KANSAS CITY, Mo — Ahead of Saturday's AFC Super Wild Card Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins, Travis Kelce's foundation, 87 & Running and Rebuilding Together Kansas City, changed the life of a former athlete.
For the more than half a century, Gloria White has lived in the same eastern Kansas City home.
Inside are memories of White's greatest accomplishments, which are proudly displayed.
This includes pictures of when she broke barriers and became the first Black cheerleader at her Topeka middle school, newspaper clippings covering her at the Olympic Trials in Abilene, Texas, and pictures of civil rights leaders and notable athletes she's met, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali.
“I’ve been here 56 years. They know Miss Gloria. I am about people," White said. "My parents never taught us about color; we were brought up that way, and that’s what stayed with us.”
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However, her home needed help. Sewage was leaking in the basement, and the steps down her basement were broken, so she decided to call Rebuilding Together KC.
The nonprofit is known for eliminating unsafe and substandard living conditions in neighborhoods throughout Kansas City's Northland.
“When we looked at her home, we realized there were lots of other things she needed — a new roof, she needed gutters, she needed safety latches on the doors, she needed work in the bathroom and kitchen," said Scott Hickox, executive director of Rebuilding Together Kansas City.
One of White's relatives was married to former Chiefs player Otis Taylor, so after hearing about White's story and her love of the Kansas City Chiefs, the 87 & Running Foundation stepped in and gave Rebuilding Together KC the funding they needed to transform her home.
“For Travis to care enough and his foundation to care enough about his community and what’s happening in Kansas city, this meant the world he could partner with us," Hickox said.
Here's a list of all the repairs:
- New fascia
- New gutters & downspouts
- New storm door at front entrance
- New screen for front porch
- Repair front door & door frame (new dead bolt locks)
- New bathroom sliding (barn style door)
- Added grab bars in bathroom
- Installed fire safety equipment throughout home
- New kitchen sink & faucet
- New hot water heater
- Repair broken steps to basement/add handrail
- Installed motion light at top of stairs (safety)
- Repair main sewer line/clear obstacles
- Clean raw sewage in basement/sanitize
- Replace bad area of main sewer trunk
- Replace secondary drain line from kitchen to main
Thanks to 87 & Running, White says she can stay in her home for years to come and help children living in her neighborhood become the athletes of tomorrow.
“I've had all races of kids in my backyard. I've taught them; don’t ever think you can’t wait; keep on and you pursue it," White said.
Rebuilding Together KC says demand for their services is seeing a dramatic increase due to the current economy and inflation.
Hickox says calls are made to their offices daily from people seeking help.
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