Where to give time, money, or supplies.

We do not run a fund or take donations. Everyone on this page does. We've grouped them by what kind of help they need most — time, money, things — and tried to be honest about which organizations our community knows works versus the big-name ones that show up in headlines.

Mutual aid (peer networks, not charities)

Money or time goes directly to people in need. No means-testing. No paperwork. Most transparent about where money goes, because they operate on Venmo/Cash App in public.

KC Mutual Aid: linktr.ee/kcmutualaid
Chosen Family Mutual Aid KC: linktr.ee/chosenfamilykc
KC Tenants Solidarity Fund: emergency rent + utility for tenants facing displacement · kctenants.org

Food

Harvesters: harvesters.org — the regional food bank. Money is more efficient than food drives; they have wholesale buying power. Volunteer shifts in their warehouse fill quickly.
Reconciliation Services / Thelma's Kitchen: 1006 E Linwood Blvd, KCMO. Volunteer shifts in the kitchen, pantry, or community-resource navigation.
Bishop Sullivan Center: volunteer kitchen + food pantry + utility assistance.
Don Bosco Community Center: Northeast KCMO — works with refugees and recent arrivals.

Housing & tenant organizing

KC Tenants: kctenants.org — sign up as a member, attend monthly meetings, volunteer for canvassing or court-watch.
Habitat for Humanity KC: habitatkc.org — build days, ReStore donations + staffing.
reStart, Inc.: restartinc.org — donations of clothes, hygiene products; volunteer mentoring.
Hope Faith: hopefaith.org — donations of socks, underwear (always in demand), bus passes.
Veterans Community Project: veteranscommunityproject.org — volunteer outreach center, donations.

Legal & civic

Legal Aid of Western Missouri: lawmo.org — donations + pro bono attorney volunteer hours.
Kansas Legal Services: kansaslegalservices.org — same.
ACLU of Missouri / Kansas: donations + organizing.
Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom: worker-rights litigation + advocacy.
Documenters KC: volunteer note-takers at public meetings — paid stipend training.

Immigration & refugee

El Centro Inc.: KS side — elcentroinc.com
Mattie Rhodes Center: MO side, Northeast KCMO — mattierhodes.org
Jewish Vocational Service (JVS): refugee resettlement — jvskc.org
Catholic Charities (both sides): immigration legal + family services
International Rescue Committee (IRC) KC: refugee employment + case management — rescue.org/kc

Crisis & DV

Rose Brooks Center: DV shelter, MO — rosebrooks.org
SAFEHOME: DV shelter, KS — safehome-ks.org
MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault): mocsa.org
Synergy Services: youth + family crisis — synergyservices.org
Newhouse: DV shelter, MO — newhouseshelter.org

Healthcare

Care Beyond the Boulevard: street medicine — carebeyondtheboulevard.org
Sojourner Health Clinic / JayDoc Free Clinic: volunteer providers and donations
KC Care, Samuel Rodgers, Swope Health: FQHCs — also accept donations

How to give well

Recurring small donations are more useful than one-time large ones. They make budgets possible.
Cash is more useful than goods to most organizations. Drives for "things" often cost the recipient money to sort and store.
Exceptions: socks, underwear, hygiene products, diapers, period products — these are nearly always needed in physical form.
Ask what they need before you organize a drive. Email them. They will tell you.
Show up to your volunteer shift. No-show rates are high; reliable volunteers are gold.
If you're a professional — lawyer, social worker, plumber, accountant — your skill is worth more than your money. Many nonprofits have a "skills inventory" intake.
Local mutual aid networks often have less overhead than national charities. National brands also have more oversight. Both are real tradeoffs; both can be appropriate.

Bigger civic involvement

Show up to city council and county commission meetings. Public comment is open. Three minutes.
Vote in primaries and local elections — not just November of presidential years. Local elections decide policing, housing, and schools.
Join a neighborhood association. Most are open. Most are starved for participation.
Be a poll worker. Counties pay. Training is provided.
Watch for jury duty notices. Showing up is one of the most direct forms of civic participation in the country.