM . SO THAT SAFE STORAGE, THEY ARE AFTER JULY. WE JUST FOUND OUT A FEW WEEKS AGO. UM, WE, WE FELT LIKE IT WAS COMING JUST BECAUSE OF THINGS THEY WERE SAYING. MM-HMM . UM, IT'S, IT'S A HAR CART PROGRAM. WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT OPEN. IT'S SO VITAL. WE LITERALLY HAVE A SHIPPING CONTAINER. WE COULD PROBABLY USE TWO MORE WHERE WE STORE PEOPLE'S STUFF SAFELY. THEN WE HAVE A WHOLE BAY OF LOCKERS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT WORK. UM, 40% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WALK IN OUR DOORS HAVE A JOB AT NO PLACE TO CALL HOME. UM, AND SO THEY CAN COME IN AND GET A SHOWER, GET A MEAL, GET READY FOR WORK AND OR AFTER WORK, UM, AND, AND HAVE THEIR ITEMS STORED SAFELY IN OUR HEART CART PROGRAM, IS WHAT WE CALL THAT. HOW MUCH IS THAT? THE CITY CUTTING WITH THAT? SO THEY, THEY PROVIDED LAST YEAR, 40,000. THEY ARE CUTTING THAT WHOLE AMOUNT. WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND SHOULDER THAT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE WE JUST KNOW WE CAN'T. IT WAS ONE ABRUPT. UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK FOR SOME OTHER FUNDING. WE ARE GONNA, SOME OTHER FUNDING REQUESTS. UM, BUT FOR US, THAT'S JUST TOO VITAL OF A THING TO JUST START BACK TO ZERO. UM, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORTS AND, AND IN DIFFERENT PLACES WE CAN JUST, THE REALITY. I WON'T TRY TO TALK ABOUT THE KANSAS CITY BUDGET, BUT I THINK THERE'S OTHER THINGS YOU COULD CUT WITH $40,000 IN THIS. SURE. NO DOUBT. I, I'M GLAD YOU EXPLAINED THAT TO ME. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. I MEAN, TO BE ABLE TO PUT YOUR STUFF SOMEWHERE MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. I'VE GONE OUT WITH COMPUTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAMS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED AND THEY JUST DON'T WANNA LEAVE THEIR STUFF. YEAH. SO THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE, UH, GAP THAT WE NEED DESPERATELY. SO IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE CAN'T HELP YOU TO KEEP THAT GOING. OF COURSE. I CAN'T MAKE ANY GUARANTEES. OF COURSE. NO. UNDERSTOOD. BUT I WOULD LOVE IF THAT COULD HAPPEN. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. NEXT WE HAVE HOPE, HOPE BUILDERS. I LOVE THAT NAME. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY. I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT A JACKSON COUNTY HOMEOWNER THAT WE RECENTLY HELPED. SHE IS 91 YEARS OLD. SHE'S LIVED IN HER HOME, UH, FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS. SHE RAISED HER CHILDREN THERE, UM, WATCHED HER NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE, BUILT A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES, BUT AS SHE HAS AGED, THE HOME THAT HAD ONCE SUPPORTED HER HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE AND IS A SAFETY RISK. UM, EVERYDAY TASKS ARE MORE CHALLENGING. STAIRS ARE, UH, NOT MANAGEABLE. SO THROUGH ACCESSIBILITY, MODIFICATIONS, INCLUDING A RAMP, SAFER ENTRYWAYS, IMPROVED LIGHTING, BATHROOM UPGRADES, WE HELPED ENSURE THAT SHE COULD CONTINUE TO LIVE SAFELY AND INDEPENDENTLY IN THE HOME AND COMMUNITY THAT SHE LOVES. AND THAT'S WHAT H HOPE BUILDERS DOES EVERY DAY. HOUSING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. MORE THAN 120,000 JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE OVER THE AGE OF 65 AND 90% OF OLDER ADULTS WANT TO AGE IN PLACE. SO THE QUESTION ISN'T, UM, DO THEY WANT TO AGE IN PLACE? IT'S WHETHER THEIR HOMES WILL ALLOW THEM TO DO SO SAFELY. AND BY PROVIDING CRITICAL HOME REPAIR AND ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS, HOPE BUILDERS HELPS OLDER ADULTS AND INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES REMAIN HEALTHY, INDEPENDENT, AND CONNECTED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. UM, WE HELP PREVENT FALLS AND INJURIES BEFORE THEY OCCUR, REDUCING COSTS OF EMERGENCY CARE, REHABILITATION, AND LONG-TERM CARE NEEDS, EVEN REDUCING TAXPAYER SUPPORT. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. MANY OF THE HOMES WE SERVE ARE OLDER HOMES THAT REQUIRE REPAIRS TO REMAIN SAFE AND HABITABLE. UH, BY THE WAY, DID YOU [02:15:01] KNOW THAT OLDER ADULTS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING POPULATION FACING HOMELESSNESS? YES. UM, SO BY INVESTING IN THESE HOMES TODAY, WE'RE HELPING PREVENT DISPLACEMENT, STABILIZE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PRODUCT ASSETS THAT FAMILIES HAVE SPENT DECADES BUILDING. WHAT MAKES OUR WORK UNIQUE IS THAT WE OPERATE THROUGH REFERRALS FROM HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AGING SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE KNOW THAT HOUSING CHALLENGES RARELY EXIST IN ISOLATION. UH, BY CONNECTING RESIDENTS TO A BROADER NETWORK OF SUPPORT, WE ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE CONDITION OF THE HOME, BUT THE WELLBEING OF THE PERSON IN IT. MORE THAN 70% OF HOUSEHOLDS WE SERVE SO FAR IN 2026 ARE LOCATED IN JACKSON COUNTY. AND INVESTMENT IN HOPE BUILDERS IS AN INVESTMENT IN JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR LIVES CONTRIBUTING TO THIS COMMUNITY AND SIMPLY WANT TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMAIN SAFELY IN THE HOMES THEY OWN. SO WE ARE RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SIMPLY REPAIRING HOUSES, WE'RE PRESERVING INDEPENDENCE, PROTECTING DIGNITY, REDUCING PUBLIC COSTS, AND HELPING LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF JACKSON COUNTY REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY HELP TO BUILD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, UM, JAYLEN ANDERSON AND I, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON AND I CO-SPONSOR THE SENIOR TAX LEVY. AND AS YOU WERE SAYING, WHAT YOU PROVIDE, I'M LIKE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE SENIOR TAX LEVE MM-HMM . WAS MEANT TO DO TO HELP WITH THAT. YES. WE WERE PART OF THAT. MM-HMM . AND, UM, WHAT IS YOUR ASK? HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU ASKING? 40,000. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND SHARING THAT WITH US. YOUR SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP. THANKS, JACKSON COUNTY CASA. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND LISTENING TO ALL OF THE GOOD WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN JACKSON COUNTY. MY NAME IS ANGIE LUMME, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF JACKSON COUNTY CASA FOR THE PAST ALMOST 10 YEARS. OH, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. ANDA, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, STANDS FOR COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES. WE'VE EXISTED IN JACKSON COUNTY SINCE 1983, UH, AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. AND OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE, UM, AS THE VOICE IN FAMILY COURT FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE DUE TO EXPERIENCING ABUSE OR NEGLECT. AND LAST YEAR WE HAD OUR BUSIEST YEAR ON RECORD. WE SERVED 1,368 CHILDREN, UM, WHO HAD EXPERIENCED ABUSE OR NEGLECT AND WERE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF FAMILY COURT. THIS IS NEARLY 100% OF THE KIDS, UM, WHO WERE SEEN BY THE COURT LAST YEAR, WERE SERVED BY THE COURT LAST YEAR. HOW WE EXECUTE OUR MISSION IS WE RECRUIT AND TRAIN VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE AS COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES, OR AS I LIKE TO SAY, THE EYES AND EARS OF FOR FAMILY COURT. THESE ARE, UM, DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE VISITING THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE REGULARLY, UNDERSTANDING THEIR NEEDS, UM, ENSURING THAT THEIR THERAPEUTIC, MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ARE MET WHILE THEY'RE IN FOSTER CARE, AND THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING THEM OUT OF CARE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OUR PRIMARY GOAL AT JACKSON COUNTY CASA IS FAMILY PRESERVATION. WE KNOW THAT KIDS DO BEST WHEN THEY RETURN TO SAFER, HEALTHIER PARENTS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS. UH, IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO STAY WITHIN THEIR FAMILY SYSTEM, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEIR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE. UH, SO WE WORK VERY HARD TO DO THAT IN TERMS OF OUR EFFECTIVENESS. UM, THE FAMILY COURT ACTUALLY DID A THREE YEAR LOOK BACK AT OUR DATA, UH, JUST SEEING HOW, UH, OUR SERVICES IMPACT THE CHILDREN, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. AND THEY FOUND THAT KIDS SERVED BY JACKSON COUNTY CASA SPEND LESS TIME IN FOSTER CARE. THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO RETURN HOME TO SAFER, HEALTHIER PARENTS OR STAY WITHIN THEIR FAMILY SYSTEM, AND THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO RETURN, UM, TO THE SYSTEM DUE TO EXPERIENCING REUSE OR NEGLECT. SO WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT DATA WE, WE ATTRACT WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, UH, LOOKING AT FOR YEARS AS WELL. SO WE KNOW KIDS WITH THE JACKSON COUNTY CASA TEAM BY THEIR SIDE DO BETTER. WE SERVE KIDS BIRTH TO 21, BUT WE ACTUALLY STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM FOR MUCH LONGER UP TO ABOUT AGE 26 OR 27, BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE EXITING FOSTER CARE, UM, PERHAPS WITHOUT A FAMILY SYSTEM IN PLACE, YOU NEED ALL THOSE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS. UH, AND WE STAY IN TOUCH TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. UM, DID I MISS ANYTHING? THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE CARLOS CORRIDOR, AND, UH, DID I HIT EVERYTHING? DID I FORGET ANYTHING? N NO. I THINK, YOU KNOW, NO, UH, CERTAINLY COVERED. AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN [02:20:01] WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT ADVOCACY, I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN A VERY BROAD SPECTRUM. NOT ONLY, UM, IS THERE THE VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES THAT WE TALK ABOUT, WE HAVE GUARDIAN AD LITEMS ON STAFF WHO PROVIDE THAT DIRECT SUPPORT WITH THE COURT SYSTEM. UH, WE HAVE ADVOCATE SUPERVISORS, SO IT'S A VERY STRONG, WELL SECURED THREE-LEGGED STOOL. AND THEN ADVOCACY THAT COMES FROM THE COMMUNITY. UM, WHETHER IT'S TAX FUNDING, WORKING WITH FOUNDATIONS AND GRANT PROVIDERS, INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDE THE SUPPORT, THAT'S SO CRITICAL FOR US TO, UH, DRIVE THE REUNIFICATION OF THOSE KIDS. RIGHT? YEP. AND THIS, UH, REQUEST IS A MODEST REQUEST. WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR CONSIDERATION OF IT. OUR BUDGET'S ABOUT $4.5 MILLION ANNUALLY. AND SO WE'RE ASKING, UM, FOR OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING JUST TO SUPPORT, UH, THE WORK OF OUR STAFF. AND AS CARLOS MENTIONED, WE HAVE ADVOCATES ON STAFF, WE HAVE ATTORNEYS ON STAFF THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE CHILDREN, UM, IN FAMILY COURT, UH, AND, AND OTHERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING, UH, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT, UH, DO THE GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO, THANK YOU. WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR US? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LEGISLATOR? OH, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT IS YOUR ASK? I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T CATCH IT. YOUR ASK. YEAH. YES. HOW MUCH? THE AMOUNT OF THE REQUEST? OH, AT 30. I THINK IT WAS THE SAME. 35, WHAT IS IT? NEIGHBORHOOD? ABOUT 30? YEAH, I LOOKED AT IT LAST. 36. YEAH. AROUND THERE. YEAH. 36. OKAY. 37. YOU I WAS LIKE 35 OR 37. THANK YOU. 36. YEAH. SO MODEST REQUEST, BUT IT, THIS, THIS FUNDING IS SO HELPFUL TO US AND IN TERMS OF, UM, HELPING TO FUND THE PARTIAL POSITION MM-HMM . WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME FOR THIS TODAY. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. YES. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. NEXT WE HAVE JERUSALEM FORMS. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. HELLO. HELLO. IT'S SO FUN COMING IN. LISTEN TO EVERYONE. DOUG'S, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE STREET FROM US AT JERUSALEM FARM. AND MY SON, WHEN WE ADOPTED HIM OUTTA FOSTER CARE, I HAD A CASA WORKER. IT IS JUST FUN, YOU KNOW, TO BE AROUND EVERYONE. WE'VE GOT BIG THINGS GOING UP WITH JBS SOON. CAN YOU PULL THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TOO? YOU YEAH. YEAH. I THOUGHT I TRIED, BUT, OKAY. IT WAS JUST STUCK. OKAY. SORRY. MY, OKAY. HI, JESSIE SHEELEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT JERUSALEM FARM. IT'S ALSO MY BIRTHDAY, IF YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION. , HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. ENJOYING 41 SO FAR, SO ALL GOOD. IT'S A WONDERFUL AGE. A WONDERFUL AGE. . UM, YEAH. SO WE DO HOME REPAIR AND OTHER HOUSING THINGS IN THE HISTORIC NORTHEAST. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MOST KNOWN FOR. WE DO A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND JUST COMMUNITY STUFF. UM, ALL BASED IN THE NORTHEAST. UM, WE LIVE THERE, WE WORK THERE. SO WE WANT ALL OF THE SERVICE THAT WE DO TO BE THERE AS WELL. UH, OUR ASK IS FOR 60,000 FOR HOME REPAIR. JUST THE ENDLESS HAMSTER WHEEL OF TRYING TO FIND FUNDING TO HELP PEOPLE MAINTAIN THEIR HOMES IS THE REALITY OF MY JOB. SO , THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR. UM, WE HAVE EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING WITH, UM, BUILDING NEW HOMES IN THE HISTORIC NORTHEAST THAT HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY YOU ALL. AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT. BUT WE DON'T WANNA JUST BUILD NEW HOMES. WE ALSO WANNA RETAIN THE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE THERE. SO WHEN WE DO A BUILD, WE LOOK AROUND AT THE NEIGHBORS NEXT TO YOU AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO STAY? 