There are many non-profit organizations that have either started in Kansas City or have a local Kansas City chapter from a national organization that are accepting donations for their causes this holiday season. These organizations help improve the Kansas City area in a variety of ways and are bettering our community every day through their work.
Below is a list of 50 different Kansas City nonprofit organizations broken down by category based on how and where they help in our community. This list a mere sampling of the many different local organizations serving the Kansas City Metro. Please visit Nonprofit Connect for more information and to search a more comprehensive listing.
50 Places to donate in Kansas City on this Giving Tuesday
Arts
ArtsKC Fund — This regional arts council raises money to support a wide range of arts organizations, artists, and arts programs in the area in order to unleash the power of the arts
ArtsTech — A public/private collaborative venture that offers young people and the community an opportunity to advance their artistic and technological skills in an entrepreneurial business environment by providing educational and health services as well as hands-on training in fine arts and digital literacy
Francis Family Foundation — Supports specific efforts to promote pulmonary research, lifelong learning with a particular emphasis on early childhood development, as well as arts and culture
Kansas City Arts Coalition — A nonprofit organization that promotes visual arts awareness in Kansas City and the surrounding region and supports the professional growth of artists
Sunderland Foundation — Provides grants for building construction, renovation, repairs, and restoration of facilities to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other areas where the Ash Grove Cement Company does business
Community Needs
Charlie’s House — Strives to prevent accidents and injuries to children in and around the home by participating in and sponsoring community-wide events to provide home safety information
Harvesters — Provides food and related household products in the KC region. It services the 26-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas
NourishKC — Feeds the hungry and offers culinary classes to people who are underprivileged in the KC area
ScrapsKC — Cares for Kansas City’s environment, education, and holes through creative reuse
Seton Center — Provides dental services, a food pantry, rent and utility assistance, a thrift store, and older adult services for neighbors in need
Domestic Violence
Child Abuse Prevention Association — Committed to preventing and treating all forms of child abuse and neglect in the community
Hope House — Dedicated to making sure every man, woman, and child affected by domestic violence can find refuge and freedom, specifically in the Kansas City area
Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOSCA) — Exists to improve the lives of those impacted by sexual abuse and assault and to prevent sexual violence in our community
NEWHOUSE Shelter — On a mission to break the cycle of domestic violence by providing the tools that allow individuals and families to make positive choices and lead self-sufficient lives.
Rose Brooks Center — Aims to break the cycle of domestic violence so that individuals and families can live free of abuse
Education
Johnson County Library Foundation — Helps the library build its collection and resources, offer programs for patrons of all ages, and better serve the needs of the community
Kansas Children’s Discovery Center — Believes every child deserves rich and diverse museum experiences and is committed to ensuring accessibility for every family
Literary KC — Seeks to advance literacy within the Kansas City metropolitan area through direct services, advocacy, and collaboration.
Operation Breakthrough — Provides a safe, loving, and educational environment for children in poverty and empowers their families through advocacy, emergency aid, and education in the Kansas City area
Turn the Page — An organization that focuses on making sure that all Kansas City children can read at grade level by 3rd grade
Health Care
Health Forward Foundation — Provides leadership, advocacy, and resources to eliminate barriers and promote quality health for those who are uninsured and underserved in our area
HealthED Connect — Empowers women and children through evidence-based health, education, and advocacy programs.
KC Care — Promotes health and wellness by providing quality care, access, research, and education to the underserved and all people in our community
NutureKC — A community collaboration dedicated to reducing infant mortality and improving family health by working to change policy for broad impact, to transform systems to improve health outcomes at a local level, and to provide one-on-one support to connect families
Vibrant Health — Provides access to respectful, empowering, culturally sensitive, and appropriate high-quality health care for the community, regardless of socio-economic obstacles by operating on a sliding fee scale.
