Our philanthropy efforts assist local organizations through hands-on projects and contributions.
Meeting Community Needs
Kansas City Athenaeum members continue to volunteer their sewing expertise by supporting The Sewing Labs community projects. Dozens of Children's Activity Bags and Ambulatory Walker Bags have been sewn for St. Luke's Hospital. Also, dozens of knit hats that were miss-cut during the manufacturing process were repaired and sewn by our members, saving the material from being discarded into the landfill.
In addition, since 2022 Athenaeum members have sewn hundreds of flannel receiving blankets and burp cloths for Truman Hospital babies.
Helping HappyBottoms
Kansas City Athenaeum members volunteer periodically at HappyBottoms by packaging diapers for those in need. In addition, we give monetary donations to HappyBottoms to purchase diapers for its distribution program. Diapers are one of the essential needs that low-income families can often not afford on their own. HappyBottoms helps to meet that need.
Volunteering at Scraps KC
Kansas City Athenaeum members also volunteer at Scraps KC, sorting a variety of items the organization receives from the public in their conservation efforts of repurposing so fewer unused goods end up in landfills. The items sorted during our service projects add to the huge selection of unused and repurposed items in the Scraps KC store for the general public to purchase.
Helping the Homeless
Kansas City Athenaeum members have conducted an ongoing project sewing KC Community Bags for The Sewing Labs since 2020. That agency has partnered with Volunteer KC who prints canvas fabric with emergency resources for unsheltered individuals. One side of the bag has a Kansas City street map, and the other side lists locations for assistance resources. Our members' involvement has completed 510 bags for the project's distribution to those experiencing homelessness. Athenaeum members have also sewn 36 Community Bags in 2025 that were printed with emergency resources available in Cass County, Missouri.
Meeting Truman Medical Center Needs
Kansas City Athenaeum members have been knitting and crocheting to fill requested needs at University Health Truman Medical Center. More than 2,000 infant hats have been donated since 2021. Members have also knitted and crocheted booties and baby blankets. These all support the newborn care needs at the hospital. Other ongoing projects include sewing more than 1,000 eyeglass cases for the eye clinic, plus 88 patient tote bags and 48 infusion pump bags for the cancer center.
Sweet Dreams for Seniors
Since 2020 Kansas City Athenaeum has annually supported the Sweet Dreams for Seniors Pillowcase Project conducted by The Sewing Labs. Our members have sewn 480 pillowcases for local senior centers. Each recipient receives one pillowcase made from holiday fabric and the other from everyday fabric.
The Benefits of Teamwork
Kansas City Athenaeum members work diligently to meet community needs. In an ongoing sewing project, yards and yards of fleece have been generously provided by The Sewing Labs for our members to make 677 hats and 178 scarves since 2021. These have been distributed to Amethyst Place, Missouri Girls Town, Operation Breakthrough, True Light Family Resource Center, Veterans Community Project, and the Clothes Closet at Central Presbyterian Church. Fleece was also used to make 40 gift bags for a Christmas project at Amethyst Place where children could select jewelry to give to their mothers. The jewelry was donated by our members and friends.