More than 700 turkeys were given away to area residents at Community Builders of Kansas City (CBKC)’s Fifth Annual Turkey Giveaway on November 16 on the grounds of Macedonia Baptist Church at 1700 East Linwood Boulevard. Families also received the rest of the fixings for their Thanksgiving meal, books, toiletries and flu and COVID vaccinations.
“If we can give someone a bit of a smile for the upcoming holiday, maybe they can pass that on in their own way,” said Emmet Pierson, Jr., president and CEO of CBKC. “Like most meaningful community initiatives, it takes a village, and we are grateful to our dedicated partners who help make this event a success year after year.”
Pierson refers to partners Catholic Charities, Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Council, Harvesters, Jackson County Health Department and Kansas City Public Library.
In keeping with the holiday spirit of giving, the The Soul of Santa Tree Lighting Ceremony was held at The Shops on Blue Parkway on November 27 for the fourth year in a row. This inclusive holiday event featured a family friendly night of fun for the area’s underserved communities. Highlights of the night were the lighting of the spectacular 50-foot-tall Christmas tree and a free concert. Russell Stover provided sweet treats to the crowd of around 100 people, while the Salvation Army handed out hot cocoa.
Along with raising holiday spirit, the event also served to raise money and awareness for several causes. The Soul of Santa’s Do Good Foundation links people with disabilities to resources. Aim4Peace, the city of Kansas City’s anti-violence program, was on hand spreading its message of peace and Salvation Army collected donations.
The event was emceed by Fox4 Film Critic Shawn Edwards. Also in attendance was Jackson County Prosecutor-Elect Melesa Johnson. The following morning families were invited to the Blue Parkway Community Breakfast offering children a free toy, Santa letter-writing and book readings.
Our thanks to The Soul of Santa for bringing its wonderful holiday event to the CBKC campus. It was a blast!