NourishKC, Jackson County Health Department, and Care Beyond the Boulevard are partnering to offer a second free vaccination event at Kansas City Community Kitchen (KCCK), 750 The Paseo Blvd., on Thursday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This walk-in clinic will offer first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine, second doses of the Moderna vaccine, and the Johnson and Johnson one-dose vaccine. The event is open to everyone; there are no residency restriction. The vaccination event will be held during KCCK’s regularly-scheduled lunch service hours, and all are welcome to pick up a carry-out meal as well.

Since 1982, the mission of NourishKC has been to work collaboratively to create food security and systemic change in emergency food services in Greater Kansas City. NourishKC bases the efforts of its programs – Kansas City Community Kitchen (KCCK), Food Rescue, and Culinary Skills Training – on the belief that food is a basic human right. Additionally, NourishKC believes that it is not enough just to fill bellies; the meals served to their guests are hot, fresh, and nutritious.

In 2020, KCCK served nearly 88,000 meals free of charge. The Food Rescue program provides healthy, nutritious food to KCCK and to several local food pantries for distribution to local families. The program has rescued more than 500,000 pounds of usable food from being wasted. NourishKC also leverages its kitchen facilities to host the Culinary Skills Training program, which focuses on helping older teens in foster care gain valuable life and job skills to prepare them for aging out of state care.

Care Beyond the Boulevard (CBB) began as an entirely volunteer-based mobile medical clinic operating from the back of a pickup truck. The goal was simple – deliver high-quality healthcare to the homeless and other patients who lacked access to these services.

In 2017, CBB received a donated bus; by spring 2018, the bus had been converted into a fully functional mobile clinic. A Street Outreach Coordinator was added to the team in 2020 to provide case management and other services. Today, CBB provides, acute care, routine care, seasonal care, and case management on a walk-up basis free of charge with no insurance or documents of any kind required.

CBB conducts four stationary clinics, three mobile clinics, and one specialty clinic each week with a goal of reaching over 2,000 individuals by the end of 2021.