Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer McCartney.
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2015 i was a struggling single mom that wanted to show her daughter what paying it forward was all about. With my daughter, I started a non-profit to help those in KC in need. A big part of our outreach is with the homeless community. We started doing street outreach about 8 years ago and never looked back. My group has a huge picnic each week to feed those who are struggling with homelessness. Kansas City Heroes is my group and it has become a staple in the Community. We serve about 300-400 people each week and help connect them to the resources they need to get housed. I am a Case Manager for folks experiencing co-occurring diagnosis as my paid job. None of us get paid for Volunteering with Kansas City Heroes since we are not funded. The Community has always taken care of any supplies we have needed. We now have over 13000 members and we continue to help those in need through small acts of kindness. After we help individuals they are asked to pay it forward to someone in need. Its amazing when you serve someone struggling on one side of the table and then they pay it forward by joining us on the other side of the table. Alot of our houseless friends volunteer with us because they want to pay it forward. We are now working with the City and other organizations in order to work better, together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I started the group with no experience or funding and struggled to get supplies and volunteers, at first. When people started seeing what we were doing they started joining us. We got big real quick so we had many needs requests turned in that was overwhelming at first. We started becoming successful as more people joined our outreach. Our team still did street outreach during Covid but finding volunteers who were willing to help was a big challenge. We made it through Covid and started growing again. The main obstacles we have faced is when the city wouldn’t work with us and instead fought hard to try and keep the homeless volunteers down.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Case Manager that deals with folks with both Addiction and Mental Health Diagnosis. I help clients find resources in the community to help them in their daily lives. I worked 8 years of street outreach in order to qualify to be a Case Manager. I have no college degree which is normally needed for that profession. I am driven. When I want something I go after it and try to make it happen. I am a retired womens pro boxer and I went after that. Anything I have dreamed of doing I have so far accomplished. I am proud of that.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My parents believed in me and always inspired me to go after what you want in life. I have many close friends that have always supported me and I feel very blessed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kc-heroes.org
- Instagram: @kansas_city_heroes
- Facebook: @kansascityheroes
- Youtube: @jennifermccartney7984
- Other: @jennifermcc1313