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA FORCE YOU OUT BY BUILDING BUILDINGS AROUND YOU. MM-HMM . WE WANT YOU TO STAY TOO. SO THAT'S OUR ASK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHTY. AND THANK, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA DO IS THANK YOU FOR, UM, KEEPING US INFORMED. YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. OH, THANK YOU, DONNA. I REALLY DO. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. YEAH, THANKS DONNA. HAVE A GOOD ONE. , JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES SERVICE. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW ARE YOU ALL? GREAT. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. UH, MY NAME'S MORGAN MERRILL. I'M THE SENIOR GRANTS MANAGER AT JVS. HI THERE. I'M JOAN KELLY. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AT JVS. UM, SO TO INTRODUCE OUR AGENCY A LITTLE BIT, UM, IN 1949, AFTER THE DEVASTATION OF WORLD WAR II, JVS WAS FOUNDED BY THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY, UM, TO WELCOME AND RALLY SUPPORT FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS RETURNING VETERANS AND DISPLACED PEOPLE. UM, TODAY JVS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE SERVING AGENCIES IN THE METRO. UM, WE WELCOME REFUGEES, UM, EACH YEAR IN THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, BUT THEN ALSO SUPPORT KANSAS CITY'S VERY VIBRANT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY AS WELL. UM, OUR SERVICES ARE BUILT AROUND [02:25:01] A COMPREHENSIVE CLIENT-CENTERED APPROACH THAT ADDRESSES THE MULTIPLE BARRIERS THAT IMMIGRANTS FACE WHEN ARRIVING TO A NEW COUNTRY OR WHEN CONTINUING TO BUILD THEIR LIVES HERE. THIS INCLUDES THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM NEEDS, UH, SUCH AS HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND HOSPITAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH NAVIGATION. UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE SERVE ABOUT 4,800 FOLKS PER YEAR. AND WITH RECENT FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES, THOSE NEEDS HAVE GONE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. UM, OUR ASK IS AROUND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SPECIFICALLY FOR REFUGEES WHO ARE, UM, LAWFULLY PRESENT WITH WORK AUTHORIZATION, BUT UNDER THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL SIGNED ABOUT A YEAR AGO INTO LAW, THEY'RE BEING STRIPPED OF MEDICAID AND SNAP, UM, AND CHIP, UM, ELIGIBILITY. AND SO JUST THIS WEEK, ABOUT 3000 MISSOURIANS ACROSS THE STATE ARE RECEIVING NOTIFICATION THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID. AND JUST TO PUT THAT IMPACT REALLY ZEROED IN, UM, WE HAVE FAMILIES WHERE SOME OF THE CHILDREN WERE US CITIZENS BORN HERE, AND SOME OF THEIR, UM, CHILDREN WERE BORN OVERSEAS. AND SO THEY HAVE LAWFUL PRESENT PERMANENT, UM, STATUS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT ONLY SOME OF THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN HEALTHCARE COVERAGE. UM, AND SO OUR ASK IS, UM, TO SUPPORT THESE FAMILIES WITH EMERGENCY NEEDS AS THEY COME UP ALONG WITH OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT THAT HELPS FOLKS NAVIGATE KIND OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF, OF THESE NEW CHALLENGES THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING PLACED ON OUR FAMILIES. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T THINK THAT I, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN CONVENING STAKEHOLDERS TO TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES TO MEDICAID AND, AND THE WORKFORCE REQUIREMENTS BEFORE THOSE ROLL OUT. THE WORKFORCE REQUIREMENTS ARE ALSO GOING TO BE VERY SERIOUS FOR OUR CLIENTS, BUT WE'RE IMMEDIATELY SEEING THE IMPACT OF, OF THE IMMIGRATION CHANGES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BECAUSE YOU OPENED THE DOOR FOR ME TO ASK YOU MORE ABOUT THE LETTER. I I'M NOT AWARE OF THE LETTER THAT PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING THIS WEEK. YES. SO DSS IS, IS ISSUING OUT 3000 LETTERS TO FAMILIES LETTING THEM KNOW THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE REFUGEE STATUS BUT HAVE NOT YET BEEN GRANTED THE GREEN CARD, UM, THEY ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR A MEDICAID. AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY PROFOUND IMPACT FOR OUR LOCAL HEALTH SYSTEMS AND OUR FAMILIES, AND AN IMPACT ON OUR SAFETY NET HOSPITALS. EXACTLY. RIGHT. AND ORGANIZATIONS. MM-HMM . UM, I THINK I JUST SENT MAYBE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, A BRIEFING ON REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS IMPACT ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THESE CHANGES YOUR WAY, BUT I I CAN RESEND IT AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU YES. I'M JOAN . THAT WAS, SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. NO, IT'S OKAY. YEAH. SO IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY PROFOUND IMPACT AND BECAUSE IT'S NOT IMPACTING THE ENTIRE POPULATION IN THE SAME WAY THAT WHEN SNAP ENDED DURING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WE'RE NOT SEEING THE SAME VISIBILITY. BUT, UM, WE HAVE FAMILIES WHERE THERE IS CANCER TREATMENT THAT IS GOING TO BE CANCELED AS OF OCTOBER 1ST. WE HAVE, UM, PRETTY PROFOUND IMPACTS THAT ARE RIPPLING ACROSS. AND SO, WHILE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IS NOT GOING TO BE THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER FOR THE FOLKS, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO IS OFFER, UM, IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, UTILITY BILL PAYMENTS OR HELP WITH RENT OR, OR FOOD WHEN SNAP BENEFITS HAVE BEEN CUT. AND AS WE KNOW, FAMILIES IN THE SUMMER PARTICULARLY ARE HARD HIT BECAUSE CHILDCARE COSTS ARE HIGHER, THERE'S NO SCHOOL FOOD. UM, SO THIS IS A, A TRULY IMPACTFUL WAY THAT, UM, CLIENTS CAN CONTINUE TO KNOW THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS SUPPORTIVE OF THEM. THEY WANT TO HAVE, UM, A, A DIVERSE AND, AND PRODUCTIVE, UM, COUNTY. AND SO, YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF THE BIG NEED AT THE MOMENT. JOAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO, UM, GIVE MY AGE YOUR INFORMATION SO WE CAN INVITE YOU TO OUR NEXT PLANNING SESSION. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO BE THERE. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I'M, I'M VERY QUICK. WHAT WAS YOUR, WHAT WAS YOUR ASK? SORRY. YES, WE'VE ASKED FOR $50,000 FOR BOTH EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND THAT CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. JOURNEY TO NEW LIFE. HI. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. HOW'S IT GOING? IT'S GOING WELL. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'M [02:30:01] JULIA LLOYD. I'M WITH JOURNEY TO NEW LIFE. UM, WE ARE A PRISON REENTRY ORGANIZATION SERVING AROUND 1,200 PEOPLE A YEAR. UM, KIND OF COMING BACK INTO KANSAS CITY AFTER BEING INCARCERATED FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. UM, WE DO WRAPAROUND SERVICES, SO, UM, WE DO PEER SUPPORT AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. SO THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM HELPING YOU WITH YOUR ID TO CLOTHING, HELPING YOU GET CONNECTED TO RESOURCES. UM, OVER HALF OUR STAFF HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF INCARCERATION, SO YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE KIND OF LIKE COACHING YOU THROUGH THE REENTRY PROCESS, HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE SAME SITUATION THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN. UM, WE HAVE CAREER COACHES, WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS, AND WE HELP WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS YOU COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF AT OUR MAIN OFFICE TO HELP WITH THOSE NEEDS. UM, BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR GRANT, UM, AND SUPPORT, WE ASK FOR SUPPORT OF OUR WOMEN'S RESIDENCES. SO WE HAVE TWO HOUSES THAT EACH HOLD, UM, 20 WOMEN AT A TIME. AND IN THOSE SPACES, WE, UM, LITERALLY PICK PEOPLE DIRECTLY UP FROM THE BUS STATION AFTER THEY'VE BEEN INCARCERATED, THEY COME STRAIGHT TO OUR HOUSE WITH US. WE IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE THEM WITH, UM, NEW CLOTHING THAT FITS THEM. LIKE WE'LL TAKE THEM TO LIKE LOBAR OR SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT TO PICK OUT CLOTHING THAT FITS THEM, A CELL PHONE WITH SERVICE. UM, AND THEN THEY CAN STAY WITH US NOW FOR UP TO A YEAR, UM, DURING THEIR STAY. WE HELP THEM, UM, GET TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED. SO THAT MIGHT BE DRUG TREATMENT. THAT COULD BE, UM, WE HAVE A THERAPIST ON SITE NOW, SO LIKE, LIKE MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY, THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, AND THEN HELP PEOPLE GET PREPARED AND READY TO, UM, TO GET A JOB AND TO GET REINTEGRATED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. SO, UM, WE DO EVERYTHING FROM HELPING THEM GET THEIR HEALTHCARE NEEDS SET UP. UM, DENTAL, DENTAL ASSISTANCE. SO I KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WE SERVE HAVE MEDICAID, BUT THAT DOESN'T COVER ALL THE COSTS OF THOSE SERVICES. SO WE TRY AND, UH, MEET THOSE NEEDS AS WELL. UM, BUT BASICALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE BARRIER YOU COULD THINK OF THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OUT THAT COULD KEEP YOU FROM SUCCESS. AND WE TRY AND ADDRESS THAT OR SOFTEN THAT FOR FOLKS. UM, AND THEY'RE IN A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT LOVE AND CARE ABOUT THEM, UM, THAT ARE REALLY HELPING THEM SEE THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY, UM, AND HELPING THEM ACCESS, UM, JUST NEW THINGS SO THAT THEIR PATH IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME. I WOULD SAY MOST FOLKS THAT WE SERVE, PROBABLY 97% HAVE ADDICTION HISTORY. UM, SEVERAL, I WOULD SAY OVER HALF HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED MORE THAN ONCE BEFORE THEY COME TO US. AND SO WE'RE REALLY THERE TO BE LIKE, WHAT COULD BE DIFFERENT THIS TIME? WHERE CAN WE MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE AND HELP MAKE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT MIGHT CAUSE YOU TO LIKE SLIDE BACK INTO OLD PATHWAYS, NOT HAPPEN THIS TIME. SO, UM, SO FOR THIS PARTICULAR SUPPORT, WE'D ASKED TO HELP WITH THAT PROGRAM PARTIALLY 'CAUSE IT'S A REALLY HARD PROGRAM TO SUPPORT. IT'S EXPENSIVE TO RUN RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS AND, UM, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT OUR FOCUS WAS FOR THIS PARTICULAR GRANT. THANK YOU. SO I, WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, YOU HAVE, UH, UH SURE. IN YOUR ASK NUMBER PLEASE. MM-HMM . HOW MUCH? OH, IT'S 50,000. 50,000. THANK YOU. AND MM-HMM . YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, YOU WANTED TO USE THIS MONEY, THIS 50,000 IN SUPPORT OF YOUR TWO WOMEN'S MM-HMM . NOW I WAS ENLIGHTENED MM-HMM . WHEN I VISITED JOURNEY TO NEW LIFE BECAUSE IT HAD HISTORICALLY BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING MM-HMM . THAT THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU WORK WITH ARE NOT NECESSARILY, OR MAJORITY NOT FROM WITHIN JACKSON COUNTY. CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT CONCERN? SURE. UM, WE SERVE PEOPLE THEORETICALLY, I GUESS IN THAT PROGRAM. THAT COULD BE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE. MOST PEOPLE ARE FROM KANSAS CITY, BUT REGARDLESS, THEY'VE CHOSEN TO COME OUT AND START THEIR LIFE HERE FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER. UM, BUT THAT'S A REALLY SMALL NUMBER. SO IN THAT PROGRAM THAT SERVES ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE A YEAR, BUT WE SERVE 1,200 PEOPLE A YEAR. AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE FROM JACKSON COUNTY. SO, UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CONFUSION CAME FROM, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE ARE LITERALLY JUST OFF THE STREET FROM TRUTH COMING AT OUR FRONT DOORS AND THEY'RE JUST LIKE, FROM OUR COMMUNITY NEEDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. UM, AND SO I GUESS IN THEORY, PEOPLE FROM THE HOUSES COULD HAVE BEEN FROM A DIFFERENT PART OF MISSOURI, BUT WE DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY TRACK THAT. UM, BUT THE, THEY'RE ALL CHOOSING TO LIVE IN KANSAS CITY FOR A REASON. I WOULD SAY OCCASIONALLY IT COULD BE SOMEBODY FROM ST. LOUIS THAT DOESN'T WANNA GO BACK THERE FOR SOME REASON AND WANTS TO START OVER IN KANSAS CITY. UM, I'M GUESSING SOME PEOPLE FROM KANSAS CITY DO THE SAME THING WITH LIKE KEYWAY IN ST. LOUIS, WHICH IS A SIMILAR PROGRAM TO OURS. UM, BUT YEAH. OKAY. SO THEY'RE ALL JACKSON COUNTY PEOPLE NOW, AT LEAST . UM, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT'S AGAIN, LIKE A REALLY SMALL NUMBER THAT WOULD BE AT THE MOST, 100 OF THE 1,100 FOLKS THAT WE SERVE. SO, AND THIS IS SIERRA, SHE'S OUR RESIDENCE DIRECTOR. SO SORRY , HI FOR THAT PROGRAM. BUT, UM, I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE RESIDENCES, UM, BUT YEAH. UM, SO WE, UM, ARE 12 MONTH PROGRAM. YEAH. THAT, UH, HELPS INDIVIDUALS THAT COME DIRECTLY OUT OF INCARCERATION. WE FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH, UM, PHYSICAL HEALTH. UH, [02:35:01] WE TRY TO BE A WRAPAROUND TEAM THAT SETS OUR CLIENTS UP FOR SUCCESS, IS THE MAIN PART. AND WE WANNA HIT EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL-ROUNDED AND WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF OUR PROGRAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, . TAKE CARE. I APPRECIATE IT. I'M SO SORRY. IT'S OKAY. CAN B'S MARKET? GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. CASEY CLAPS, CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER OF KBIS MARKETS AND A UNCOMFORTABLE PUBLIC SPEAKER. SO I HAVE FIVE NOTES WRITTEN NOW. . THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS MARATHON OF YOUR NEXT THREE DAYS AND THE SUPPORT TEAM. YOU'RE ALL AMAZING. OUR FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM USED TO BE CALLED FOOD STAMPS NOW SNAP, UM, LAUNCHED IN 1939. FOOD BANKS WERE A MODERN CONCEPT INVENTED IN 1967. AND TODAY WE ARE LIVING IN THE MOST FOOD PRODUCTIVE TIME OF HUMAN HISTORY. THIS YEAR IN THIS COUNTRY, IN THIS COUNTY, HUNGER RATES ARE INCREASING. 