Human Trafficking
One by One Project — Empowers the Kansas City community through awareness to end sex trafficking by hosting awareness events that help engage and inspire the community to help prevent victims of sex trafficking
Rended Heart — Provides immediate short-term accommodations, resources, and services, for the purpose of preparing the sexually exploited individual for entry into a long-term restoration or reintegration program
Restoration House KC — Brings hope to survivors of human trafficking through love, guidance, and the assurance of a long-term home
Rise Up KC — A grassroots movement of Kansas City women and mothers raising awareness and support to help end human trafficking through local events and fundraisers
Veronica’s Voice — Fighting to end commercial sexual exploitation of Kansas City women since 2000
LGBTQIA+
Greater Kansas City Gay and Lesbian Youth Services — Helps to improve the LGBT youth to become aware of and comfortable with their identities, knowledgeable of their health status and risks, and actively involved in the Kansas City community
Kansas City Center for Inclusion — A community center established to provide a safe and welcoming space where LGBTQIA+ individuals and families, friends, and straight allies can come for education, resources, and community
KC Anti-Violence Project — Offers dedicated services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth and adults, throughout Missouri and Kansas, who have experienced trauma, violence, harassment, or neglect and work to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual violence, and hate crimes.
Thrive Health Connection — A regional healthcare leader and influencer providing inclusive, holistic and integrated health and wellness services to individuals affected by HIV and other STIs, LGBTQ communities, and those seeking a welcoming and affirming health center
Transformations KC — A transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) and gender expansive youth social and support drop-in group in the Kansas City area for young people (12-18 years old) who self-identify as TGNC or are questioning their gender identity
Racial Equality
Advocate for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation — Strives to create a network that supports and empowers the undocumented immigrant community in the greater Kansas City area by providing tools and resources for people to be able to navigate their lives with confidence and pride
More2 — A social justice organization representing different faith traditions, cultural backgrounds, races, and economic means that advocates for racial and economic equality to change statewide policies through grassroots movements
Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet — A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying the voices and power of Black women through education and advocacy, so they can be effective advocates for the issues that matter to them and the communities they serve
Troost Market Collective — Seek to create equitable economic opportunity for creative entrepreneurs, inspiring future generations through innovative through innovative partnerships and programming
Urban League of KC — Empowers Black and other disadvantaged persons to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights
Special Needs
Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) — Offers a comprehensive program with individualized therapy and specialized services to prepare children with visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities, to reach their highest potential in the sighted world
Center for the Developmentally Disabled (CDD) — Provides residential care services and day habilitation to adults with developmental disabilities in the greater Kansas City, MO area
Disabled but not Really — Provides the underserved “disabled” community a physically limitless mindset that breeds courage, confidence, and competence by creating an environment where anyone limited due to circumstance can find a safe place for growth
The Whole Person — Connects people with disabilities to the resources they need by supporting independent choice and advocating for positive change in the community
Variety KC — A volunteer-driven organization committed to providing children with developmental disabilities the adaptive equipment and opportunities needed for activity and inclusion
Women’s Issues
Dress for Success KC — Offers women ongoing support as they successfully transition into the workforce through employment retention programs and by providing suits to women
OneKC for Women — An umbrella alliance that brings together several organizations, each with unique roles, all dedicated to providing resources, opportunities and connections for women in their quest for financial, personal, and professional self-sufficiency through resources, opportunities, and connections
The Help KC — Committed to providing an array of resources and helpful tools to formerly incarcerated/convicted women that can aid them with a productive transition into their community
United WE — Envisions a world where all women are empowered to strengthen America’s economy and democracy and unites with appointees, elected officials, community leaders, supporters, and everyday women to positively impact hundreds of thousands of women
Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC) — Empowers the lives of girls and women through advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports and fitness, while providing opportunities for participation and leadership development
As you decide how to participate in Giving Tuesday, keeping your focus on local groups will allow any contribution you make to benefit our Kansas City community. If you are looking for a place to donate in Kansas City, please consider one of these organizations/groups or another local cause close to your heart.
Where will you be donating your time, energy, or resources this year?
Awesome. This was the perfect time. There are several I recognized and have donated to before and will be again now that you reminded me. Great information.