KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The cooler weather of October and November brings with it lots of outdoor activities each year.
It also brings leaves falling from trees.
Lots of leaves.
Kansas City's Shepherd Center works throughout the year to help seniors in need with the goal of keeping them independent and in their homes for as long as possible.
During the fall months, that means finding volunteers to help rake those leaves off the yards of older adults.
Shepherd Center Executive Director Janet Baker told KSHB 41 that for more than 20 years, KC Rakes has been one of their longest-running programs, where heaps of volunteers aim to make heaps of leaves disappear, cleaning up yards of senior citizens who need the assistance.
“It’s actually a safety program, if you think about it, when leaves freeze, and they’re not raked up they become icy, trip hazards,” Baker said. “In order to help our older adults stay safe, healthy, and independent and in their homes as long as possible, we do this every fall.”
Baker said last year they had more than 300 volunteers but are in need of additional volunteers over the next two weekends.
“There is much more need than we can fulfill,” she said. “In Jackson County, we have twice the number of older adults living in poverty than the national average. Eighty percent of the 3,500 people that KC Shepherd's serve have no caregiver, so they rely on us.”
“We are a community, and we need to care for each other, and particularly at this time we need to show we do have a heart and that we care about our neighbors,” she said. “Truthfully we need volunteers, we don’t have enough volunteers this year.”
As part of her work with older adults, Baker is asking voters to be informed on Jackson County Ballot Question No. 1. The question asks voters if a senior fund should be created that would allocate additional public funding of services.
Baker said if the initiative were to pass, Jackson County would join 55 other counties in Missouri that already contribute to a senior services fund.
RELATED | Jackson County Legislature approves putting tax to help fund resources for senior citizens on November ballot
RELATED | Jackson County asks homeowners for property-tax increase to fund senior services
She said the fund could generate $7-9 million, distributed among 50 senior services organizations that have a focus on prioritizing older adults' care, including programs like KC Rakes.
“We know there needs to be a safety net for our seniors in Jackson County and there’s not,” she said. “What keeps me up at night is knowing how much more need there is, than we can reach.”
Baker said she receives many calls for people in need but because of limited funding, she says she can’t always help.
“I have to tell a person who needs help, 'No.' That’s heartbreaking. It doesn’t need to be that way,” she said.
For those interested in volunteering on Nov 1 & 2, and Nov 15 & 16, please contact Terry Rynard, KC Shepherd’s Center Volunteer Program Coordinator, at 816-293-9593 or click here.