HALO Celebrates Groundbreaking Ceremony August 31, Providing the Foundation of a Family for Kansas City Homeless and At-Risk Youth
Kansas City, MO — The HALO Foundation, a nonprofit that helps thousands of homeless and at-risk children around the world, proudly celebrated its groundbreaking on Aug. 31 of its second Missouri location of a HALO Boys Home, Girls Home, Learning Center and Headquarters as a $4.1 million phase I project, located at I-435 South and Blue Parkway in southeast Kansas City on 37 acres. Lead Kansas City partners include Harmon Construction, general contractor; Clockwork, architect; BHC, design engineering firm; Superior Bowen, civil contractor; and Place Interiors, interior design. Key supporters includeBlueScope Steel, Bicknell Family Foundation, Diamond Pet Foods, Haverty Family Foundation, Kemper Family Foundations, Mabee Foundation, Sarah Ross and the Sunderland Foundation.
“The number of homeless youth in Kansas City has nearly doubled in the past 10 years with over 6,000 homeless children on any given night, with only 33 beds available for unaccompanied children needing long term housing,” said HALO Founder Rebecca Welsh. “These children are knocking on our doors every night, and we are proud to be a part of the solution to provide a safe place to help break the cycle of youth homelessness. We are so grateful for the support from the City and our generous donor community.”
The HALO KC Housing programs are a Transitional Living Program. The HALO Girls Home provides the foundation of a family to pregnant, parenting, and non-parenting girls ages 16-21, and their children, who are homeless or in high-risk situations. The HALO Boys Home serves boys ages 16-21. Ten bedrooms are available with a shared living room and kitchen in each Home. HALO youth graduate from the program within 18 months. In 2017, HALO opened its Jefferson City, Mo. Girls Home, housing up to 40 children annually with over 84% of graduates leading steady lives where they have broken the cycle and are contributing members of the community.
Welsh shared, “As we’ve learned with our HALO Jefferson City Home, this rural model allows our children to heal and break the cycle of youth homelessness. By taking our children away from negative influences, they are able to focus on their goals.”
The KC Learning Center currently serves over 700 homeless and at-risk children and partners in the community offering free services with organizations like reStart Inc., Fairfax Learning Center, Newhouse, Cornerstones of Care and Hillcrest Transitional Living Program. Since 2010, the Learning Center has provided therapeutic art programs, tutoring, professional development, scholarships and life skill workshops.
HALO Headquarters and the KC Learning Center are currently located in the Livestock Exchange Building in the West Bottoms in Kansas City, Mo. HALO is projected to move into its new location in Summer 2023. The address will be 5928 E. 52nd Terrace Kansas City, MO 64129. HALO is pursuing tax credits, charitable lead trusts, grants, corporate sponsorships, individual and family foundations, and income sources to support this project. To get involved, learn more at haloworldwide.org/halo-kansas-city-capital-campaign.
HALO currently has 21 staff members that are full and part time across all locations, and will be hiring 20 full time and part time positions in the Spring/Summer 2023. Please visit haloworldwide.org/careers-and-internships to learn more.
ABOUT HALO:
HALO believes every child should have the foundation of a family. Since 2005, HALO has provided love in the form of housing, healing and education to heal homeless and at-risk children. Featured in the Moroccanoil INSPIRED film series, “American Spirit” of CBS Evening News, “Heroes Among Us” and “25 Women Changing the World” of PEOPLE magazine, “The Today Show,” Variety Magazine, and Oprah Daily, HALO serves over 3,000 children and supports 15 programs around the globe each year. It has Learning Centers and Housing programs in Kansas City, and Jefferson City, Missouri, and art programming in New York and Portland. HALO also supports orphanages and programs in Uganda, Kenya, Mexico and India. Learn how Love Heals at HALO and help one more child spend one less day alone at haloworldwide.org.
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Photo/Video Opportunity: If interested in interviewing HALO Founder Rebecca Welsh and/or a HALO Youth Alum, please contact [email protected] or 913-548-8875 (cell).
Group Photo Featured Above:
(Left to Right: Back Row)
Chelsea Tapken, HALO; Jacob Nordhus, Harmon Construction; Brian Johanning, Superior Bowen; Tim Harmon, Harmon Construction; Joyce Neuenswander, HALO; Carly Schultze, HALO; Matt Gibbs, BHC; Trey Bowen, Superior Bowen; Doug Blue, BlueScope Steel, Christian Arnold, Clockwork; Dan Evans, Superior Bowen; Jill Harmon, BlueScope Steel.
(Left to Right: Front Row)
Christina Cummins, HALO; Kevin Pinkowski, BHC; Cameron Giyard, Clockwork; Shannon Haverty-Thrun, Haverty Family Foundation; Nicole Gerken, HALO; Rebecca Welsh, HALO; Dan Kumm, BlueScope Steel; Eddie Welsh, Capital; Ryana Parks-Shaw, Fifth District Councilwoman; Vanessa Connell, HALO Board Member; Sally Sallee, HALO Advocate Board Member; Julie Arnold, Place Interiors, Laura Terrebonne, BHC; Alayna Howard, HALO.