186 WAS BILLION WAS JUST CUT FROM SNAP. 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ROLLED OFF 700,000 OF 'EM CHILDREN. AND THIS IS NOT TO SAY FOOD BANKS AND SNAP HAVE FAILED, BUT THEY WEREN'T BUILT FOR EMERGENCIES FOR TEMPORARY CRISIS WITH CLEAR EDGES. HUNGER TODAY IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. WHAT HAPPENS, HUNGER HAPPENS WHEN RENT OUTPACES WAGES, WHEN THE COST OF MEDICINE CROWDS OUT THE COST OF FOOD, WHEN PRICES CLIMB BEYOND WHAT A WORKING FAMILY CAN ABSORB. NO EMERGENCY PROGRAM WAS BUILT TO HOLD THAT. AND WE HAVE TO ADMIT AN IMPORTANT TRUTH, WHICH IS THAT WE CANNOT FEED PEOPLE OUT OF THE CONDITIONS THAT HUNGER CREATE. SO THE STATUS QUO WOULD WANT US TO THINK THIS IS AN INSOLVABLE INTRACTABLE PROBLEM, BUT THE STATUS QUO IS FAILING IN TWO DIRECTIONS AT ONCE. THERE ARE MORE HUNGRY PEOPLE THAN EVER, AND WE HAVE MORE FOOD WASTE THAN EVER BEFORE IN KANSAS CITY ALONE, THANKS TO SOME RECENT DATA JUST DONE BY THE CITY, THERE IS A HUNDRED MILLION POUNDS OF FRESH EDIBLE FOOD BEING THROWN INTO THE LANDFILLS EVERY YEAR. THAT IS ENOUGH FOOD TO SUSTAIN OUR FOOD INSECURE POPULATION. THE FOOD IS HERE, THE PROBLEM IS NOT SCARCITY, IT'S THE BROKEN CONNECTION IN JACKSON COUNTY. CAM'S MARKET SAYS THAT'S WHERE WE DROP THE ROPE. WE GET THAT FOOD BEFORE IT'S GONE. WE BRING IT TO A HUNDRED SMALL LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES IN JACKSON COUNTY. WE'RE CANVASSING 200 SQUARE MILES OF JACKSON COUNTY EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS DAY TO RETAIL, 20 TO 25 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, 20 TO 25% BELOW WHAT YOU WOULD PAY AT A GROCER. WHAT WE CAN'T SELL GOES TO HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS OVER 60 IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR FREE WITHIN HOURS. NOTHING HITS THE LANDFILL THAT DOESN'T NEED TO. WHEN YOU PUT FRESH FOOD WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SHOPPING AND YOU PRICE IT SO THAT THEY CAN AFFORD IT, YOU REINFORCE AN ECONOMIC FABRIC THAT SUPPORTS ITSELF. 30% OF EVERY SALE GOES TO THE STORE. 70% OF THE THE REVENUE COMES BACK TO US TO FUND THE TRUCKS, THE FUELS AND THE DELIVERY. THIS IS WHAT MAKES AFFORDABLE FOOD SUSTAINABLE. FACILITATES UPWARD MOBILITY FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, GIVES SENIORS A PLACE TO SHOP THAT SATISFIES THE DIETS THAT DOCTORS SAY THEY NEED TO FOLLOW. KIMBERLY ANN, A WOMAN WHO SHOPS AT ONE OF OUR STORES TOLD US MY KIDS WANTED TO BUY A MANGO INSTEAD OF HOT CHIPS. THEY'RE SHOWN SOMETHING BEYOND WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM HAS NORMALIZED. SHE CALLS CAN BES A LITTLE KISS OF HEAVEN ON BP AT THE BP ON LINWOOD IN INDIANA. THE GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI VISITED AND SENT A HANDWRITTEN NOTE THAT SAID, WOW, WE DO NOT NEED TO ACCEPT THE FOOD SYSTEM AS IT IS. WE CAN BUILD ONE BETTER WITH THE PIECES THAT ALREADY EXIST, BUT WE CANNOT BUILD IT ALONE. OUR ASK FOR YOU TODAY IS TO FUND, NOT THE PROGRAM, BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES OUR PROGRAM WORK. WHAT WE NEED IS PROFESSIONALIZED ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS. THIS IS GOING TO ENSURE OUR STORES RECEIVE THEIR SHARE OF REVENUE ACCURATELY AND ON TIME. IT KEEPS OUR FINANCIAL MODEL TRANSPARENT AND IT ALLOWS OUR SYSTEM TO BUILD THE EARNED REVENUE THAT WILL SUSTAIN ITSELF FOR THE LONG TERM. WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT FOOD IS NOT CALORIC. IT'S NOT, ITS CALORIC VALUE. WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE HAS A BABY, YOU BRING FOOD. WHEN SOMEONE LOSES A JOB OR A PARENT OR THEIR HEALTH, YOU BRING FOOD WHEN THERE'S A CELEBRATION, A GRIEF, A HOMECOMING, A GOODBYE. THERE'S ALWAYS A TABLE. SO WE'RE ASKING YOUR HELP TO KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLES. [02:40:01] WELL, , THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. UM, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? AND THE NUMBER FOR YOUR ASK? SO WE WROTE FOR 128,000 TO FUND THREE DIFFERENT SPECIFIC ACCOUNTING PRACTICES. ONE IS A, UM, FORMALIZED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE REACH OUR SCALE OF THAT 100 STORES, WE HAVE REALLY TIGHT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES. AND THE OTHER IS AN INTERNAL BOOKKEEPER, WHICH WE ARE HOPING TO THEN PROFESSIONALLY TRANSITION OVER TO. BUT WE NEED TO SET UP THE PROCESSES IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OPERATION'S TIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND, AND, AND AS YOU WERE TALKING AND, UM, I AM A LITTLE FAMILIAR WITH CAMS BECAUSE I SEE CAMS CAM COMES, UM, TO DIFFERENT SENIOR LOCATIONS, HOUSING LOCATIONS AND MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS AMAZING AND NOT ONLY AMAZING BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT NOW, BUT IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT IT'S GONNA HAVE. 10 YEARS FROM NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD. WE'RE GONNA, SO I'M EXCITED FOR YOU HERE FIRST, HERE FIRST HERE FIRST, HERE FIRST. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. AND JUST WANNA TELL YOU, WE GO TO DC AND WE LOBBIED FOR THE, UM, SNAP PENALTIES NOT TO COME, UM, TO GET THE EXTENSIONS FOR OUR STATES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF THOSE FINES WERE TO COME, IT WOULD BE REALLY DISASTROUS. SO YES, WE'RE WORKING FOR THE STATES TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. KANSAS CITY AUTISM TRAINING CENTER ON TIME. YES, YOU ARE . PERFECT TIMING. JUST RIGHT HERE. YES, YES. PERFECT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. FILLING IN. WE HAD A LAST MINUTE SWITCH. SO . WELL, I'M GLAD THAT SOMEONE'S HERE TO REPRESENT YOUR ORGANIZATION. UM, YEAH, SO I AM DREW MEYER. I AM THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, UM, AT THE KANSAS CITY AUTISM TRAINING CENTER. UM, WE'VE BEEN A RECIPIENT OF THIS, OF THIS FUND FOR THE PAST, UM, MANY YEARS NOW. SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND OBVIOUSLY HOPE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT REPORT. UM, BUT WE WORK TO PROVIDE THERAPY, EDUCATION AND TREATMENT FOR KIDS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO WE, UM, DON'T FOCUS ON JUST THE CHILD, BUT WE INVOLVE, UM, THE WHOLE FAMILY IN, UM, YOU KNOW, REACHING, HELPING THAT CHILD REACH THEIR GOALS AND THEIR, THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. WHETHER, UM, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TRANSITIONING TO A TYPICAL SCHOOL SETTING OR JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, GREATER INDEPENDENCE IN LIFE IN IN GENERAL. UM, AND SO WE SERVE, UM, AGE RANGES ABOUT TWO TO 12. UM, SOMETIMES A LITTLE OLDER THAN THAT. UM, BUT THAT IS OUR TYPICAL AGE RANGE. AND WE ALSO, UM, SO WE ALSO OPERATE ASTRA DAY SCHOOL, UM, WHICH IS OUR ONSITE, UM, PRESCHOOL BECAUSE, UM, OUR WHOLE ORGANIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS KIND OF STRUCTURED LIKE ATYPICAL SCHOOL SETTING FOR, UM, PRIMARILY EARLY INTERVENTION AND PRESCHOOL AGE STUDENTS. UM, BUT ALSO FOR OUR OLDER STUDENTS IT IS, YOU KNOW, LESS, LESS LIKE A CLINIC AND MORE LIKE A SCHOOL AND AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE AT. AND IT'S ALSO A WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, A PLACE THAT IS FUN, UM, AND WHERE A KID CAN KIND OF TRULY JUST BE A KID. UM, AND SO KIND OF WHAT SETS US APART AS A NONPROFIT DOING THIS WORK IS THAT WE, UM, ARE ABLE TO KIND OF GO BEYOND, UM, THE INSURANCE LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE. SO INSURANCE DOES NOT, UM, FULLY FUND THE, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICES 'CAUSE WE DO A BA THERAPY, UM, WHICH IS THE, YOU KNOW, SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN, UM, THERAPY FOR THE BEST TREATMENT FOR AUTISM. UM, BUT IT DOES NOT FULLY COVER, UM, WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING AND, AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO, UM, PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, THE THERAPY AND THE PROGRAMMING THAT A CHILD NEEDS KIND OF REGARDLESS OF THOSE BILLABLE HOURS OR, YOU KNOW, SO WE WILL GIVE THEM MORE HOURS OF THERAPY, MORE HOURS OF, OF WORK AND INTENTIONAL ONE-ON-ONE TIME WITH OUR, UM, PROVIDERS. AND IT ALSO PROVIDES, UM, TIME FOR OUR PROVIDERS TO WORK ON ADMIN WORK AND GRAPHING AND PROGRAMMING, UM, KIND OF BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL SO THAT WHEN THEIR CHILD IS, IS IN THE CENTER, UM, THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, DEDICATE THAT FULL, THAT CHILD'S DAY, HAVE THEIR FULL ATTENTION. SO THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO SIMULTANEOUSLY COLLECT DATA AND STUFF LIKE THAT. UM, AT THE SAME TIME, AND LIKE I SAID, EACH CHILD, UM, GOALS ARE, ARE KIND OF CHANGED, UM, AND CUSTOMIZED TO, TO THEIR STRENGTHS AND THEIR NEEDS AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME AS WELL. UM, THE GRANT THAT WE WROTE THIS YEAR IS, UM, PRIMARILY, UM, FOR US TO PROVIDE OUR, OUR AUDIT AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEM COSTS. UM, AND SO THAT IS AGAIN, KIND OF RELYING ON DONATIONS AND GRANTS, UM, TO KIND OF COVER THAT INSURANCE GAP THAT WE DO HAVE. UM, THIS GRANT IS ONE OF THOSE THAT KIND OF HELPS US OR WOULD HELP [02:45:01] US TO, YOU KNOW, COVER KIND OF THOSE COSTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE DOLLARS TO GO TOWARD, UM, PROVIDING THAT, UM, THAT ADDITIONAL CARE AND THOSE EXTRA HOURS AND THINGS LIKE, SO A KID, YOU KNOW, A KID AT OUR CENTER, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY GET TO GO ON FIELD TRIPS WHEREAS THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ELSEWHERE AND OTHER KIND OF REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES, UM, THAT THEY ARE GETTING. UM, AND SO, UM, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME OPEN TO, TO ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YES. UH, AND WHAT WAS, UH, WHAT WAS YOUR ASK FROM US? UM, THE ASK THIS YEAR IS, UM, 51,000, AND THAT IS, UM, LIKE I SAID, THE COST OF LIKE OUR AUDIT. UM, SO THE AUDIT BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SMALL ORGANIZATIONS CAN'T, CAN'T BE, CAN'T AFFORD AN AUDIT. BUT, UM, HAVING THAT PIECE ALLOWS US TO GO OUT AND GET ADDITIONAL GRANTS AND STUFF AS WELL TO KIND OF ADD VALIDITY TO OUR ORGANIZATION. AND THEN THE ACCOUNTING COSTS, WHICH IS LARGELY, UM, LIKE OUR QUICKBOOKS THAT WE MANAGE ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTING AND BILLING AND SUCH THROUGH, UM, AND OUR, UM, PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AS WELL AS A PART OF THAT. UM, AND WE, SINCE WE SEE A FEW, UM, WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF KIDS OUTSIDE OF JACKSON COUNTY, SO WE'VE KIND OF, UM, PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S BASED OFF OF PER OF, OF A PERCENTAGE OF LIKE THE JACKSON COUNTY KIDS THAT THEIR RESPECTIVE KIND OF SERVICES TIED TO THAT IS WHAT THAT, THAT OVERALL ASK IS. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. MM-HMM . THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. UM, IT IS ACTUALLY TIME FOR US TO BREAK, BUT KANSAS CITY CARE, YOU, YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LITTLE WHILE. I DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE TO WAIT ANY LONGER. I'M HEARING EVERYBODY, SO THAT'S OKAY. OH, OKAY. YOU OKAY? YOU'RE GOOD, PLEASE. OKAY. IT'S JUST THE TWO OF US, JUST THE TWO OF US. A QUIET DAY, HUH? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS DR. LESLIE HARDEN AND I OPERATE AS THE, I OPERATE AND AM THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT CASEY CARE HEALTH CENTER. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, AND, AND I'M SURE YOU YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT CASEY CARE, UM, HOWEVER, BUT WE, WE REALLY ARE ONE OF THE MAIN, UM, PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS FOR THE VULNERABLE POPULATION IN JACKSON COUNTY. UM, 76% OF OUR PATIENTS RESIDE IN JACKSON COUNTY ALONE, AND 26% OF THOSE, UM, ARE UNINSURED. SO WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF, UH, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT IMPACT HEALTHCARE AND QUALITY HEALTHCARE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO TO IMPACT ACCESS AND THAT WE DID THIS PAST YEAR WAS OPEN AN ALL DAY WALK-IN CLINIC. SO NO LONGER DO JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE TO WAIT WEEKS FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR SHOW UP AT THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR A NON-EMERGENT HEALTHCARE NEED. THEY CAN WALK IN AT CASEY CARE AND GET TREATED IMMEDIATELY, WHETHER THAT'S A COMMON COLD OR, UM, THEY'RE DEALING WITH SOME OTHER TYPE OF ILLNESS OR INJURY. SO WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. UM, IN ADDITION, WE REALLY ARE, UM, FOCUSING ON, I HEARD, UM, JVS TALK ABOUT, UH, THE MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS AND HOW WE ARE ALSO WATCHING AND MONITORING THOSE. UM, WE PROVIDE, UH, MEDICAL, DENTAL, BEHAVIOR HEALTH, AND WE KNOW THAT THE DENTAL ADULT DENTAL WILL LIKELY TAKE A HIT. UM, SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO MONITOR THAT AND HOW CAN WE CREATE PARTNERSHIPS AND ENSURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE STILL HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE LONG TERM. UM, AND REALLY LOOKING TO HOW DO WE HELP WITH THOSE WORK REQUIREMENTS. SO, UM, WE DO, UH, FOCUS ON HAVING CARE COORDINATORS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH THOSE WORK REQUIREMENTS AND GETTING THEM INTO THE RIGHT PATHWAYS. UM, WE ALSO REALLY WORK WITH REFUGEES, AND THAT'S A UNIQUE THING THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE DO. AND SO AS SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAY FALL OFF OF MEDICAID, UM, THOSE LETTERS THAT ARE GOING OUT THIS WEEK, WE REALLY, UM, HAVE A REFUGEE CLINIC WHERE WE, WE DO SUPPORT AND HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRYING TO, UM, RECEIVE IMMIGRATION STATUS HERE, UM, OUTSIDE OF, UM, JUST THEIR, THEIR STANDARD, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE HERE ON A, UM, AS A REFUGEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO GET THEIR, THEIR GREEN CARD AND BECOME PERMANENT RESIDENTS. UM, SO WE DO ALL OF THAT. WE DO ALL OF THAT. WE ARE ALSO REALLY FOCUSING ON PRENATAL CARE AND REALLY TRYING TO IMPROVE PRENATAL OUTCOMES. UM, SO WE JUST RECENTLY FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH, UM, PER INSTALLED AND PROMOTED A MAMMOGRAPHY MACHINE, A SONOGRAPHY MACHINE BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE, UH, PREVENTATIVE CARES OR EVEN, UH, YOU KNOW, FETAL CARE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN VULNERABLE POSITIONS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT. AND SO WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ACCESS. