KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A grassroots Kansas City nonprofit serving unhoused neighbors every week for nearly a decade has earned national recognition and critical grant funding.
Kansas City Heroes says it received a national award from The Courage Project. The award honors community organizations confronting the rising cost of living and helping families secure basic needs.
For eight years, leaders note that KC Heroes volunteers have gathered at Washington Square Park every Tuesday without missing a single week.
What they say started with 13 people has expanded into an operation serving up to 300 meals weekly, backed by community donors and partner organizations.
Every Tuesday night, a group of volunteers loads up a food truck and heads to Washington Square Park.(KCTV)
Beyond hot meals, KC Heroes adds that volunteers work directly with unhoused residents to secure permanent housing and encourage those they serve to rejoin the mission as volunteers.
Founder Jennifer McCartney says the award arrived at a critical moment for their outreach operations.
“This award means a lot to us,” McCartney notes. “We used to be able to pick up and deliver free beds for Newly Housed, but we lost our truck! This award will help us get another one so we can continue blessing those in need. We are all about instilling hope in those struggling, so they can have faith that things can get better!”
KC Heroes adds that it is 1 of 17 organizations chosen nationwide in the latest round of Courage Project awards.
The group indicates that the nonpartisan initiative distributes grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to grassroots leaders and organizations taking direct action in their communities.
The initiative launched in May 2025 with an initial $5 million commitment supported by philanthropic partners including the MacArthur Foundation, the Skillman Foundation and the Surdna Foundation, according to KC Heroes.
To date, The Courage Project has granted 62 organizational awards and 58 Pay-It-Forward awards across all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
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