Bryan Stalder
Contributor

Mattie Rhodes Center is expanding its community-based violence prevention efforts deeper into Historic Northeast Kansas City, announcing this month that its ParateXPaz program will now serve the Independence Plaza neighborhood.

The expansion builds on the recent opening of the ParateXPaz Violence Prevention Center at 5108 Independence Ave., which began serving residents in Lykins, Indian Mound and Sheffield in December 2024. The new outreach into Independence Plaza is supported by a $2 million city investment aimed at strengthening neighborhood-level violence prevention and intervention strategies.

That investment aligns with Kansas City, Missouri City Ordinance 250941, adopted in late 2025, which authorized funding for neighborhood-based outreach programs designed to engage individuals most at risk of involvement in violent conflict. The ordinance enabled the city to contract with community-based organizations to establish violence prevention teams in several neighborhoods, including Independence Plaza, as part of a broader public safety strategy focused on prevention rather than enforcement.

In a Facebook announcement, Mattie Rhodes Center shared the news with the community, writing:

“We’re expanding our community violence prevention outreach into a fourth neighborhood — Independence Plaza.

Building on our work in Lykins, Sheffield, and Indian Mound in Historic Northeast Kansas City, this expansion allows our highly trained outreach workers to respond to violent incidents, de-escalate conflict, and provide 1-on-1 support to individuals closest to violence.

In partnership with our Public Safety Department, we’re strengthening the resources families need to live safer, violence-free lives.

Together, we’re showing up where it matters most.”

ParateXPaz, which translates to “Stand Up for Peace,” operates under Mattie Rhodes Center, a nonprofit that has served Kansas City families for more than a century. The violence prevention program combines street outreach, conflict mediation, victim support and connections to social services, focusing on people and places most impacted by violence.

Street outreach teams are a core part of this work. Team members regularly walk neighborhood corridors, connect with residents and business owners, respond to incidents, and offer mediation and support aimed at preventing retaliation and further harm. The program also collaborates with partner organizations to provide food assistance, recovery resources and referrals to housing, employment and counseling services.

Ordinance 250941 was part of a larger citywide initiative to fund preventative violence reduction efforts across multiple neighborhoods, including Ruskin Heights, North Town Fork Creek, Marlborough Heights and Ivanhoe. While separate, related ordinances addressed specific areas, the overall effort reflects Kansas City’s growing reliance on community organizations to address violence through relationship-building, consistent presence and early intervention.

The opening of the Independence Avenue location was made possible through collaboration with the City of Kansas City, the Kansas City Health Department, Aim for Peace, Jackson County COMBAT, the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District and neighboring organizations, including Relentless Pursuit Outreach and Recovery.

City officials say the funding allows outreach teams to expand into neighborhoods with higher rates of violent crime using evidence-based models that have been implemented in cities across the country. In the Northeast, that approach now includes four connected neighborhoods — Lykins, Indian Mound, Sheffield and Independence Plaza — creating a broader footprint for prevention work along Independence Avenue and surrounding residential areas.

Community leaders have emphasized that violence prevention extends beyond emergency response to include long-term relationship-building, access to resources and consistent neighborhood presence. The expanded ParateXPaz outreach is designed to support families, intervene before conflicts escalate and help create safer public spaces for children and residents.

Following the opening of the Violence Prevention Center and the addition of Independence Plaza, Mattie Rhodes Center’s presence in the Northeast continues to grow, reinforcing a neighborhood-based approach to public safety that prioritizes prevention, support and community trust.

The Mattie Rhodes Center Northeast Office is located at 148 N. Topping Ave., Kansas City, MO 64123. For more information, call (816) 241-3780.