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT IS [02:50:01] STARTING. AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FROM OUR LEGISLATORS IS REALLY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT NEED AS WE'RE SEEING CHANGES IN OUR FUNDING STRUCTURE. WE ARE STRUGGLING, WE FEEL THAT. AND SO WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT PRENATAL PROGRAM AND FUNDING, UH, MA UM, A NURSE PRACTITIONER, A REFERRAL AND RECORD SPECIALIST, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY. AND SO WE ARE ASKING, UH, FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. MM-HMM . THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ANY QUESTIONS? LEGISLATOR ANDERSON? UM, YEAH, YOU TOO. AND WHEN WE WERE TALKING WITH JVS, IT WAS MENTIONED, I'M WORKING WITH A GROUP, UM, TO GET IN FRONT OF THE MEDICAID REQUIREMENTS. YEAH. UM, AND WE DO HAVE SOMEONE FROM KC CARES ON THAT TEAM. YEAH. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH ABSOLUTELY. FOR BEING A PART OF THAT. YEAH. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF OUR, UH, CARE COORDINATORS. YES. YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UM, WE ARE SCHEDULED TO COME BACK AT TWO, BUT WHY DON'T WE JUST BREAK FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES BECAUSE OUR NEXT IS 2 0 5 AND, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA JUST TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND BE BACK TO HEAR FROM YOU AND ABOUT YOUR AMAZING WORK. THANK YOU. THE TIME IS 2 0 5. MY NAME IS DONNA PEYTON. WE ARE RECONVENING THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING, THE 2027 OUTSIDE AGENCY HEARINGS. UM, WE HAVE MYSELF, DONNA PEYTON AND LEGISLATOR, JAYLEN ANDERSON, AND, UH, KANSAS CITY FRIENDS OF ALVIN AILEY, IF YOU COULD COME UP PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU GUYS HAVE HAD A LONG DAY. YES, I CAN IMAGINE. BUT IT'S WELL WORTH IT. WELL WORTH IT. WELL, MY NAME IS CARLA WILLIAMS EVANS AND I'M THE CEO OF KANSAS CITY FRIENDS OF ALVIN AILEY. AND, UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE LAST ACTUALLY TWO YEARS FOR SUPPORTING OUR AILEY CAMP, WHICH WE ARE, UM, ACTUALLY IN RIGHT NOW. UM, OUR ORGANIZATION IS NOT A DANCE SCHOOL. WHAT IT IS, OUR MISSION IS TO TEACH KIDS LIFE LESSONS THROUGH DANCE. AND SO WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. AND SO IN, IN TODAY'S, UM, SOCIETY, OUR, OUR ESPECIALLY MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE DEALING WITH A LOT OF LIFE ISSUES AND, UM, IN SOME CASES THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THOSE THINGS. AND SO WE TRY TO HELP THEM TO BE ABLE TO, UM, HANDLE HOW TO, UM, ADDRESS CONFLICT, HOW TO FIT IN, HOW TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES. AND, AND, UH, KANSAS CITY FRIENDS, I LIKE TO SAY IS A HOME. UM, THE HOME AWAY FROM HOME, THE HUG AWAY FROM THE HUG THAT SOME OF OUR KIDS REALLY DO NEED. UM, WE SERVE JACKSON COUNTY AND, UM, KANSAS. WELL, WE SERVE KANSAS CITY AND ACTUALLY KCK, WE HAVE CAMPS IN BOTH, UM, OVER THE SUMMER. WE HAVE CAMPS IN BOTH LOCATIONS. OUR GRANT THAT WE ASKED FOR, UH, WAS FOR $36,000 TO HELP SUPPORT OUR, UM, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI CAMP. WE, UM, WE SERVE ABOUT 60, UM, 60 INDIVIDUAL, UM, INDIVIDUALS, 11 THROUGH 14 YEARS OF AGE. AND, AND THOSE FUNDS WILL HELP US SUPPORT THE PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO GOING INTO OUR OPERATIONS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND SO WHEN WE ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL, THEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S ROBBED AND THAT WE CAN'T REPLENISH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ECONOMICS THE WAY THEY ARE AND HOW GRANT FUNDING IN SOME AREAS ARE DRYING UP. AND SO, UM, OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO GROW OUR PROGRAM FROM RIGHT NOW AT 60. WE WANTED TO GET TO 80 AND EVENTUALLY GET TO A HUNDRED KIDS THAT WE CAN TOUCH. OUR PROGRAMS ARE YEAR ROUND, AND SO AFTER CAMP, UM, WE, WE, UM, START OUR STUDIO PROGRAMMING WHERE THE MISSION IS THE SAME. AND SO OUR KIDS HAVE A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE AND, UH, THAT THEY CAN GET IN OTHER PLACES. BUT, UM, KANSAS CITY FRIENDS HAS A, HAS THAT NICHE WITH, UM, THE DANCE AND DANCE BRINGS US TOGETHER. EVEN AS ADULTS. WE LEARN HOW TO PARTNER, WE LEARN HOW TO LEAD, WE LEARN HOW TO FOLLOW, WE LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS CONFLICTS, AND UH, AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO REACH MORE KIDS, UM, IN OUR, UH, KANSAS CITY METRO AREA. AND THOSE FUNDS WILL HELP US DO THAT. THANK [02:55:01] YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NOPE. LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S EASY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. KANSAS CITY HEALTH INITIATIVE. OH, MY KANSAS CITY LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT. LEAP. HELLO? HI. ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT. SO, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MY NAME IS STEVE YOUNG AND I AM THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE KANSAS CITY LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT, BETTER KNOWN AS KC LEAD. SO, UH, WHEN SOMEONE IS KILLED OR OTHERWISE HARMED BY THE POLICE IN JACKSON COUNTY, THERE ARE VERY FEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THEM OR THEIR FAMILIES. NO ONE COMES ALONGSIDE THEM TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT OR HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE PROCESS OR CONNECT THEM WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, KC LEAP HAS BECOME THAT RESOURCE. WE SUPPORT FAMILIES THROUGHOUT JACKSON COUNTY REGARDLESS OF THE BACKGROUND, RACE, INCOME, OR WHERE THEY LIVE OR, OR WHERE THEY LIVE. WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE TRAUMA AND UNCERTAINTY, THEY DESERVE INFORMATION SUPPORT AND SOMEONE WHO WILL WALK ALONGSIDE THEM. SINCE 2021, CASEY LEAP HAS ASSISTED AND ADVOCATED FOR MORE THAN 75 VICTIMS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGH OUR RAPID RESPONSE EFFORTS. WE HAVE OFTEN, WE HAVE, OFTEN WE, I'M SORRY, THROUGH OUR RAPID RESPONSE EFFORTS, WE OFTEN MEET FAMILIES WITHIN HOURS OR DAYS OF CRITICAL INCIDENT. WHEN THERE ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND MOST IN NEED OF INFORMATION, SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE. WE HELP FAMILIES UNDERSTAND COMPLAINT PROCESSES. WE CONNECT THEM WITH ATTORNEYS AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. WE OBTAIN PUBLIC RECORDS AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE INFORMED AND SUPPORTED DURING SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS OF THEIR LIVES. WE ALSO HELP ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS THAT OFTEN ARISE AFTER A TRAGEDY, INCLUDING CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH HOUSING ASSISTANCE, HELPING PREVENT UTILITY SHUTOFFS, ASSISTING WITH FUNERAL AND FINAL ARRANGEMENTS, AND COORDINATING OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES WHEN FAMILIES HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE DO NOT WALK AWAY AFTER THE INITIAL CRISIS. WE STAY WITH OUR CLIENTS FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED US. FOR SOME FAMILIES, THEY MAY BE A, FOR SOME FAMILIES THAT MAY BE A FEW MONTHS. FOR OTHERS, IT MAY BE SEVERAL YEARS. WHETHER WE ARE HELPING THEM NAVIGATE AN INVESTIGATION, CONNECT WITH RESOURCES, ATTEND COURT PROCEEDINGS, OR SIMPLY ANSWER QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO REMAIN CONSISTENT. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO REMAIN A CONSISTENT RESOURCE OF SUPPORT UNTIL THEY FEEL READY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THEIR OWN. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO CONTACT US ARE GRIEVING. THE LOST OF A LOVED ONE ARE STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND SYSTEMS THAT CAN BE CONFUSING AND OVERWHELMING. THEY OFTEN DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN. KC LEAP SERVES AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN FAMILIES, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND THE INSTITUTIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES. ACCOUNTABILITY HELPS BUILD TRUST BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. WHEN PEOPLE BELIEVE CONCERNS WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND ADDRESSED FAIRLY CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS GROWTH, OUR GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WE HAVE ALSO WORKED TO BUILD PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT BENEFIT THOSE FAMILIES. WE MAINTAIN WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROSECUTORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE COMMUNICATION HELPS, HELPS FAMILIES BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND ENSURES THEY HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND RESOURCES. OUR WORK IS NOT ABOUT BEING AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE FAMILIES ARE NOT LEFT ALONE AND THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED IS WORKING TOWARDS FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND JUSTICE. LIKE MANY GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS, OUR IMPACT HAS GROWN FASTER THAN OUR RESOURCES. WE ARE LARGELY VOLUNTEER DRIVEN, BUT OUR VOLUNTEER PASSION [03:00:01] ALONE CANNOT SUSTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO SERVE FAMILIES EFFECTIVELY. THE FUNDING WE ARE REQUESTING IS $17,600. APPROXIMATELY $8,000 WOULD FUND AN INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT, STRENGTHENING TRANSPARENCY, AND HELPING POSITION OUR ORGANIZATION FOR FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. THE REMAINING FUNDS WOULD SUPPORT 50% OF A PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION. THAT SUPPORT WOULD ALLOW US TO ANSWER HOTLINE CALLS AND EMAILS, MANAGE CASE INTAKE, MAINTAIN RECORDS, COORDINATE VOLUNTEERS, TRACK OUTCOMES, AND ENSURE FAMILIES RECEIVE TIMELY ASSISTANCE. IT WOULD, IT WOULD FREE OUR VOLUNTEERS TO FOCUS ON SUPPORTING PEOPLE RATHER THAN PAPERWORK. THIS GRANT IS NOT SIMPLY AN INVESTMENT IN AN ORGANIZATION. IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FAMILIES OF JACKSON COUNTY. THE FAMILIES WE SERVE ARE OFTEN EXPERIENCING THE WORST MOMENT OF THEIR LIVES. AND OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO FACE THAT JOURNEY ALONE. IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE BELIEF THAT WHEN PEOPLE EXPERIENCE TRAGEDY, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FACE IT ALONE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, STRENGTHENING TRUST, AND ENSURING THAT EVERY FAMILY THAT REACHES OUT TO US KNOWS THAT THERE IS SOMEONE WILLING TO HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF JACKSON COUNTY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON. QUESTIONS, UM, I WAS GETTING READY TO ASK HOW LONG, UM, HAS, HAS CASEY LEAP BEEN DOING THIS? BUT THEN IN ACTUALITY, YOU WERE DOING THIS WORK A LONG TIME BEFORE THERE WAS A K LEAP, BUT HOW LONG HAS CASEY LEAP BEEN ORGANIZED SINCE MAY OF 2021? OKAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KANSAS CITY HEALTH INITIATIVE. HI. IS THE GREEN LIGHT ON? OH, I THOUGHT I THOUGHT YOU WAS DOING THE MIC. YOU WERE DOING YOUR PHONE. I'M SORRY, . ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS JOY ELLSWORTH, AND I AM REPRESENTING CASEY HEALTH INITIATIVE ON BEHALF OF OUR FOUNDER, GIGI JONES. GIGI SENDS HER REGRETS AND AS SHE IS SUPERVISING HER KAUFMAN FOUNDATION, PRO X INTERNS AT THE SEED KITCHEN THIS AFTERNOON, SHE ASKED ME TO EXPRESS HER APPRECIATION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU. YOU MAY KNOW GIGI'S WORK FROM HEARING ABOUT HER ANNUAL MIDWEST SOUL VEG FEST, WHERE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS SHOW UP FOR HEALTHY FOODS. OR YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT HER VEGAN BARBECUE CHEF COMPETITION ON VARIOUS RADIO STATIONS. OR YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HER ON FOX FOUR ADVOCATING FOR HEALTHY EATING WHEREVER SHE APPEARS. HER PASSION FOR PREVENTIVE HEALTH SHINES THROUGH. WHAT IS LESS KNOWN IS HER CONSISTENT WORK TO ORGANIZE FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS AND HER SUPPORT OF ANIMAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR EMOTIONAL, MENTAL COPING, UH, THAT STEMS FROM HER CHILDHOOD ON A FARM IN RURAL SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS, GIGI IS CONFIDENT THAT BUILDING, WORKING FAMILIARITY WITH LIVING BEINGS MAKES FOR GOOD HEALTH AND BOTH SCIENCE AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. BACK HER UP ON THAT. WISDOM KC HEALTH INITIATIVE EXISTS TO ADDRESS UPSTREAM CAUSES OF POOR HEALTH IN JACKSON COUNTY. WE BELIEVE OUR RESIDENTS WHO GROW UP IN LOW LIFE EXPECTANCY ZIP CODES DESERVE ACCESS TO PREVENTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT COUNTERACT THEIR CURRENT HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF DEBILITATING CONDITIONS OR EARLY DEATH. AS A CANCER SURVIVOR HERSELF, GIGI STANDS STRONG IN HER POSITION THAT EVERYONE IN HER COMMUNITY DESERVES A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE. THE FOOD AS MEDICINE PROJECT FOCUSES ON KANSAS CITY'S THIRD AND FIFTH DISTRICTS WHERE FAMILIES EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY, CHRONIC DISEASE RISK, AND HEIGHTENED MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS THROUGH THREE IN-HOUSE PROGRAMS AND TWO PARTNERSHIPS. