Calvary Community Outreach Network

Helping Youth Plan for Excellence (HYPE) is a media leadership group that creates a positive setting for urban youth ages 10- 21. The project utilizes student involvement in media as the vehicle to establish ongoing youth development activities. The HYPE Media Lab is providing state of the art technology and caring adult leadership. Students create content regarding the things that are happening in their world. Since 1999, HYPE members have produced quality programming giving accurate, culturally sensitive HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention information to their peers in an up-beat entertaining way. Students work to create stage performances that speak to their peers in positive ways. Students reached over 3,000 youth in their performances at Kauffman Performing Arts Center.

The Our Healthy KC Eastside (OHKCE) - CCON is effective at mobilizing African American churches in the urban core to implement interventions to address the community's wellness and prioritize health disparities in Kansas City, MO. COVID 19 testing and vaccinations are a main focus. The Our Healthy KC Eastside (OHKCE) is a community-wide initiative that promotes and delivers widespread COVID-19 vaccinations and other health services to residents on the east side of Kansas City. More than 60 community organizations and health agencies are partnering with OHKCE to support healthy lifestyles through vaccine events and health screenings like blood pressure checks, diabetes screenings and dental education. African American churches will have the opportunity to promote healthy behaviors and prevention through implementation of a culturally and religiously tailored, multilevel intervention. This includes a) church services (e.g., sermons, responsive readings, church bulletins); b) group (weekly) weight loss, exercise, and cooking sessions.

CCON Volunteer and staff provide food for members of the community who are affected adversely by Covid 19. Daily hot meals for students, weekly produce, protein, and staples for families. Thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables, hygiene products and personal protective equipment have been distributed. The Clergy Response Network (CRN) is an interfaith collaborative mobilizing faith leaders and faith-based institutions to build a healthy urban community through education, advocacy and partnership development. The initial focus was for this Clergy group to address COVID-19 matters that impacted our churches and faith institutions. At the request of group participants, CRN has evolved to further address health disparities and inequities in Kansas City.