Giving Hope & Help: Intentional 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 marginalized 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 four arms of outreach that center around the Social Drivers of Health.

Ending Period Poverty/Domestic Violence Advocacy
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’s and girls’ organizations, schools and correction facilities. GH&H’s global impact to end period poverty has reached 15 countries and counting, having donated one million period products worldwide. 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 seven years. To date, GH&H’s local and global work has benefited over 50,000 women, girls and menstruators. The new empowering LOVE Box PERIOD – filled with organic period products and gifts offered for purchase on the website: www.GivingHopeAndHelp.org, will inspire girls and menstruators. The newest initiative, launched in 2023–A Way of Escape from Domestic Violence–provides resources for women to live a life free of abuse.

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. GH&H also impacts the community with LOVE Bags 4 Her (new/gently used designer handbags) and LOVE Bags 4 Him to support the houseless community/those in shelter with period products, toiletries and hygiene essentials.

Education Is Your Passport Program/Scholarship 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 marginalized high school seniors and non-traditional college-bound students. Since 2015, $418,000 has been awarded in resources and cash scholarships to 126 college bound high school seniors including 6 full ride scholarships to MCC-Penn Valley from 2015-2024. ®