Our philanthropy efforts focus on assisting local organizations through hands-on projects and contributions. Here are our most recent projects.
Contributing Newborn Care Needs
Kansas City Athenaeum members have been knitting and crocheting to fill requested needs at Truman Medical Center. More than 100 infant hats have been made this winter. Members are also knitting and crocheting booties, thumbless mittens, and receiving blankets. This ongoing project contributes toward the newborn care needs at the hospital.
Helping the Homeless
This winter Athenaeum members have sewn 60 KC Community Bags for The Sewing Labs in their partnership with Volunteer KC who printed canvas fabric with emergency resources for homeless individuals. One side of the bag has a Kansas City street map, and the other side lists the locations for assistance resources. Members has also sewn 72 fleece hats and 72 fleece scarves for The Sewing Labs' annual winter project for the homeless. In addition, Kansas City Athenaeum gave monetary donations in January to local organizations aiding the homeless.
Protective Face Masks
Kansas City Athenaeum members have devoted hundreds of volunteer hours in their homes in response to COVID-19 protection needs. From April 2020 through Febuary 2021 those efforts have produced more than 3,200 face masks which were given to The Sewing Labs of Kansas City to distribute to schools, nursing homes, day care centers, and other places making urgent requests.
Suffragists Coloring Book Sponsor
Kansas City Athenaeum donated $3,300 in January 2020 to enable the Kansas City Public Library to print 5,000 Suffragists Coloring Books in celebration of the 19th Amendment Centennial. The coloring book was given free to children at the library to educate them on the efforts of eight Kansas City women in their pursuit to gain the right to vote. Due to this year's COVID-19 limitations, Girl Scouts were able to use the coloring book as an at-home activity to earn their "Votes for Women" badge.
The coloring book can also be downloaded from the library’s website at https://kchistory.org/coloringkc/19th.