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES TOOLS THAT FAMILIES CAN USE EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN HEALTH. THE SEED KITCHEN PROVIDES SLIDING SCALE AND PAY IT FORWARD. MEALS ON AND OFFSITE THAT MAKE NUTRITIOUS FOOD EASY TO FIND, USING RECIPES THAT MAXIMIZE NUTRIENT UPTAKE. THE ROOTED IN FLAVOR PROGRAM PROVIDES CULTURALLY [03:05:01] GROUNDED NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR HOUSEHOLD CARETAKERS THROUGH COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AND WELLNESS LESSONS. THE URBAN FOOD GARDENS PROGRAMS GROWS FRESH PRODUCE CLOSE TO HOME AT AN URBAN FARM PLOT THAT BACKS OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND HARVEST SHARING NETWORKS. PARTNERING WITH CLEMENT WATERS, THE SEED FAMILIES PROGRAM PROVIDES STARTER SEED COLLECTIONS AND KITCHEN GARDEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT BUILD HOME GROWING SKILLS AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. PARTNERING WITH COPPER BOYS RANCH, THE EQUINE HELP PROGRAM PROVIDES INNER CITY THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS THAT SUPPORT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH, SAFE RELATIONSHIPS, AND COPING SKILLS. THIS $160,000 REQUESTS SUPPORTS 12,000 SERVICE INTERACTIONS IN JACKSON COUNTY IN 2027. WHEN FAMILIES ACCESS HEALTHY SOLUTIONS TOGETHER, WHOLE COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCE BETTER HEALTH. JACKSON COUNTY'S INVESTMENT WILL HELP CLEAR BARRIERS TO WELLNESS AND CREATE HEALTHIER FUTURES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU MS. JOY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? UH, THIS IS GIGI'S FIRST TIME, UM, UM, RECEIVING THIS, THIS FUND. UM, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CALL AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS USE AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THROUGH THE THE GRANT PERIOD? ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE, UM, MS. AKILA FORD IS PART OF OUR COMPLIANCE TEAM, AND PART OF WHAT THEY DO IS TO BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THE MONEY IS SPENT AND SPENT CORRECTLY. SO THEY WANNA WORK WITH YOU BECAUSE IT'S GONNA HELP THEM IN WHAT THEY DO. EXCELLENT. SO, YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? LEGISLATOR ANDERSON? NO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. GIGI. MISS GIGI WILL BE VERY PLEASED. SHE'LL BE VERY PLEASED. . THANK YOU. TAKE CARE. OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY FRIENDS. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON AND LEGISLATOR PAYTON. REALLY GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH AGAIN. UM, MY NAME'S ABBY YEOMAN. I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY. I'M COURTNEY CHRISTENSEN. I'M THE INTERIM DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PHILANTHROPY. YEAH, SO THANK YOU FOR SPENDING THE AFTERNOON TO NOT ONLY HEAR FROM US, BUT MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PRESENTING IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY. KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY. WE HAVE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR 150 YEARS AS A TRUSTED NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED ACCESS POINT FOR MANY THINGS, BUT INCLUDING HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ESPECIALLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO FACE BARRIERS TO CARE. THROUGH OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS, WE OFFER OVER 430 FREE FITNESS CLASSES ANNUALLY SERVING MORE THAN 4 4300 PARTICIPANTS, IMPROVING PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL WELLBEING, AND SOCIAL CONNECTION. WHAT MAKES OUR MODEL UNIQUE IS HOW WE PAIR THESE PROGRAMS WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO CARE THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIRS, MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ALREADY ARE AT THE LIBRARY. THIS IS A RELATIVELY NEW, UM, ADDITION AT OUR HEALTH FAIRS. UM, WE'VE HAD OVER 500 PEOPLE ATTEND IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO. UH, THE LIBRARY BECOMES A ONE-STOP HUB FOR HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND NAVIGATION. WE PARTNER WITH TRUSTED PROVIDERS TO DELIVER SERVICES ONSITE WHERE PEOPLE ALREADY ARE AT THE LIBRARY. THESE ARE THINGS LIKE EYE EXAMS, FREE GLASSES AND PRESCRIPTIONS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH KC FREE EYE CLINIC DENTAL, MEDICAL SCREENINGS THROUGH CASEY CARE'S MOBILE UNIT, STI, TESTING. TESTING, EXCUSE ME. AND SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND ALSO OFFERING REGULAR RESOURCES LIKE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS, ALZHEIMER'S SCREENINGS AND REFERRALS, AND ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. LIBRARY PATRONS CAN ALSO FIND BASIC HEALTH NEEDS, UM, LIKE FOOD HYGIENE SUPPLIES AND CLOTHING AT LIBRARY BRANCHES. WE ARE TRULY A HUB OF SOCIAL CONNECTION IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. AND AS I KNOW BOTH OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, WHAT MAKES THE LIBRARY OR WHAT MAKES THIS WORK IS THE LIBRARY ITSELF AND OUR FOLKS THAT STAFF OUR BRANCHES ACROSS OUR URBAN LIBRARY DISTRICT. UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN A TRUSTED CIVIC ANCHOR FOR 150 YEARS WITH OVER 1.3 MILLION VISITORS IN OUR BRANCHES EACH YEAR. THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE 4.3 MILLION, I THINK IT IS, DIGITAL USERS THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR. UM, THE LIBRARY HAS CONTINUED ITS EVOLUTION AS THE COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED. WE TRY TO ADAPT WITH IT. WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE OFFERING ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND THAT MEANS HELPING RESIDENTS NAVIGATE NOT JUST INFORMATION, BUT COMPLEX HEALTH AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE JUST COMPLETED EARLIER THIS SPRING, AND IT WAS ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD, UM, CENTERS THIS ROLE FOR THE LIBRARY BY SUPPORTING INDIVIDUAL GROWTH AND WELLBEING, DEEPENING PARTNERSHIPS AND CREATING INCLUSIVE ACCESSIBLE SERVICES THAT MEET PEOPLE WHERE [03:10:01] THEY ARE. SO WE KNOW THAT JACKSON COUNTY PRIORITIZES PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS HEALTH HUMAN SERVICES AND BASIC NEEDS FOR UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL STRENGTHEN THE LONG-TERM WELLBEING OF OUR COUNTY. UH, THE LIBRARY IS CRITICAL SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WORK WITH OVER 300 COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BRING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, SO WE'RE REQUESTING $45,000 TO SUSTAIN AND EXPAND OUR HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE PROGRAMS, UH, BY BRINGING THESE SERVICES INTO NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE LIBRARIES ARE ALREADY EMBEDDED. AND BY COORDINATING WITH STRONG PARTNERS, WE'RE HELPING RESIDENTS MORE EASILY CONNECT TO PREVENTIVE SERVICES EARLIER. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SAY OFTEN, AND WE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIAS WHEN WE SAY IT, BUT LIBRARIES ARE ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS. WE ARE HIGH IMPACT, WE ARE COST EFFECTIVE. THIS MODEL HELPS STRENGTHEN ALL IN JACKSON COUNTY THAT ENGAGE WITH OUR SERVICES. UM, AND ALSO WITH THE HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. AND AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL, WE DON'T JUST OFFER, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, INFORMATIVE PROGRAMS, BUT INSTEAD WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, CONNECTING RESIDENTS TO CARE, REDUCING BARRIERS, AND IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES IN REAL TIME. AND IT, AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT SOCIAL CONNECTION PIECE CONTINUES TO BE CRITICAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST THANK YOU BOTH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, AND FORGIVE ME, I APOLOGIZE. MY MOTHER'S IN THE HOSPITAL, SO I HAD TO ANSWER A QUICK TEXT. UM, DID YOU SAY HOW MUCH YOUR ASK WAS? 45,000. 45,000. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO WORRIES. UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE A HUB OF SOCIAL CONNECTIONS. I NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED MS. ABBY, THAT I WOULD BE IN A PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING MM-HMM . WITH SOMEONE FROM THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE. THANK YOU FOR SEEING IT. I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. , DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T THINK SO. YOU ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OUTLINING THE, THE GRANT, AND SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION, KCPS IN THE HOUSE. OR NOT KCPS, THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU, MA'AM. OH, THAT'S NOT GOOD. LET ME JUST RECOVER HERE. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS JOHN HYLE. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION. THE PROPOSAL THAT WE SUBMITTED WAS IN SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS IN TRANSITION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR OFFERINGS FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE EITHER FACING HOUSING INSTABILITY OR STUDENTS THAT ARE UNHOUSED. KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVES ABOUT 16,000 STUDENTS, AND ABOUT A THOUSAND OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FACING THAT SCENARIO. AND WE HAVE PROGRAMMING IN PLACE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, BOTH WITH IMMEDIATE ACADEMIC NEEDS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO THEIR SITE, TO THEIR SCHOOL, UH, THAT THEY CAN ACCESS, UH, AND CONTINUE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WITHIN THE SCHOOL, UH, EVEN IF THEY ARE MOVING LOCATIONS OR THEY ARE, UM, UNHOUSED. WE ALSO HAVE BUILT OUT PROGRAMMING IN ADDITION TO THAT THAT WORKS TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY. AND IT'S THAT, THAT I HOPE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT. SO THROUGH OUR STUDENTS IN TRANSITION PROGRAM, WE'RE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH FAMILIES AND OFFER THEM RESOURCES THAT I LIKE TO THINK OF AS SCAFFOLDS THAT SUPPORT FAMILIES AS THEY GO THROUGH THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE CRISES. THE FIRST LEVEL OF SCAFFOLDS WILL BE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES. SO HEALTHCARE NEEDS, UH, HOUSING, IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEEDS, UH, FOOD, NUTRITIONAL NEEDS THEY HAVE, BUT WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM OVER TIME. WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES AFTER FAMILIES CAN STABILIZE THEIR HOUSING, THERE ARE STILL UNMET NEEDS THAT EXIST IN THE HOUSE OR IN IN THE HOUSE. AND SO THROUGH, UH, ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING TO THE TABLE USING THIS, AGAIN, THE SCHOOL IS REALLY THE HUB OF THIS PROGRAM. WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER ONGOING, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS, PHYSICAL HEALTH SUPPORTS. WE CAN OFFER SOME JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS. UH, WE OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, MANY TIMES TO WORK WITH LEGAL AID OR ANOTHER, UH, EVICTION PREVENTION PROVIDER IN THE SPACE TO HELP THEM, UH, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE THE VICTIM OF A, OF A BAD LANDLORD. AND, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO, TO HELP THE FAMILY, BOTH STABILIZE, STAY IN SCHOOL, BUT ALSO GET ON THE RIGHT PATHWAY TO, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BEING CONSISTENT AND BEING ABLE TO ENJOY STABILITY MOVING FORWARD. UH, THE ASK WE'VE ASKED TODAY IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S TO JOIN US IN, UH, SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM. UH, WE [03:15:01] AS A DISTRICT AND AS THE FOUNDATION, WE'RE ALREADY INVESTING ABOUT A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS WORK. UH, WE'RE JUST ASKING JACKSON COUNTY TO COME ALONGSIDE US AND HOPEFULLY HELP US DO, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE LIMITED TO ABOUT 120 FAMILIES, UH, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE EACH YEAR. BUT WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT. UH, AS I SAID, WE HAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND FAMILIES THAT ARE FACING THIS SITUATION IN OUR DISTRICT, AND SO ADDITIONAL FUNDS WILL HELP US CUT FURTHER INTO THAT NUMBER. WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, AND YOUR REQUEST, HOW MUCH WAS YOUR REQUEST FOR? UH, WE PUT IN 200,000. OKAY. THANK YOU. SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN THE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE, WE HAD MS. MELISSA COME AND SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE NUMBERS AND THEIR STAGGERING OF HOW MANY PEOPLE, UM, EXPERIENCE OR HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SITUATIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE THAT THEIR HOUSE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I DON'T THINK THAT WE LOOK AT ALL THE SCENARIOS THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN, UM, TO A STUDENT IN ONE YEAR, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THEIR EDUCATION. ABSOLUTELY. WHICH ULTIMATELY IMPACTS THEIR ENTIRE LIFE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? UH, NO. I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU FOR, UH, FOR LISTENING AND, AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT POINT. I THINK IT'S, IT'S A CRITICAL ONE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT FAMILY WELLBEING. YOU KNOW, IT ALL STARTS WITH STABILITY. AND SO THE, TO THE EXTENT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK TOWARD THAT, UM, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL. SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND, UH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A BIT OF WHAT WE DO. