By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
January 7, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — In 2014, the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce took another step forward in improving the Historic Northeast.

January

The Northeast started out the year by having leaders share not only their own personal resolutions, but also their resolutions and goals for the community. Only one week after launching the Community Improvement District safety ambassador program, one of the ambassadors helped detain a homicide suspect just minutes after a deadly shooting. Also, Kansas City Urban Core grants were announced and NEKC Chamber of Commerce received a generous $40,000 grant.

February

Beads, Beans, and Beer, the annual Mardi Gras celebration, was held at the Don Bosco Center. Beads, Beans, and Beer fundraised for not only the Historic Northeast Events but also the TakeCharge Leadership Scholarships, as well.

April

The CID released its first newsletter, packed with information updating the community on what they’ve been doing, what they plan on doing, and a cash flow report. A presentation on the CID was given to city officials, and the CID announced that it had become completely debt free.

May

The Chamber honored Goodman Hardware Store’s retirement by sponsoring a ribbon tying. A planting and cleanup was held to beautify the neighborhood and business fronts for summer.

June

Both the NEKC Chamber and the CID were represented at the World Refugee Day to raise awareness and funds for refugees all over the world.

July

It was announced at a city business session meeting that $18 million of much needed improvements are planned for along Paseo Boulevard.

August

NEKC Chamber of Commerce assisted the ribbon cutting at the new Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School. NEKC Chamber of Commerce won an award for Best Economic Restructuring Project from the Missouri Main Street program for their outstanding efforts on Independence Avenue.

September

Kansas City, MO made it big in Hollywood this year, when “The Good Lie” was set here. A KC employment counselor befriends refugees. The story is fictional but based on real events. The Northeast Chamber’s Taste and Tour moved to the Don Bosco Senior Center this year, in order to offer more space for the 20 plus area restaurants participating in the event.

October

NEKC Chamber and CID participate in a neighborhood cleanup, helping to beautify our neighborhoods and storefronts.

November

Advance Auto Parts opens a second location in the area, and NEKC Chamber of Commerce attended to help with the ribbon cutting. The NEKC Chamber and CID sponsored the inaugural Boulevard Lighting Ceremony, bringing holiday spirit to the Avenue.

December

NEKC Chamber of Commerce was given a grant to pilot a crime-stopping program with surveillance cameras strategically placed along Independence Avenue. The Chamber hosted a Bed and Breakfast Tour in Historic Northeast, to showcase the homes that the innkeepers host.

Other highlights

Bobbi Baker-Hughes, Northeast Chamber CEO, said along with the above, two classes hosted by the Chamber helped create more leaders in the Northeast and united businesses. At the beginning of the year, the Chamber introduced the community to its TAKECHARGE class. The TakeCharge program is an intensive, five-month course that equips participants with the knowledge, skills and contacts to be effective neighborhood and community leaders. In the summer, the Chamber launched its One on One Business course, a series of classes which helped better connect businesses and business owners within the Northeast. Baker-Hughes said both courses were successful.

“It’s incredible what TAKECHARGE did in 2014 for the future of the Historic Northeast,” Baker-Hughes said, adding the course created more leaders for the Northeast, with several students joining the Chamber board of directors. “It showed the pure dedication of the people in this community who want to see the right things happen and a majority of the people who’ve taken those classes, took that knowledge and have moved forward to improve the quality of life, economic development and the education of this community.”

What’s next?

Looking ahead to 2015, Baker-Hughes said the Chamber and the community will continue to try and modify the perception the Northeast still holds. Within the last year, businesses such as Advance Auto Parts and Taco Bell, set-up shop in the Northeast, as well as McDonald’s recently reopening after a three-month remodeling. Baker-Hughes said those, “big dollar corporations” see investment opportunities in the Northeast community. Those corporations are then catalysts for future developments.

“These businesses that have come in are leaders in retail sales and the food industry, so as they make their investments, smaller investors look at that,” Baker-Hughes said. “We as a community are doing a good job in putting a better face on for the Northeast.

She noted the Chamber and CID would also like to spend 2015 better focusing its efforts on marketing the community, its businesses and the opportunities within the Northeast. That also includes better marketing for current businesses.

“We [the Chamber and CID] are working towards a prosperous, happy and healthy 2015 in the Historic Northeast community,” Baker-Hughes said. “It’s going to be an exciting year.”