Community Builders of Kansas City’s 2020-2023 strategic plan lays out five goals – 1. Increase organizational capacity, 2. Develop an integrated entrepreneurial model, 3. Build and maintain financial stability, 4. Empower families and communities and 4. Implement a comprehensive communications strategy. Each details the evidence required to prove progress on the stated goals. DaRon McGee contributes to the evidence for Goal #4 – Empower. When he joined the CBKC team in January 2020 in the consulting role of community and government relations manager, he hit the ground running.
“It is important to me to be able to see the result of our work and I get to do that in this role,” said McGee. “Community Builders has made it a priority to be involved in the community and, even with the limitations of the pandemic, we are going after it full-on.”
McGee said CBKC’s approach is to listen and respond to what the community needs. This can be seen across all of the organization’s projects, including its development projects. The Offices at Overlook, a mixed-use project on 11 acres at the corner of Swope Parkway and Chestnut Avenue, includes a health and wellness walking trail, outdoor event plazas and generous green space all in response to community requests for more walkable areas to enjoy throughout the week.
A higher profile part of that response has been through a series of public events. In July, CBKC hosted a free food distribution and COVID-19 testing drive-thru for area residents. Nearly 1,500 adults, children and seniors in more than 400 households received boxes of meat, dairy and fresh fruit and vegetables provided by Harvesters Community Food Network while another 225 were able to be tested by Swope Health for COVID-19.
In September, CBKC partnered with Kansas City Public Schools to present the safe, socially distanced, end-of-summer Movie Night at Starlight with free food and beverages provided by the CBKC-owned Blue Parkway Sun Fresh Market and supported by a number of sponsors including Starlight, KC Parks Partners, 5th District Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw, 5th District Councilman Lee Barnes, Jr., Patricia A. Jones Macklin and more.
“CBKC did the food distribution and COVID testing drive-thru in response to a lack of testing in the central city and the increase in food insecurity caused by the pandemic,” said McGee. “The end-of-summer event acknowledged that kids, whole families, have been stuck inside for months. This was a way to offer something fun, free and safe.”
Other events are planned for fall. On October 3, CBKC will present a safe, socially distanced free outdoor concert by Kansas City Symphony musicians in the parking lot of its offices at 4001 Blue Parkway. The organization is actively exploring other opportunities to continue its outreach into the holiday season.
On a day-to-day basis, McGee also facilitates technical assistance for community members, helping guide them to resources that can help with everything from utilities to counseling. He also keeps elected officials and staff professionals informed and involved in what the organization is doing. “Our knowing we are doing good work is not enough,” he added. “We have to continually show the evidence and impact of the good work and why it is essential that our governmental and other partners come alongside CBKC to help make the kind of difference that lasts.”Previous to joining CBKC, McGee served as program administrator for Jackson County COMBAT which fights substance abuse and drug-related crime, served as a state representative in the Missouri legislature and worked in community relations for Truman Medical Center.
“Emmet (Pierson, Jr., CBKC CEO) has empowered me to do what is right and good,” said McGee. “It is great to work for an organization that backs you all the way to get the kind of results that matter results to our community.”