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR NAME DROPPING, UH, MELISSA DOUGLAS. 'CAUSE SHE'S GOOD FRIEND. . YES. THANK YOU. KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATER. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. IT IS A PLEASURE. MY NAME IS JEREMY DEWEY. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATER, AND I'M JOINED BY LINDSAY BAUER. I'M THE BRAND NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AT KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATER. SO, F UH, FIRST WE WANT JUST THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP WITH JACKSON COUNTY, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR'S, BEEN DEEPLY MEANINGFUL. KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATER BEING, UH, ONE OF THE LEADING PRODUCERS OF LIVE, UM, PROFESSIONAL THEATER IN THIS REGION. UH, WE ARE PROUDLY ROOTED IN JACKSON COUNTY, AND WE ARE SERVING ABOUT, UH, 50,000 PEOPLE A YEAR. UH, UH, INCLUDING THAT NUMBER IS ABOUT 7,000 STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM EXPERIENCE A LIVE THEATER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES. MM-HMM . UH, WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, KC REP IS A CATALYST FOR CULTURALLY VIBRANT, EQUITABLE, AND THRIVING KANSAS CITY, AND THAT WE'RE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO LEVERAGE THE ARTS AS A HEALTH PROMOTING COMMUNITY ASSET THAT STRENGTHENS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL KANSAS CITYS AND, AND BRINGS PEOPLE FROM JACKSON COUNTY ALTOGETHER. SO HERE'S WHAT THAT INVESTMENT LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE. WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE, UH, ARTS ENGAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MAKES IN THE HEALTH OF A COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY IN ITS PHYSICAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO IN ITS COHESIVENESS, IN ITS SENSE OF BELONGING AND FIGHTING THE PANDEMIC OF LONELINESS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE'RE PROUD TO STAND IN THAT GAP WITH THE PARTNERSHIP OF JACKSON COUNTY. UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ASK TO REVISE OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL. UM, WE MADE VERY MODEST PROMISES FOR IMPACT IN OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, BUT AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THIS PAST SEASON, LARGELY DUE TO THE PARTNERSHIP OF YOUR SELVES, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBERS THAT WE PROMISED TO REACH FROM 300 STUDENTS TO 1200. OH MY GOODNESS. AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THAT AND LIFT THAT UP TODAY WITH YOU. UM, WE ALSO, THROUGH OUR KC REP FOR ALL PROGRAM, REACH AT LEAST 300 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT JACKSON COUNTY AT SITES THAT WE BRING THE THEATER TO THEM WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE SO THAT WE REMOVE BARRIERS TO ACCESS IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY THAT WE CAN. UM, SO THERE, OUR PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TODAY IS ROUGHLY $170,000, WHICH REPRESENTS A LITTLE LESS THAN 4% OF THE COSTS OF PRODUCING THESE PROGRAMS IN JACKSON COUNTY. WE ALSO WANT TO LIFT UP THAT THAT IS A, A GROWING, UH, A GROWING PROGRAM THAT IS REACHING MORE STUDENTS AND MORE INDIVIDUALS EVERY DAY. UM, THE TOTAL, UH, THAT WE WANNA LIFT UP TO YOU IS 1200 STUDENTS THROUGH OUR STUDENT MATINEE SERIES. THIS COVERS THE COST OF THEIR ATTENDANCE AND THEIR TRANSPORTATION. AT [03:20:01] LEAST 300 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT NO COST. UM, TO SEE THE CASEY REP FOR ALL TOUR, WHICH THIS YEAR IS THE, IS, UH, FANNIE, THE MUSIC AND LIFE OF FANNIE LOU HAMER, WHICH IS, I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE WITH YOU . UM, AND ALSO 40 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT YOU INVITE, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY DAY TICKETS FOR THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, WHICH CLOSES OUT OUR SEASON IN 2027. SO WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COME TO YOU AND SHARE A BIT ABOUT THESE TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMS AND TO ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. UH, WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE IN THE PAST, UH, FOR ARTS ACCESS, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, KNOWING THAT THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR, FOR YEARS TO COME IN A, UH, A STRONGER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE VIBRANT JACKSON COUNTY. AND WITH HAVING SAID THAT, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I DON'T THINK SO AT THIS TIME. SIMPLY TO THANK YOU, TO ALLOW US TO BE IN THE ROOM AND HEAR THE OTHER PROPOSALS OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS WE NOW BADLY WANNA PARTNER WITH. I WILL SAY THIS AND, UH, UH, THE WIZ WAS AMAZING. NEVER DID I, I MEAN, THE WIZARD OF OZ NEVER DID. I THINK I WOULD SEE A PRESENTATION OF THE WIZARD OF OZ AS PUT ON BY THE KC REP. I'M SO GLAD YOU WERE THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, . THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS DANIEL MORELL, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY, AND I'M HERE TODAY WITH STEPHANIE BIMAL, OUR DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND FOR JACKSON COUNTY'S CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, ESPECIALLY THANK YOU TODAY FOR CONSIDERING SUPPORT FOR OUR MOBILE MUSIC BOX PROGRAM, AN INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES UNPARALLELED AND FREE ACCESS TO THE ARTS FOR ALL OF JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2020, THE MOBILE MUSIC BOX HAS PRESENTED FREE CHAMBER MUSIC PERFORMANCES IN PARKS AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES THROUGHOUT JACKSON COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. IT IS QUITE LITERALLY A TRUCK THAT TRANSFORMS INTO A MOBILE STAGE. UH, TO DATE, WE HAVE PRESENTED 534 MOBILE MUSIC BOX PROGRAMS FOR MORE THAN 81,000 ATTENDEES. THE SYMPHONY BELIEVES MUSIC IS FOR EVERYONE. UM, OUR OUTDOOR PROGRAMS ARE INTENTIONALLY PRESENTED TO EXPAND ACCESS TO LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR THOSE LIMITED BY FACTORS SUCH AS GEOGRAPHY, RACE, ETHNICITY, ECONOMIC STATUS, OR DISABILITY. STUDIES SHOW THAT PUBLIC ART, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ART IS A POWERFUL TOOL TO ENHANCE INDIVIDUALS COPING MECHANISMS AND PROCESSING EMOTIONS. ACCESS TO FREE CONCERTS CAN REDUCE LEVELS OF DEPRESSION AND SITUATIONAL ANXIETY IN ALL POPULATIONS. WE BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THE POWER OF THE MOBILE MUSIC BOX PROGRAMS AS A TOOL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. UH, WE MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM BY THE TOTAL POPULATION SERVED, ESPECIALLY FIRST TIME ATTENDEES AND THOSE NOT ATTENDING OUR SEASON CONCERTS. UH, WE ACHIEVED THIS GOAL THROUGH A BROAD RANGE OF PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT GREATER KANSAS CITY. THERE WERE 50 MOBILE MUSIC BOX PERFORMANCES LAST SEASON, 18 OF THOSE IN JACKSON COUNTY. UH, TOTAL ATTENDANCE EXCEEDED 10,000, MORE THAN 3,600 OF THOSE ATTENDING IN JACKSON COUNTY. THIS SEASON. THERE WERE 30 MOBILE MUSIC BOX PERFORMANCES, 14 OF, EXCUSE ME, 14 OF THOSE IN JACKSON COUNTY. TOTAL ATTENDANCE WAS GREATER THAN 5,500 AND MORE THAN 2,500 OF THOSE ATTENDING IN JACKSON COUNTY. UH, CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN AUDIENCE AND STAFF EMPHASIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ONLY ENGAGING WITH THE SYMPHONY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. RESIDENTS OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BENEFITING FROM ACCESS TO LIVE MUSIC BECAUSE OF THESE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES. UM, THE MOBILE MUSIC BOX PROVIDES ENORMOUS BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC, RELATIVE TO ITS COST. LESS THAN 3% OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET GOES TOWARD THIS PROGRAM. AND THIS INCLUDES ARTISTIC EXPENSES LIKE MUSICIAN SALARIES, PRODUCTION EXPENSES LIKE EQUIPMENT DRIVEN TO THE SITE. FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR OUR $50,000 REQUEST. IT REPRESENTS ROUGHLY A QUARTER OF OUR PROGRAM EXPENSES. UH, THIS GRANT ALLOWS THE SYMPHONY TO CONTINUE SERVING ALL OF JACKSON COUNTY, PROVIDING A PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT THROUGH FREE ACCESS TO LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, IT'S FANTASTIC. AND I LOVE WHAT YOU DO ALL THE TIME WITH THAT. THAT'S SUCH AN AMAZING THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. [03:25:01] SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IT IS, THAT'S INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? NOT AT THIS TIME, OTHER THAN TO JUST THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF BRINGING MUSIC AND ARTS INTO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S AMAZING, SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT LIKE SYMPHONIES AND CLASSICAL MUSIC. SO HAVING THE ABILITY TO SEE IT LIVE IS QUITE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY. UM, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. I HOPE YOU GET FUNDING . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME'S JENNIFER WAMPLER. I'M CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR KERA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART. I AM HERE WITH, I'M JESSICA MAY. I AM THE MUSEUM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SHE'S LETTING ME TALK TODAY. MM-HMM . , THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. OUR APPLICATION IS FOR YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS. SINCE 1994, KEMPER MUSEUM HAS PROVIDED FREE ADMISSION, FREE EXHIBITIONS, AND FREE YOUTH PROGRAMMING TO RESIDENTS OF JACKSON COUNTY. WHILE THE MUSEUM ITSELF HAS EVOLVED OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES, OUR COMMITMENT HAS REMAINED CONSTANT TO ENRICH LIVES THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN A FREE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. FOR ALL THE ARTS ARE NOT SIMPLY ENRICHMENT. THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING. RESEARCH FROM THE AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS SHOWS THAT STUDENTS WITH HIGH LEVELS OF ARTS PARTICIPATION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO STAY ENGAGED IN SCHOOL, GRADUATE, AND DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS NEEDED FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY'S WORLD, EVERY YEAR KEMPER MUSEUM PROVIDES MORE THAN 2000 YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE CONTEMPORARY ART FIRSTHAND. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS ARE FROM TITLE ONE SCHOOLS. THE ART THEY EXPERIENCE IS BY LIVING ARTISTS, PEOPLE WHO THE STUDENTS CAN RELATE TO AND OFTEN GET TO MEET THROUGH FREE DOESN'T LED TOURS. STUDENTS LEARN TO OBSERVE CAREFULLY, THINK CRITICALLY, SUPPORT THEIR IDEAS WITH EVIDENCE, AND ENGAGE RESPECTFULLY WITH PERSPECTIVES DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN. KEMPER'S. TEEN ARTS COUNCIL IS ANOTHER PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A YEAR LONG IN-DEPTH LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE THAT COMBINES CONTEMPORARY ART, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. PARTICIPANTS GAIN CONFIDENCE, BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND DEVELOP MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS WHO SHARE THEIR INTERESTS AND ASPIRATIONS. WE ALSO BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER THROUGH FREE SPRING BREAK AND SUMMER FAMILY FUN DAYS, OFFERING CREATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT ENCOURAGE LEARNING CURIOSITY AND CONNECTION ACROSS GENERATIONS. FOR MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE, A VISIT TO KEMPER MUSEUM IS THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE IN AN ART MUSEUM. BY REMOVING FINANCIAL BARRIERS, WE ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF ZIP CODE OR FAMILY INCOME, HAS ACCESS TO THE INSPIRATION, CREATIVITY, AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE ARTS PROVIDE. THE KEMPER ALSO WORKS WITH MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM. BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS, HISTORY, COLAB, ARTIST, MEN, MENTORSHIP, AND MANY, MANY OTHERS. OUR REQUEST IS FOR APPROXIMATELY $88,000, WHICH IS ABOUT HALF OF THE DIRECT COSTS OF OUR PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. AND WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU. LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, JUST THANK YOU, YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. COME VISIT OH YES. MANY TIMES I HAVE. I'LL COME, I'LL COME AGAIN. GREAT. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I DO ENJOY VISITING THE MUSEUM. I WANNA SAY THIS BECAUSE, JUST TO ENCOURAGE YOU IN WHAT YOU DO, THE MUSEUM, THE KEMPER MUSEUM IS A TOURIST DEC DESTINATION. AND I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF IT OR VIEW IT THAT WAY, BUT I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE VISIT ME AND HAVE LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND SAY, I WANNA GO JUST TO KEMPER. I HAVE A COUSIN WHO'S AN ART DEALER WHO'S COMING TO TOWN NEXT WEEK, AND SHE WANTS TO GO TO KEER. SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT TO ENCOURAGE YOU. [03:30:01] THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WE'LL BRING THEIR KIDS TOO, PLEASE. TELL, BRING THEIR KIDS TOO. