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Lights On Afterschool celebrated across the metro
LINC programs across the metro area celebrated the importance of afterschool time at the annual Lights On Afterschool event.
There were 46 unique celebrations in all seven school districts and charter schools that LINC serves. Events focused on topics and themes such as safety, emergency preparedness, game nights, healthy lifestyles, pumpkin patches and more.
The photos below highlight the events and the families who attended. To see more videos and photos from the event visit the LINC Lights On Afterschool website.
LINC is the largest provider of after school care in the Kansas City area, providing a safe, educational and fun environment for over 5,100 children.
 | | Photos taken from Lights On Afterschool events at: Boone (Center); Blue Hills (Fort Osage); Martin City (Grandview); Ingles (Hickman Mills); Benton, Fairmount and Korte (Independence); Banneker, Holliday and Paige (KCMSD); and Topping (NKC). |
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National housing leaders tour southeast Kansas City
National housing and neighborhood leaders recently toured southeast Kansas City during the national conference of NeighborWorks America. Over 60 people toured the Ruskin Heights area - a local community hard hit by foreclosures - and then heard from a panel of community and school leaders during a discussion held at Ingels Elementary in the Hickman Mills School District.  Panelists included Ingels principal Lisa Smith and LINC site coordinator Angela Myres, community members Pastor Brad Oyler (Turning Point Church), Malcom Morris (Elite Funeral Home) and Doug Smith (Community Assistance Council). LINC staff members Candace Cheatem and Trent DeVreugd were also involved.
The Hickman Mills community is developing strong networks and partnerships to improve the lives of the area families through LINC's 10 Caring Communities sites in the school district. Videos about LINC's work in southeast Kansas City are available at http://vimeo.com/channels/sekc. A booklet, LINC in Southeast Kansas City, Mo., is on the LINC website. NeighborWorks America works nationally to create affordable housing and community development. LINC has partnered with the Kansas City regional office on several initiatives including foreclosures. |
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Berkley speaks on social responsibility
LINC Founder Bert Berkley recently addressed a
group of Kansas City area business leaders on social responsibility in small and medium enterprises.
The session was organized by the Association of Americans for Civic Responsibility and held on the campus of Park University.
Berkley, who founded LINC in 1992, shared his experience in helping create the organization that now serves low-income children and families in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties primarily through its 65 LINC Caring Communities sites.
Berkley said charitable involvement needs to be more than providing financial contributions, and that working directly with organizations was personally rewarding and beneficial to the community.
Berkley is the coauthor of Giving Back: Connecting You, Business, and Community. The book tells the story of LINC and other non-profit organizations making a difference.
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Area organizations hope to raise awareness of health care reform
Consumers and others with an interest in health care reform are invited to attend a Nov. 16 meeting to discuss how physicians, hospitals and consumers will be affected by payment reform in the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
The breakfast meeting will be held Wednesday, Nov. 16, 8-10 a.m., at Holiday Inn Country Club Plaza, One E. 45th St., Kansas City, Mo.
To attend, RSVP by email at info@kcqic.org or by phone at (816) 453-4424 no later than Nov. 10.
 The featured speaker is Harold Miller, a national expert on health care reform advocacy. Miller is president of Future Strategies, a management and policy consulting firm in Pittsburgh, Penn.
The Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC) is organizing the event as part of the Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One of the goals of AF4Q is to increase consumer awareness and include consumers from across the community in conversations about health issues.
The event is supported by UAW-Ford and LINC.
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LINC starts Fall Chess Academy
LINC's community chess program started its fall Chess Academy on Oct. 17, training volunteers and staff to teach chess in LINC after-school programs.
Academy students will attend 16 classes where they will learn to play chess just as LINC students learn in LINC Chess school programs: one piece at a time.
To graduate participants must play in the LINC Chess Adult Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 20, 1-5 p.m., at Rockhurst Community Center (5401 Troost, KCMO).
All ages are welcome to participate in the tournament, so long as each player knows checkmate.
LINC has an active community chess program at its Caring Communities sites and also open play dates at different locations of the Kansas City Public Library.
Visit www.kclinc.org/chess to learn more or Like us on Facebook.
LINC believes chess is a great way for children to learn and think strategically and has active chess clubs in over a dozen schools.
Students in LINC chess programs regularly compete in local tournaments. The programs use chess to enhance students' self-confidence, thinking skills and academic achievement.
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Children's Division appoints director
The Missouri Department of Social Services has announced the new Regional Director for the Jackson County Children's Division as Tanya Keys.
Keys is a Kansas City native with a 20-year career working with at-risk children and families. Her experience also includes social work in child abuse and neglect, family preservation and foster care.
LINC works with the Missouri Children's Division by helping youth to succeed by providing resources, guidance and life skills education.
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Educare training well attended
Nearly 200 child care providers attended the Educare large group training at Mill Creek Elementary School in Independence, Mo. this month.
Workshop topics included early childhood behavior, child abuse trauma, nutrition, texting, and including children with autism. CPR certification was also offered.
The LINC Educare early childhood education initiative provides training and other resources for center- and family-based child care providers.
Visit www.kclinc.org/educare for more information on upcoming trainings and events.
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November LINC Commission meeting
The LINC Commission will meet Monday, Nov. 21st at the Kauffman Foundation from 4-6pm. The public is invited.
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