Get Involved, Kansas City!

You already know that living in Kansas City today is incredible and it’s up to us to push Kansas City to greatness. So what will your role be? One beautiful option is to give freely of your time. Giving our time is even more precious than giving money (although that is important too!) as it is our most precious resource.

Beyond the feel-goods and karma, volunteering is a great way to:

• Support a cause you care about
• Share a skill
• Experience new things
• Meet people and make new friends
• Gain leadership skills
• Learn something new
• Help others
• Boost your resume
• Be part of a team
• Promote personal growth

Start Volunteering

Volunteering works best if you donate your time to something meaningful to you, whether that’s exercising a creative outlet, connecting with humans or animals, or improving a place you love. Here’s a good way to start:

• Brainstorm the reasons you want to volunteer
• Write a list of the causes that interest you
• Identify how much time you have to give
• Use a resource like The Call KC or VolunteerMatch to find opportunities that match your qualifications
• Reach out to your identified organizations for opportunities

Choosing a Great Organization

There are a lot of great organizations in Kansas City. Here are are a few of my favorites:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City: Be a Big or a mentor and help shape a child’s future.
• Legal Aid of Western Missouri: Help serve those who need legal services most and can afford them least.
• Midwest Innocence Project: Help free those who have been wrongfully convicted.
• Don Bosco Community Center: Volunteer to help teach ESL courses or to serve seniors.
• Domestic Violence Protection Services Agency: Participate, volunteer, or fundraise for the annual Rivalry Run 5k.
• Urban Trail Co.: Help build KC’s trail systems which rely on volunteer work.
• Literacy KC: Help adults improve their literacy skills in a welcoming environment.
• KC Pet Project: Volunteer to transport animals, walk dogs, or take in animals for foster care.
• ArtsKC: Support Kansas City’s biggest art advocates.
• Morning Glory Ministries: Serve food to Kansas City’s homeless population in a positive setting.
• 816 Bike Collective: Support the free community bicycle shop that gets bikes into the hands of low-income commuters.
• Bike MS: Kansas City: Ride your bike for a good cause and raise funds for the MS Society.
• Connecting for Good: Help bridge the digital divide in Kansas City by donating your time or old computer.
• American Red Cross: Volunteer for disaster relief or help their communications team.

Get Started

While getting started with a new endeavor can be overwhelming, there’s no better way to get started than to get started.

It’s up to us to tip Kansas City. What will you do to be part of the push? Leave a comment with your favorite way to give back in KC.