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Kansas City, MO — The HALO Foundation, a nonprofit that helps thousands of homeless and at-risk children around the world, proudly celebrated its groundbreaking on August 31 of its second Missouri location of a HALO Boys Home, Girls Home, Learning Center and Headquarters as a $4.1 million phase I project, located at I-435 South and Blue Parkway in southeast Kansas City on 37 acres. Lead Kansas City partners include Harmon Construction, general contractor; Clockwork, architect; BHC, design engineering firm; Superior Bowen, civil contractor; and Place Interiors, interior design. Key supporters include BlueScope Steel, Bicknell Family Foundation, Diamond Pet Foods, Haverty Family Foundation, Kemper Family Foundations, Mabee Foundation, Sarah Ross and the Sunderland Foundation.

BHC provided site development and construction design services and plans, which included several private site elements around the campus as well as substantial public infrastructure improvements on the road leading up to the campus.

“The number of homeless youth in Kansas City has nearly doubled in the past 10 years with over 6,000 homeless children on any given night, with only 33 beds available for unaccompanied children needing long term housing,” said HALO Founder Rebecca Welsh. “These children are knocking on our doors every night, and we are proud to be a part of the solution to provide a safe place to help break the cycle of youth homelessness. We are so grateful for the support from the City and our generous donor community.”

The HALO KC Housing programs are a Transitional Living Program. The HALO Girls Home provides the foundation of a family to pregnant, parenting, and non-parenting girls ages 16-21, and their children, who are homeless or in high-risk situations. The HALO Boys Home serves boys ages 16-21. Ten bedrooms are available with a shared living room and kitchen in each Home. HALO youth graduate from the program within 18 months. In 2017, HALO opened its Jefferson City, Mo. Girls Home, housing up to 40 children annually with over 84% of graduates leading steady lives where they have broken the cycle and are contributing members of the community.

Welsh shared, “As we’ve learned with our HALO Jefferson City Home, this rural model allows our children to heal and break the cycle of youth homelessness. By taking our children away from negative influences, they are able to focus on their goals.”

The KC Learning Center currently serves over 700 homeless and at-risk children and partners in the community offering free services with organizations like reStart Inc., Fairfax Learning Center, Newhouse, Cornerstones of Care and Hillcrest Transitional Living Program. Since 2010, the Learning Center has provided therapeutic art programs, tutoring, professional development, scholarships and life skill workshops.

HALO Headquarters and the KC Learning Center are currently located in the Livestock Exchange Building in the West Bottoms in Kansas City, Mo. HALO is projected to move into its new location in Summer 2023. The address will be 5928 E. 52nd Terrace Kansas City, MO 64129. HALO is pursuing tax credits, charitable lead trusts, grants, corporate sponsorships, individual and family foundations, and income sources to support this project. To get involved, learn more at haloworldwide.org/halo-kansas-city-capital-campaign.