Vice President Dior Richardson and Youth 4 Change tables at "Cool the Meter" campaign kickoff event on Friday, June 20. | Photo by Julia Williams

Julia Williams

Editor-in-Chief

As temperatures reached 100 degrees on Friday, June 20, the City of Kansas City — and its Extreme Weather Planning Committee (EWPC) — launched its “Cool KC” Extreme Heat Response plan at Healing House’s Recovery Community Center, 112 N. Elmwood Ave. 

An initiative aimed to address aggressive temperatures anticipated for the months of June through September and assist Kansas City residents and its unhoused population, the EWPC has developed a network of resources to provide water and shelter. 

From 1 to 4 p.m., on Friday, various business owners and community members gathered from across the metro with a focus on the “Cool KC Meter” or “Cool the Meter, Quench the Need” campaign. This virtual temperature meter accompanied a QR code, which was spread out on tables throughout the Community Center. Attendees who filled out the form attached to the QR code entered their name, contact information and a method for how they planned to help contribute to Cool KC. This could include anywhere from supply contributions, provide a cooling center, offer hydration access, financial contribution, donation drop-off, volunteer or spread public awareness.

The temperature meter started out at 100 degrees and with every pledge to support this campaign, the thermometer would decrease. 

Throughout this event, Kansas City stakeholders and organization leaders gave speeches highlighting how they plan to contribute to the initiative and how community members can get involved and assist in the cause. Some of these included Rock of Ages Missionary, PH Coffee Owner Eric Rossell, Patricia Porche from True Light Family Resource Center, Lauren Worley from Community Services League and Nick Allen from the City of Kansas City, among others. 

All of these organizations have signed on and are currently offering resources to help combat these “dog days” of summer.

While some organizations are honing in on one solution category such as providing a cooling center or shelter, others like PH Coffee (2200 Lexington Ave.) are incorporating this “Cool KC” campaign into their traditional business mission. 

“Treat everyone with respect, treat [everyone] as a neighbor,” Rossell said during a presentation, Friday. “If you have a business, show people dignity.”

Throughout the summer months, PH Coffee will offer free water and a space to cool off for those in need. However, this Lexington Avenue coffee shop is not the only organization that is participating in this Cool KC campaign. Rock of Ages Missionary Baptist Church (3806 Prospect Ave.) was in attendance on Friday and shared that it will be offering a cooling center as well as True Light Family Resource Center (712 E. 31st St.). 

Lauren Worley from the Community Service League (404 N. Noland Rd., Independence, Mo.) shared that its location is currently serving as a drop-off center for community members wanting to provide resources as well as providing a cooling center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The Community Service League additionally offers a free, hot breakfast and lunch for those in need. 

During Friday’s kickoff event, a water station was set up in the Healing House Recovery Community Center Parking lot with individuals from KC Water Services offering free water for attendees or for anyone in the area needing to cool off. 

Those working the tent shared that KC Water Services is available to attend events and offer free water — what the program refers to as its “Water Bar” — for anyone who requests its services. While they target nonprofit organizations and their events, these station pop-ups are available to any nonprofit organization who requests their services — preferably those with a fire hydrant nearby. 

A request for a KC Water Services Water Bar can be made at: https://www.kcwater.us/programs/water-bar/. 

A networking hour at Healing House headquarters followed the presentation on Friday for community members to speak with organizations participating in Cool KC and to learn about ways they can get involved. 

“It’s a great opportunity,” Program Manager for the City of Kansas City’s Reach Program Cydney Williams shared in an interview on Friday in reference to Cool KC. “All community resources help houselessness.”

While Williams said the City has hosted cooling initiatives similar to this in previous years, the turnout and participation this year from organizations and individuals citywide has already outdone years past. And this contribution and collaboration could be seen on Friday as the Cool KC Meter, which started out at 100 degrees, decreased to 7.5 degrees by the end of the event. 

“The contribution and collaboration,” Williams said when asked about her favorite aspect of the initiative. “Keeping people cool, increasing public health and increasing individual coolness during the summer months.”

Youth 4 Change and its Vice President Dior Richardson also participated in the networking event on Friday to bring awareness to its organization and the resources it has to offer the community. 

Youth 4 Change — a program in its 20th year, hosted by reStart Inc. — works to assist in harm prevention, case management and housing, among other items, for Kansas City-area youth ages 16 to 24.

While this organization does not have a set location that it operates out of, Richardson shared that they primarily work with lower-income Kansas City metro neighborhoods, connecting them with necessary resources. 

Throughout the summer, Youth 4 Change will offer a meeting on the first Wednesday of every month. For meeting location and additional inquiries, visit: https://www.facebook.com/Youth4ChangeKC/ or contact the organization directly at: Contacty4ckc@gmail.com. 

For additional information on Cool KC — including ways to get involved — visit: https://www.kcmo.gov/programs-initiatives/coolkc or contact unhoused@kcmo.org. To reach the Extreme Weather Hotline, call: 816-513-3699.