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE Y'ALL SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE GRANDKIDS. I TELL 'EM TO BRING THEIR GRANDKIDS. . YEAH. LOOK FOR OUR NEXT, I DON'T HAVE THE DATE, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, SUMMER FAMILY DAY COMING UP. OH. SO LOOK FOR THAT AND BRING LITTLE ONES. GREAT. REALLY IMMERSIVE AND DO HAVE A THEATER PROGRAM AS WELL, SO OH, WONDERFUL. PLEASE, PLEASE JOIN US. THANK YOU. THANKS. OKAY. LEAD TO READ RIGHT THERE. WELL, HELLO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE TIME. I'M R LAGRAND, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT LEAD TO READ KC, AND THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE LINDA HUGHES, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT. AND WE'RE JUST SO THRILLED TO BE HERE, UM, TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, LEAD TO READ KC. WE MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY IN SERVICE OF SOLVING THE LITERACY CRISIS HERE IN KANSAS CITY. WE SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH READING MENTORS, RESOURCES AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT. WE SERVE STUDENTS IN KANSAS CITY, PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, HICKMAN MILLS AND THE CENTER SCHOOL DISTRICT, ABOUT 1700 KIDDOS THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, FIRST THROUGH THIRD GRADE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM COME FROM LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND UPWARDS OF 80% OF WHOM IDENTIFY AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, OR PEOPLE OF COLOR. THE LITERACY CRISIS IS URGENT. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 23% OF KANSAS CITY KIDDOS LEAVING THIRD GRADE ARE READING SUFFICIENTLY. AND SO THAT'S LESS THAN ONE IN FOUR. AND LOW LITERACY IS NOT JUST AN EDUCATION ISSUE, IT'S A HEALTH ISSUE. IT'S AN ECONOMIC MOBILITY ISSUE. IT'S A CRIME AND SAFETY ISSUE. AND FOR US, IT IS CRITICALLY A COMMUNITY ISSUE. RESEARCH LINKS LOW LITERACY TO EVERYTHING WE DON'T WANT IN OUR COMMUNITY. HIGH RATES OF POVERTY, CHRONIC DISEASE, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, LOWER GRADUATION RATES, AND INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. BUT THE INVERSE IS ALSO TRUE. HIGHER LITERACY RATES ARE CORRELATED WITH EVERYTHING GOOD THAT WE WANT IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THAT'S PRECISELY WHY LEACH READ. KC FOCUSES ON FIRST THROUGH THIRD GRADE, BECAUSE UP AND THROUGH THIRD GRADE, IT IS TRUE THAT CHILDREN ARE LEARNING TO READ. BUT BY FOURTH GRADE, THEY ARE EXPECTED TO READ, TO LEARN. AND CHILDREN WHO HAVEN'T CROSSED THAT THRESHOLD BY THEN FACE COMPOUNDING STRUGGLES IN EVERY SUBJECT EVERY YEAR THAT FOLLOWS JACKSON COUNTY'S OUTSIDE AGENCY. INVESTMENT IN REED KC IS AN INVESTMENT IN STRENGTHENING LITERACY, OF COURSE, IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT IT IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF STRENGTHENING LONG-TERM HEALTH OUTCOMES, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. SPECIFICALLY OUR RESPONSES TO MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY AROUND OUR KIDS DURING THE WINDOW THAT IT MATTERS MOST, AGAIN AT FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD GRADE EVERY SINGLE WEEK DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND ARE REALLY PROUD OF THIS. MORE THAN 2000 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS STEP UP AS READING MENTORS AND THEY SPEND 30 MINUTES ONCE A WEEK, ONE-ON-ONE WITH A STUDENT, IMPROVING LITERACY OUTCOMES AND MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH, RESILIENCE AND CONFIDENCE. UM, A CONSISTENT AND CARING ADULT SHOWING UP FOR A STUDENT EVERY SINGLE WEEK BUILDS A KIND OF TRUST AND STABILITY THAT RESEARCH SHOWS REDUCES STRESS, PROMOTES OVERALL WELLBEING. AND RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS THAT MENTORING CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A CARING CONSISTENT ADULT IN THEIR LIVES ARE MORE LIKELY TO STAY IN SCHOOL, MAINTAIN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND DEVELOP RESILIENCE NEEDED TO NAVIGATE ADVERSITY. THIS YEAR WE COMPLETED 38,019 READING SESSIONS, DISTRIBUTED A RECORD OF 56,625 BOOKS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. AND I LOVE THE STAT WE SAW 80% OF STUDENTS WHO SAID THEY DISLIKED READING IN THE FALL REPORT, LIKING IT, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO READING IN THE SPRING. ABOUT 1600 OF 1700 OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE DIRECT JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE DO HAVE A SMALL POPULATION IN KCK, BUT ALL OF THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING TODAY, UH, $40,000, IS TO SUPPORT THEIR READING AND MENTORING PROGRAM HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR SALARY THAT MAKES THIS WORK POSSIBLE AT SCALE. WE ARE ACROSS OVER 30 SCHOOLS, 33 SCHOOLS REACHING ABOUT 90 CLASSROOMS, AND HAVING A PROGRAM DIRECTOR SEE THE EFFICIENCY AT SCALE AND ALSO FULLY SUPERVISE OUR SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF, MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPERIENCE IS SMOOTH AND EFFECTIVE FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR SCHOOL-BASED STAFF, AND ALSO OUR STUDENTS. SO JACKSON COUNTY'S INVESTMENT HELPS ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BE CONFIDENT READERS, BUT ALSO CAPABLE, HEALTHY AND SELF-SUFFICIENT ADULTS. THANKS. AND WE INVITE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO [03:35:01] MUCH, LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT DEFINITELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS NOW. YES. THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS. THANK YOU. UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY, WE'RE IN, UM, TWO SCHOOLS AND CENTER SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WE WERE IN TWO SCHOOLS IN HICKMAN MILLS, BUT THEY'RE TRUMAN IN SANTA FE AND THEY'RE NOW COMBINED INTO ONE. YEAH. UM, BUT WE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE THERE. WONDERFUL. WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND. OUR ONLY BARRIER IS OF COURSE, FUNDING, BUT ALSO VOLUNTEERS. AND SO I WOULD INVITE YOU ALL, I KNOW YOUR SCHEDULES ARE HECTIC. MAYBE YOU CAN'T BE WEEKLY VOLUNTEERS, BUT YOU HAVE AN OPEN INVITATION TO COME AND SEE OUR READING AND MENTORING PROGRAM IN ACTION. IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO SEE STUDENTS LOOKING FORWARD TO OPENING A BOOK WITH AN ADULT, DIVING INTO THE JOY OF READING. OH MY GOODNESS. YES. SO PLEASE DO TRULY COME AND SEE US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY HERE. OUR NEXT, UM, DESIGNATED APPOINTMENT IS THREE O'CLOCK, AND THAT IS WITH LEGAL AID. WE'RE HERE. HOW ARE YOU? UM, DO YOU WANNA KEEP GOING? LET'S KEEP GOING. OKAY. OKAY. COME ON UP. , COME ON UP. WE NEED A GAME SHOW NOISE. YEAH. , I KNOW. UNUSUAL TO BE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE . YES. THAT'S BECAUSE OUR ORGANIZATIONS UNDERSTOOD THE, UH, EXPECTATIONS. . SO THANK THANK TO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAME BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO. SO TO BE ABLE TO TELL US THAT IN THREE TO FIVE MINUTES, I KNOW IT IS QUITE THE CHALLENGE. IT'S NOT THAT I'M PUTTING ANY PRESSURE ON YOU GUYS AT ALL, BUT PLEASE GO AHEAD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM. OKAY, SURE. SO MY NAME IS MICHELLE ALBANO. I'M THE HOUSING SUPERVISOR AT LEGAL AID OF WESTERN MISSOURI, AND I'M HERE TODAY WITH LEGAL AIDS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. OH, HI, AMBER. CHRIS, NICE TO MEET YOU BOTH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. UM, SO MY TEAM WORKS MOSTLY WITH, UH, TENANTS AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO JUST GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS TO BE A RENTER IN JACKSON COUNTY. UM, EVEN HARDER WHEN YOU ARE A LOW INCOME RENTER IN JACKSON COUNTY. SO I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM FOR THOSE WHO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF KANSAS CITY, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDOUBTEDLY A WONDERFUL PROGRAM TO HELP TENANTS, UM, AVOID EVICTIONS. BUT AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONLY FOR THOSE WHO RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF KANSAS CITY. THE CITY'S NEW, UH, TARGETED EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUND HAS ALSO BEEN JUST AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE FOR THOSE TENANTS IN THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. BUT WHAT THIS LEAVES OUT IS EVERYBODY ELSE THAT RESIDES AROUND KANSAS CITY, GRANDVIEW LEE, SUMMIT, INDEPENDENCE, BLUE SPRINGS, RAYTOWN, WHICH IS WHERE NEAR I LIVE, UM, THERE ARE TENANTS THERE THAT REALLY ARE WITHOUT ANY RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THEIR RENTAL HOUSING NEEDS. UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR WORK RIGHT NOW IS THROUGH THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, BUT WE OPEN UP A COUPLE SLOTS EVERY WEEK FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT RIGHT TO COUNSEL CASES. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THOSE SLOTS USUALLY FILL UP BY NOON ON MONDAY MORNING, BUT THIS WEEK THEY ACTUALLY FILLED UP BY 9:30 AM THIS MONDAY, AND OUR OFFICE OPENS AT EIGHT 30. SO WE TAKE, I MEAN, WE'RE GETTING THAT, THOSE KINDS OF CALLS EVERY WEEK FOR HELP IN THOSE OUTLYING COMMUNITIES. AND IF I CAN TAKE ONE MORE MINUTE, , I WAS JUST GONNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS CASES THAT I'M SEEING REGARDING RENTAL HOUSING. AND THOSE ARE CASES THAT INVOLVE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS. A VOUCHER IS WHERE A LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITY AGREES TO PAY A PORTION OF THE TENANT'S RENT. AND BESIDES HOUSING AUTHORITY OF KANSAS CITY, THERE ARE OTHER SMALLER HOUSING AUTHORITIES. THERE'S HOUSING AUTHORITY OF LEASE SUMMIT, HOUSING AUTHORITY OF INDEPENDENCE. BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE GOING INTO WHAT'S CALLED ABATEMENT. AND THAT MEANS THAT THE LANDLORD HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS. AND SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE GOING INTO ABATEMENT AND THEN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY STOPS PAYING THEIR PORTION OF THE RENT, AND THEN THEY'RE SUING THE TENANT FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF RENT. AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE TENANT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES PORTION, THAT TENANT IS GETTING SUED FOR THE FULL AMOUNT. WE JUST HAD A CASE THAT CAME TO US WHERE THE TENANT, UM, GOT A DEFAULT EVICTION JUDGMENT AGAINST HER FOR $8,000 AND SHE ACTUALLY MADE IT TO COURT, BUT SHE WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE AND THE JUDGMENT WAS [03:40:01] ALREADY ENTERED. AND SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE CASE, THIS IS SOMEBODY THAT RESIDES OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY, AND WE SAW THAT SHE HAD A GOOD REASON FOR NOT GOING TO COURT. SHE HAD A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAD HAD, UH, AN ISSUE GOING TO SCHOOL THAT MORNING. BUT THEN AS WE LOOKED FURTHER, WE ALSO SAW THAT SHE HAD A VOUCHER AND THAT THE PROPERTY HAD GONE INTO ABATEMENT. AND SO SHE'S NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PORTION OF THE RENT THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS SUPPOSED TO PAY. SO WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET THAT DEFAULT JUDGMENT SET ASIDE. AND THEN I THINK THEY WERE A LITTLE EMBARRASSED BY THE RESPONSIVE PLEADINGS WE FILED. SO THEY ACTUALLY AGREED TO QUICKLY FIX THE ITEMS IN THE UNIT, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO STAY AND SHE'S CONTINUING TO PAY HER PORTION OF THE RENT. SO JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE OUR SERVICES WERE REALLY GREATLY NEEDED. I'M NOT SURE THAT TENANT COULD HAVE NAVIGATED THAT LEGAL PROCESS WITHOUT LEGAL AID, BUT IF WE HAD MORE FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY, THAT'S THE KIND OF WORK THAT WE COULD DO. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? YES. UM, FIRST OFF, THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. WHAT YOU ALL DO FOR FOLKS, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID, WAS AMAZING AND INSPIRES ME TO THIS DAY. UM, I WANTED TO ASK, WHAT WAS YOUR ASK FOR, UH, OUTTA THE FUND? OH, I, I THINK I HAVE, WELL, DO I HAVE IT WITH, OR THEY HAVE IT? 40, 40,000. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. SURE. UM, IT IS SO GREATLY NEEDED AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING. NO, NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. WE APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. THANKS. AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS. LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT CORPORATION, LIS. HELLO. HI. