Giving Hope & Help: 10 Years of Impact
Photography by Alfredo Hughey of Fredofoto
Since November 2013, Giving Hope & Help has been advocating to stop domestic violence and end period poverty in domestic violence shelters in Kansas City and around the globe.
The mission of the 501(c)3 nonprofit originated in the legacy and life experiences of the founder, Jessica Lynn McClellan. It’s in her DNA to make a difference. Her family legacy is from slavery to school buses to scholarships and service. Jessica’s great-grandfather, Robert L. McCallop Sr., founded the first school bus service in Johnson County, the R.L. McCallop Bus Company in Shawnee, Kansas, to transport black students who lived in Johnson County, Kansas, to attend school in Wyandotte County, Kansas, so they could receive a public education, positively impacting thousands of lives through education. Jessica carries on the legacy of social justice with philanthropy and humanitarianism through GH&H, which meets community needs by advocating to end domestic violence and supporting the survivors; supporting students and schools with educational tools; awarding college scholarships to underserved students to high schools in Kansas, Missouri, and to the same high schools the McCallop Bus Company transported students to; and supporting cancer patients and fundraisers for a cure. GH&H also became a registered nonprofit in the state of Texas in 2015. GH&H has three arms of outreach:
Domestic Violence Advocacy/Ending Period Poverty
Giving Hope & Help collects period products, typically the least-donated products to shelters, and packaged children’s and women’s underwear year-round to bring awareness to domestic violence and period poverty and to support domestic violence shelters, places of refuge, homeless shelters, natural disaster relief, women and girls’ organizations, schools and correction facilities. Global distribution includes Cambodia; Haiti; Nairobi, Kenya; Mexico; the Bahamas; Zambia, Africa; Poland and India. GH&H has provided funding for reusable pads and panties for girls associated with the nonprofit Smart Child Kenya in Limuru, Kenya, for the last six years. To date, GH&H local and global impact has benefited over 50,000 women, girls and menstruators.
LOVE Bags 4 Cancer Donation and Delivery Events
The LOVE Bags 4 Cancer initiative uplifts male and female cancer patients annually in honor of Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day and year-round. Over 600 hospitalized cancer patients have been inspired and uplifted with the hand delivered LOVE Bags 4 Cancer since February 2015. A portion of the proceeds benefits the American Cancer Society Kansas City.
Education Is Your Passport Program
The program provides educational and financial assistance for pre-K through adult college students. The program’s annual scholarship initiative, The Education Is Your Passport Scholarship Program, benefits underserved high school seniors and non-traditional college-bound students. One hundred and five scholarships have been awarded to college-bound high school seniors from 2015 to 2023, including 6 full ride scholarships to Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley.
Join Giving Hope & Help for the 10th Anniversary and Scholarship Awards Gala celebrating ten years of impact, the scholarship recipients and a new initiative, “A Way of Escape from Domestic Violence.” Visit givinghopeandhelp.org for full details, sponsorship opportunities and to purchase tickets.
Event: An Evening of Impact
When: June 24, 2023, 5:30 p.m., Meet the Scholars and silent auction; 7:00 p.m., Dinner, program, live auction and entertainment followed by dancing
Where: The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
Attire: Formal, black tie
More Info givinghopeandhelp.org and 816-607-1813.
