A legacy of enduring philanthropy.

In its 23 year history, the Harvest Ball Society has distributed more than $5 million to more than 60 deserving charities. These agencies have been selected to receive funds from the 2009 Harvest Ball Society. (2010 Beneficiaries will be announced in June)

Assistance League of Kansas City
Provides clothing, winter coats, health kits, shoe vouchers for school-age children. Funds go to clothe 1,146 elementary school children in Liberty, North Kansas City, Park Hill, Plate County R-3, Smithville and Kearney school districts. 12,123 elementary school children served in the past 16 years. 305 volunteers provided over 24,000 volunteer- hours in 2008.

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Greater KC
Satellite office in the Northland to serve school-aged children in Clay and Platte counties to provide mentoring programs and background checks on volunteers. (158 Northland children matched with adult volunteers in 2008)

Children’s Mercy Hospital & Clinic
Clinic served 30,000+ Northland children in the Northland Urgent Care and specialty clinics in 2008 despite the ability to pay as non reimbursed costs increase and funding is cut. This is an increase over last year by 38%

Clay County African American Legacy, Inc.
After school program for high school youth at-risk of failure and/or delinquency; provides academic assistance, cognitive and social skill building classes.

Clay County Clothes Closet
Clothing for Northland children and families referred from area schools, i.e. victims of fire, over 50,000 items; special clothing for school functions/activities. In 2008, 2,048 children 625 families and 1,704 individuals served by 82 volunteers (6,900 volunteer hours; no paid staff.

Concerned Care, Inc.
This program helps 115 adults with developmental disabilities living in their own apartments, and 500+ youth and adults in year round recreational and service activities. Funding provides emergency medical or dental needs not covered by Medicaid. 90 volunteers provided service in 2008.

The Family Conservancy
Funding to Early Solutions program involving parents with early education professionals to help young children at-risk enter school ready to learn. 1,036 children served, training for each of the 814 child care workers plus 2,058 parents served in the Northland in 2008.

Food For Families
Supplement and expand the program consisting of a food pantry and school based backpack program. Backpack serves children & families identified by school professionals as needing food on the week-ends. The schools’ report that food enables students to be healthy and increase school attendance and participation with successful learning experiences. Volunteer hours 3,460 in 2008.

Harvesters-The Community Food Network
Monies to aid on-going distribution of food for emergency assistance to local food pantries; 73 Northland programs servicing Clay, Platte and Ray counties. 40 % increase in need in 2008 with 3,000 Northland volunteers .

Healthy Families Counseling and Support
Home and community-based parenting support and mental health services during critical life stages to families in the Northland. Focus is on at- risk dads and first time mothers and their infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Mental health services and parenting support services needed for these very young families. Over 700 Northland families served in 2008.

Hillcrest Transitional Housing
Transitional housing program serving formerly homeless Northland families who are working full-time and moving toward self-sufficiency. 90 families (331 individuals) served and in 2008.

Ian’s Rainbow Flu Program
Funding provides for health education and financial support for influenza vaccines for at-risk children in schools, churches and day care centers. Northland service 1,500 in Clay and Platte counties in 2008.

Immacolata Manor
Serves women with developmental disabilities (residential and respite care) with funding for the “My Day” program, keeping them involved with activities that enhance their lives in the community. Harvest Ball funding is for community program and transportation costs, Health Team and Residential care provided to them.

Kansas City Medicine Cabinet
Assist Northland patients in poverty medical needs and dental care and equipment needed for care.

Liberty Meals on Wheels
The program brings nutritional support (14,400 meals last year to 114 individuals) to shut-ins. Funding provides monies to supplement costs so that those unable to pay the $2.50 meal cost can remain in their homes. 300 Volunteer drivers on 11 routes, 2,100 volunteer hours in 2008.

Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary
Provides habitat for wildlife and natural history education, Funding directed toward training volunteers to help visitors have a wonderful outdoor experience. 30,000 visitors in 2008; 5,130 volunteer hours by 350 volunteers.

Metro Lutheran Ministries/Northland
Emergency Assistance, food, utilities, rent and seasonal items i.e. fans, blankets, school supplies. For 1,938 households in 2008. 14 regular volunteers provided 1,332 volunteer hours of service to the Northland.

Miles of Smiles, Inc.
Funding to help provide dental equipment, enabling, charitable dental care to children; 4,000 Northland children served in 13 different locations in 2008.

National Center for Indigenous Americans at Line Creek, inc.
Cultural programs providing education and research of the Indian Culture the past 5,000 years in the Line Creek valley. 85 volunteers provided 1600 volunteer hours in 2008 serving 8,000+ attending.

Northland Assistance Center
Serves residents in Clay and Platte Counties with emergency assistance for household expenses: food, rent, and utilities 9,5 00 individuals served in 2008.3 to 4 volunteers each week provided 600+ hours of service in 2008.