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. E OR AFTERNOON . I AM HOLLY LONG. I AM THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AT LISTS GREATER KANSAS CITY, AND THIS IS AMANDA WILSON, OUR SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER WHO IS OVER OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, AREA. SO AS YOU KNOW, LISC, WE WORK IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT TENTACLES, BUT OUR MAIN BREAD AND BUTTER IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO WE DID, UM, THIS RFP FOR $350,000 FOR OUR JACKSON COUNTY MINE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM STUDY. AND I'LL LET AMANDA ANSWER SPECIFICS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. HI THERE. NICE TO MEET YOU BOTH. UM, AND JEFF IS, SORRY HE CAN'T BE HERE IN PERSON. I KNOW HE KNOWS, UM, QUITE A FEW OF YOU. SO HE'S ACTUALLY IN DC RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, YOU HAVE US HERE AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE. UM, SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR BUILDS UPON THIS MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM STUDY THAT WAS COMMISSIONED BY, UM, THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE HERE A FEW YEARS AGO. AND SO IT WAS A STUDY OF ALL OF JACKSON COUNTY OF THE MINOR HOME REPAIR RESOURCES. WHO'S DOING WHAT, WHAT ARE THEIR BARRIERS AND WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROWING SOME OF THEIR WORK? SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS ACTUAL, UM, NEXT PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS STUDY. AND THAT IS TO, UM, GET A MORE IN DEPTH LOOK AT, UM, WHAT THE ACTUAL NEEDS ARE FOR MINOR HOME REPAIR THROUGHOUT THE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. AND THAT IS PARTNERING WITH, UM, CASEY'S MIDWEST CENTER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP, UMKC, CENTER FOR ECONOMIC INFORMATION AND THE HOME MODIFICATION COALITION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY, THAT'S LED BY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY AND HOPE BUILDERS. UM, SO WHAT, UM, SO THEY'LL, SO WE'LL BE PARTNERING WITH THEM. UMKC WILL BE CONDUCTING THE ACTUAL RESEARCH, BUT IT'S IN A, IN A SENSE TO, UM, TO QUANTIFY THE NEED AND THEN ASSIGN A DOLLAR VALUE TO THAT NEED OF MINOR HOME REPAIR THAT'S NEEDED. AND SO WHAT THAT GIVES US IS THEN MORE DATA AND INFORMATION ON WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE COUNTY, IS IT, UM, UH, BASED ON THEIR LIVING CONDITION, AND THEN OTHER DEMOGRAPHICS IF THEY'RE OLDER ADULTS, IF THERE'S CHILDREN IN THE HOME, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE, UH, LEAD, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE LOOKING AT THE CONDITION OF THE HOME AND THEN THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN. SO, UM, IT'S A SENSE TO QUANTIFY WHAT THAT OVERALL NEED IS. AND THAT'S BY COMBINING DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND THEN, UM, ACTUALLY DOING, UM, AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT, UM, A FEW PLACES, A FEW COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT JACKSON COUNTY TO GET A REALLY GOOD SAMPLE SIZE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE GROUND, LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL HOMES INSIDE [03:45:01] AND OUT, UM, AND THEN EXTRAPOLATING THAT TO THE REST OF THE COUNTY. SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE THEN, UM, OVER, I THINK OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, THEM DOING THAT STUDY. AND SO THE FINAL ANALYSIS WOULD BE A REPORT AND THEN PRIORITIES OF WHERE TO FOCUS AND WHO TO FOCUS FUNDING ON, AND THEN WHAT ADDITIONAL, UM, WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL, UM, AMOUNT WOULD BE TO PROVIDE THOSE REPAIRS. AND SO WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS LISC BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN COMMUNITY STABILITY, THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS, THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES, UM, AND THEN JUST KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND PROVIDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH. SO, UM, MINOR HOME REPAIR HITS ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO, UM, ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE THINK IT CAN BE GOOD INFORMATION FOR THE, UM, FOR THE COUNTY TO DIRECT ANY, YOU KNOW, FUNDING RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE, AS WELL AS, UM, FOR US, WE HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER PRIVATE, UM, FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PULL AND DIRECT TOWARDS THAT, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE HOME MODIFICATION COALITION. UM, SO IN, IN ITSELF, IT REALLY, I THINK, PROVIDES THE DATA NEEDED TO GET FURTHER RESOURCES, RESOURCES TO GET MINOR HOME REPAIR DONE FOR MORE RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. UM, YEAH, I'LL STOP THERE. I CAN GO ON, BUT, UM, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. QUESTIONS. LEGISLATOR ANDERSON, UM, WHEN WAS THAT? UH, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN DID WE FIRST DO THAT TO REQUEST THAT IN THE 2021 STUDY? 20. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. OKAY. MM-HMM . I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER, I THOUGHT, WAS IT MM-HMM. I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER IF IT WAS THE YEAR OF COVID OR THE YEAR AFTER COVID. OKAY. MM-HMM . YEAH. UM, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU HAD COLLECTED WAS VERY HELPFUL, UH, AT THAT TIME. AND, UH, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN BACK INTO THE NORMALCY, I GUESS I WILL SAY, OF PRE COVID DEALING WITH HOUSING AND UNDERSTANDING COST. YEAH. UM, SO I, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, UM, THAT INITIATIVE IS, WAS NOT GIVEN UP ON, IT WASN'T JUST A ONE, ONE TIME THING FOR SURE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE LET MR. JOLLY KNOW THAT HE WAS MISSED, BUT I AM SO HAPPY THAT HE'S THERE IN DC ADVOCATING. YES, HE IS. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. UH, I DO NOT HAVE A COPY OF THAT. WELL, HERE YOU GO. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. SEND YOU A DIGITAL COPY TOO AFTER THIS. THAT'D BE WONDERFUL. OKAY. SURE, SURE. YES. I FEEL SINCE LEGISL SAY YOUR CAKE WASN'T HERE. ALRIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. HAPPY TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. LUTHERAN FAMILY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM VENITA MCMURTRY WITH LUTHERAN FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND UH, THIS PROGRAM'S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES TODAY SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE A BETTER TOMORROW. AND, UH, OUR FOCUS IS, UM, STEERED TOWARDS, UH, FIVE OR SIX SERVICES, MORE POPULAR SERVICES. UM, WE PRIMARILY SERVE JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OTHER AGENCIES IS TARGETED FOR JACKSON COUNTY. UM, AND THE NEED IS THERE. UH, PRIMARILY WE ARE PROVIDING, UM, UH, PREGNANCY SUPPORT. WE SEE MOMS COMING IN NEEDING OUR HELP WHO ARE AS YOUNG AS 13 YEARS OLD AND, UM, UH, MANY OF THEM ARE HOMELESS OR, OR HAVE A VARIETY OF SCENARIOS THAT THEY NEED SUPPORT WITH. UM, SHOULD A YOUNG MOM COME TO US, UM, AND NEEDS MEDICAL RESOURCES OR HOUSING RESOURCE SUPPORT, WHATEVER THE NEED MIGHT BE. OUR FOCUS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE MOM AND THE CHILD ARE HEALTHY. UH, WE DO, UM, STD TESTING AND WHATEVER, QUITE HONESTLY, THAT NEED MIGHT BE. UM, MANY TIMES IT'S A MATTER OF EDUCATION. I HAVE SOME YOUNG WOMEN COMING IN WHO WILL QUITE HONESTLY TELL ME THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT PREGNANT AND IT'S NOT [03:50:01] A JOKE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS AS WELL. SO OUR PROGRAM PROVIDES PREGNANCY SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING SOME MEDICAL SUPPORT. WE PROVIDE PARENTING CLASSES. WE DO HAVE YOUNG FATHERS COMING IN. AND I'M ALWAYS EXCITED, UM, WHEN I SEE YOUNG MEN STEPPING UP, UH, OR COUPLES OR WHO, WHOMEVER THE GUARDIAN OF CHILDREN IN NEED MIGHT BE. WE'RE GOING TO RISE AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES NEEDED. AND THE PARENTING EDUCATION, UM, CAN BE VERY BASIC AND SOMETIMES WE PARTNER THEM WITH OTHER AGENCIES, UM, THAT WE ARE REALLY NOT AFFILIATED WITH. BUT IF WE CAN'T DO IT, MY FOCUS IS TO FIND ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT CAN FILL THE GAP. UH, MANY TIMES, UH, THE YOUNG MOMS COME IN, WE WILL ASSIGN THEM CASE MANAGERS, THE CASE MANAGER WILL GO INTO THE HOME. TYPICALLY WHEN THE CHILD IS BIRTHED, THAT CHILD IS AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED IN OUR PROGRAM. UH, BUT MANY TIMES THE CASE MANAGERS WILL GO INTO THE HOME AND THEIR 2, 3, 5 OTHER CHILDREN IN NEED. AND SO WE WILL WORK WITH AS MANY OF THEM AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AS FUNDING PERMITS. UM, WHAT WE ARE FINDING MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, UH, IS THAT SOME OF THESE KIDS NEED MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE COUNSELING. I DO HAVE A STAFF OF MASTER'S LEVEL, UH, CLINICIANS. UH, WE CAN TREAT THESE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL. IF, IF THAT'S WHAT THE GUARDIAN'S DESIRE, THEY CAN COME INTO OUR OFFICES. WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF 31ST AND ARMOR, OR THEY CAN BE SEEN IN THE HOME. UH, THE WAITING LIST IS LONG. UH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DID APPEAL TO YOU FOR FUNDING SUPPORT. UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MAYBE 300 OR SO JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS INVOLVED IN THIS PROGRAM AND IT'S GROWING. UM, SHOULD A YOUNG MOM COME TO US AND FOR WHATEVER REASON SHE DECIDES SHE DOES NOT WANT TO KEEP THAT CHILD, WE DON'T JUDGE. BUT WE ARE A LICENSED FOSTER CARE AGENCY. WE VET FOSTER CARE FAMILIES. WE'VE GOT A LONG WAITING LIST AND WE ARE A LICENSED ADOPTION AGENCY. UM, AND WE DO VET ADOPTIVE PARENTS. WE SUPPORT OPEN ADOPTIONS, WHICH SIMPLY MEANS WE ALLOW THAT BIRTH MOM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, UH, THE POTENTIAL ADOPTIVE PARENTS. AND WE STAY WITH THEM AS LONG AS THEY NEED THE SUPPORT OF, UH, THE COUNSELORS AND THE THERAPIST OR, UH, WHATEVER THE SCENARIO MAY BE. UH, CURRENTLY WE PROVIDE, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS THREE. UH, THEY CAN STAY IN OUR PROGRAM UP TO THE AGE OF 18. UH, THEY CAN COME BACK INTO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GRADUATE OUT OF THE PROGRAM AT 18, BUT THEY CAN COME BACK IN AS AN ADULT, UM, AND RECEIVE COUNSELING SERVICES IF THEY SO NEED THEM. AND, UH, IN ESSENCE, THAT'S UH, UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING AS THE MAJORITY OF OUR SERVICES, UH, BECAUSE OF FUNDING. WE DO PROVIDE, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR CHILDREN AT NO COST TO THE FAMILIES. AND WE DON'T REQUIRE INSURANCE. THAT'S EXACTLY HOW OUR FUNDING SUPPORT AND OUR DONATIONS ARE USED TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED HELP. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE DO WITH LUTHERAN FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES. THANK YOU LEGISLATOR ANDERSON. AND WHAT IS YOUR ASK? OUR ASK WAS $200,000. OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . HAVE YOU RECEIVED FUNDING FROM JACKSON COUNTY BEFORE? WE HAVE NOT. UM, THE KANSAS CITY OFFICE HAS BEEN OPEN FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS. UM, WE HAVE NO ADVERTISING BUDGET. WE GET A LOT OF REFERRALS, UH, PARENTS THAT, UM, MOMS AND PARENTS THAT COME INTO US. UM, SO WORD OF MOUTH HAS KEPT US BUSY. BUT WE DO PARTNER WITH SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDING RESTORE AND, AND UNCOVER AND, AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH AVENUE OF LIFE AND COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE COALITION. UM, SO THE REFERRALS COME IN FROM, FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT AGENCIES. I WISH THAT THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE HERE TO HAVE HEARD YOUR PRESENTATION BECAUSE WHAT YOU FOCUSED ON IS WHAT MAKES AN ORGANIZATION LIKE YOUR SUCCESSFUL [03:55:01] AND THAT FOCUSES ON THE NEED AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. THE NEED, NOT THE PERSON, NOT THIS, BUT IT IS THE NEED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FOCUS AND YOUR PASSION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE OUR NEXT LICHENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. DO WE KNOW IF THEY'RE COMING? NO, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. WELL, WE'LL STICK AROUND FOR THREE 15. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS SCHEDULED TO BE A THREE 15 FROM LICHENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. IT IS THREE 10. WE WILL WAIT FOR THEM AND SEE IF EVEN A LITTLE BIT AFTER THREE 15 BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW TRAFFIC CAN BE SOMETIMES DOWNTOWN OR PARKING CAN BE SOMETIMES DOWNTOWN. BUT WE WILL TAKE A QUICK RECESS UNTIL, UM, SUCH TIME ACTUALLY UNTIL THREE 15. LET'S JUST TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. THANK YOU. ALL IS FINE. THE TIME IS THREE 17. WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH OUR RESOLUTIONS. UM, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE HERE BY THEN. I AM TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING OUR OUTSIDE AGENCY HEARINGS. WE HAVE LICHENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHO HAD A THREE 15 APPOINTMENT. I DO WANNA GIVE THEM A COUPLE OF EXTRA MINUTES. AND IN THE INTERIM WE WILL GO AHEAD [RESOLUTIONS IN COMMITTEE] [22314 A RESOLUTION authorizing a thirty-six-month term and supply contract for the furnishing of Workday timeclock hardware, software, and support services for use by the 16th Circuit Court and various Jackson County departments to Accu-Time Systems of Windsor, CT, as a sole source purchase.] AND LOOK AT OUR RESOLUTIONS AND COMMITTEE RESOLUTION. 2 2 3 1 4 AUTHORIZING A 36 MONTH TERM AND SUPPLY CONTRACT FOR THE FURNISHING OF WORKDAY, TIME CLOCK HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR USE BY THE 16TH CIRCUIT COURT IN VARIOUS JACKSON COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO ACCU TIME SYSTEMS OF WINSOR. OH, WE DON'T HAVE THREE PEOPLE. WE ARE PUTTING THESE ON HOLD. WE DON'T HAVE THREE PEOPLE. WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM FOR OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE. VOTE . [22315 A RESOLUTION awarding a twelve-month term and supply contract, with one (1) twelve-month option to extend, for the furnishing of Workday professional services for use by the Information Technology Department to Remy Corporation of Denver, CO, under the terms and conditions of State of Oklahoma contract No. SW1025, as an acquisition from another governmental entity.] SO WE WILL BE HOLDING RESOLUTION 2 2 3 1 4. AND RESOLUTION 2, 2 3, 1 5 FOR LACK OF A QUORUM. NOW WHERE IS EVERYBODY? SORRY. WE WILL WAIT ANOTHER FEW MINUTES ON LIKENS. UM, AS THEY DO NOT SHOW IN THOSE FEW MINUTES, WE WILL GO AHEAD FOR ADJOURNMENT. SO WE ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING OUR BUSINESS OF THE DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. UM, THE TIME IS 3 21 AND WE WILL ADJOURN OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR TODAY. THANK YOU EVERYONE. . * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.