Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response & Recovery FundSurpasses Initial Goal, Raises More than $16 Million for Local Nonprofits

Kansas City, MO: The Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, established by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Kansas City, LISC Greater Kansas City (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) and MARC (Mid-America Regional Council), has raised a total of $16,125,724 for area nonprofits to provide housing support, food, access to health care, and other critical human services in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing its original goal of $10 million.

Additionally, the $16,125,724 total includes $6 million in matched donations from the Hall Family Foundation and the Sunderland Foundation, who partnered on a challenge grant to encourage gifts to the Fund.

Despite this initial success, nonprofits are realizing ongoing and additional deficits as the region faces each new phase of the crisis. As a result, the scope of support in the Greater Kansas City community continues to grow, and donations are still needed.

Notably, of this $16,125,724 raised, $2,062,008 was a result of OneKC Day of Giving, a united one-day drive by Kansas City broadcasters, including Fox 4, KCTV-5, KMBC-TV9, KSHB-TV41, Telemundo, KCPT, Carter Broadcast, Cumulus Media, Steel City Media and a variety of other outlets, to raise donations for the Fund. Donations from all fundraising efforts go toward the Fund, 100 percent of which stays right here in the Kansas City region.

“The generosity of Greater Kansas City has been demonstrated again by the overwhelming response to the OneKC Day of Giving and the overall fundraising effort,” said Bill Hall, President of the Hall Family Foundation. “Thank you to all those who contributed to helping their neighbors in this time of need. This is yet another example of the Kansas City spirit, which has seen us through previous crises and will see us through this one.”

Initial fund grants in the amount of more than $2.6 million were recently sent to 56 area nonprofits. The Fund provides support relief efforts in Cass, Clay, Jackson, Plate and Ray counties in Missouri; and Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Miami counties in Kansas. Grants support 501(c)(3) public charities.

“The kindness of so many in our community is truly remarkable,” said Randy Vance, President & Chief Operating Officer of the Sunderland Foundation. “Local nonprofit organizations are facing tremendous challenges meeting the heightened demand for food, housing and health care. This fundraising effort provides critical resources during unprecedented times, and we know generous Kansas Citians will continue to give as needs evolve.”

Thank you to the following funders who have come together with major donations to support the Kansas City region during this critical time of need.