Northland Christmas Store
Children’s toys, gifts and food are provided for this community volunteer service in Clay County, which served 987 families (2,986 individuals/223 homebound) for the holidays in 2008 by this all volunteer group;40+ year round and 500 seasonal volunteer provided more than 4,000 hours of service.

Northland Early Education Center
Care for 183 children, 54% with special needs, through preschool and before and after school programs and 20 provided in-home therapy. Funding supports the education program, as well as therapeutic intervention, for young children with special developmental and learning needs.

Northland Health Care Access
Providing primary and specialty health care for uninsured and under-insured Northland families; 6,707 patients. Harvest Ball funds directed to primary and secondary medical care. 22 volunteers served 1,000 volunteer hours in 2008.

Northland Meals on Wheels, Inc.
Volunteers transport and serve elderly and handicapped persons a hot nutritious meal in their own homes each day. Funds pay for those who cannot afford these meals. 3,088 people were served 35,898 meals delivered by over 145 volunteers (who also pay for their own transportation) in 2008 in Southern Clay County.

NorthCare Hospice
To underwrite patient care for those on limited income. 710 patients in 2008 Volunteers provided 1,631 hours of service along with numerous staff members.

Northland Neighborhoods, Inc.
Program helps revitalize neighborhoods by involving citizens in community building. Monies will be used for minor home repair delivered through the “Neighbors helping Neighbors” program. (105 home repairs and 5,000 people affected by the programs in 2008.)

Platte Senior Services, Inc.
Funding provides assistance for nutrition programs for low-income homebound elderly and disabled persons and providing transportation and socialization. 257 people received daily meals by 88 volunteers who provide their own transportation-3,052 volunteer hrs of service in 2008.

Rebuilding Together Liberty
Expenses to complete home repair and accessibility modifications for low-income home owners; especially elderly and disabled people, 32 homes totaling 2,737 volunteer hours of service provided by 330 volunteers in 2008.

The Salvation Army
Northland Corps – Clay and Platte Counties are served through emergency assistance for families in crisis and programs for children (6,970 Northland residents served in 2008). Funding is directed scholarships for Summer Day Camp field trips, transportation and meals for economically disadvantaged Northland children as well as the Christmas Toy Shop and food baskets for low-income families in Excelsior Springs. 26,800 volunteer hours provided last year.

Shepherd’s Center of the Northland
Senior volunteers helping other seniors remain independent and productive. Funds will help with handyman services and supplies, transportation, an exercise program and enrichment activities for seniors and check safety at home. (1,710 clients, 400+ volunteers provided 37,569 volunteer hours in 2008)

Southern Platte County Emergency Assistance Center
Funding to help this all-volunteer organization supply and deliver food, household supplies and personal care items for families in crisis and senior citizens. (1,739 families/4,442 individuals served in 2008)

Synergy Services, Inc.
Program provides a 24-hour crisis line, food, shelter, safety, counseling and case management for battered women, troubled teens, and abused and neglected children. Harvest Ball funds are directed toward the Safehaven’s Domestic Violence Shelter for families in crisis. (239 women and 162 children + 103 children (birth to 12 years) in the children’s shelter were provided residential care promoting healing, safety and support. 1,481 volunteers provided 11,481 hours of service in 2008.

Triality, Inc.
Funding for Trialilty Tots, an early intervention center for children, ages 2 to 5- years-old, who are medically fragile and/or have special needs. This includes an infant stimulation program and developmental preschool. 439 children were served in 2008 with staff and 70 volunteers providing 500+ volunteer hours of service.

Tri-County Mental Health Services, Inc.
Behavioral health services for Northland residents. Funding to enable older adults suffering from mental health issues access to care, and heighten awareness of depression and other treatable illnesses using outreach and care coordination. This works in collaboration with The Shepherd’s Center, Clay County senior services, Platte County Senior Services, the Public Health Department and Northland Neighborhoods. (Served in 2008: 4,754 families; 26,963 visits 1,637 crisis interventions and 50,000 prevention services; monitored 4,77819 individuals on medications with 19,642 physician visits). 300 volunteers provided 6, 000+ volunteer hours of service along with staff.

United Services Community Action Agency (Platte County)
Funding provides for toys and gifts for the holidays for 1,310 Platte County underprivileged children and seniors through United Services Platte County Christmas Store. 97 volunteers provided 5,651 hours of service for the season.

Women’s Employment Network/Northland
Community Outreach Program training Low income women to create resumes, practice interviewing skills, etc. and provide clothing for interviewing. The new Northland office opened summer of 2008.

YMCA of Greater K.C. (Clay/Platte)
Scholarships for Northland families with adaptive programs for children with special needs; children with physical/mental disabilities. (YMCA served 146 special needs children in 2008. 529 volunteers provided 6,752 hours of service)