Launched in early 2020, Job Skills for New Careers was a collaborative initiative focused on helping hard-working adults gain the skills they need to qualify for better-paying, in-demand careers.

Launched in early 2020, Job Skills for New Careers was an initiative aimed at helping hard-working adults acquire the skills they need to qualify for better-paying, in-demand careers. People from suburban Eastern Jackson County and beyond came seeking resources to achieve financial stability for themselves and their families. Over the past four years, we are proud to say that nearly 500 individuals benefited from this program.

The success of the program is attributed to strong collaboration with the Community Services League, KC Scholars, Metropolitan Community Colleges, the University of Central Missouri, and the Mid-Continent Public Library. Community Services League was the leading organization, and its unwavering commitment to providing comprehensive wrap-around services, in addition to high-quality training, was key to the initiative’s success. By offering critical support to help participants navigate life's challenges, CSL employment coaches were able to help them achieve their career goals and build a brighter future.

We are grateful to all the THCF fundholders who directly supported this community-focused initiative. Their generosity and commitment to helping others is truly inspiring. In 2020, 42 fundholders contributed $120,000 to support Job Skills for New Careers, and this support continued to grow in 2021 and 2022. In the final year, an additional $145,000 was contributed to ensure that all necessary wrap-around services continued to be made available. These donations provided tuition for cohorts of students and offered other life-changing support through CSL, such as utility or rent assistance, transportation vouchers, financial and employment coaching, grocery and gas cards, and more.

Thanks to the generous funding provided by the Kauffman Foundation to KC Scholars (now known as Great Jobs KC), this initiative is now well-funded and self-sustaining. We are thrilled to announce that the leadership of this initiative has been handed over to Community Services League, a trusted partner that will continue to grow partnerships and collaborate with other organizations to meet the current needs of our community.

We are grateful for the support of our donors, community, and partners, who have made this initiative possible. We remain committed to empowering hard-working adults to achieve their career goals and build a better future for themselves and their families.