Program areas at Avenue of Life
The Equipping Center provides community outreach and hosts the Impact KCK Program. In 2023, the Equipping Center served 6,280 unduplicated individuals, processed and distributed $675,538 worth of in-kind donations, served 16,900 hot meals, distributed 9,232 family food packs, distributed 2,082 frozen meals, and distributed 39,584 hygiene items. Impact KCK is a collective impact initiative, with 90 plus partner agencies. AOL is the backbone agency. Impact KCK served all 4 school districts in Wyandotte County. We served 2,174 families in 2023, provided for 842 households with essential emergency services. Impact KCK model is being replicated in KCPS with the name KCPS Empowerment and Avenue of Life is the backbone agency.
The Avenue Youth House served 31 youth in 2023. The Youth House team ensures youth and young adults between the ages of 18-24 have a safe house and community to call home. Our Spot KC leads programming and volunteers. Avenue of Life has impact KCK Navigators assisting residents as needed. The Organization also receives funding in the form of grants and donations from local businesses.
The Business Training Center hosts innovative initiatives to provide job-training to low-income and reentry men with barriers to employment. A full green infrastructure project was completed in 2020, resulting in new landscaping and an orchard in partnership with The Giving Grove. In 2023, staff delivered furniture to 348 families, and recycled 71,400 mattresses and delivered over 3,500 tons from local landfills. In 2023, the Business Training Center will complete its ten-year community initiative to divert mattresses from Missouri landfills.