Category: Overland Park

Local Jewish organizations, others to participate in active shooter workshop Friday

On Friday, May 30, area Jewish organizations, and agencies and others will take part in an Active Shooter Workshop put on by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with local law enforcement.

The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City has helped to organize the workshop that is being hosted by the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park. The workshop will be held in the Social Hall of the Campus.

“This training was initiated by DHS as a response to the shootings outside of the campus,” said Todd Stettner, Federation president and CEO. “The purpose is to make all our institutions, including those participating from the general community, have a higher level of awareness and preparedness.”

Management executives from area nonprofit organizations as well as private businesses have been invited to participate in the workshop. More than 150 people have registered for the full workshop.

A variety of DHS experts will make presentations during the day-long session including Lt. Col. Simon Happer from the Overland Park Police Department.

The workshop is one of a number of steps that have been taken to enhance security at the campus following the April shootings.

The Jewish Federation’s mission is to sustain and enhance Jewish life at home and around the world. Through a network of partners, it helps feed, clothe, comfort and inspire people here at home and around the world through the more than 75 programs it supports.

Catholic Charities receives $97,000 healthy living grant

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas has been awarded a $97,000 healthy living grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is one of 22 new grantees in the state to receive healthy living grant funding, which will help increase the amount of Healthy Food options offered to clients seeking assistance.

This initiative will address three areas in improving Catholic Charities’ food assistance programs for the client: increase the availability of healthy choices; provide nutrition and health education; and raise hunger awareness in the community.

“Thanks to this grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, we will be able to expand our nutrition education programs to help promote healthy living and increase healthy food choices at our pantries”, said Kim Brabits, vice president of operations.

Funding for healthy living initiatives represents one way the Kansas Health Foundation seeks to address issues of tobacco use and obesity in Kansas. Grants were specifically targeted toward programs and initiatives supporting healthy eating, active living and tobacco prevention. Smoking and obesity remain the leading causes of preventable death and illness in the state, and combine to cost Kansas more than $2 billion annually in unnecessary health care costs.

“Providing funding to organizations poised to make an impact on major health issues like obesity and tobacco use is crucial to our work and the overall health landscape in Kansas,” said Jeff Willett, vice president for programs at the Kansas Health Foundation. “These are health problems that affect the lives of many Kansans, and are increasingly concentrated among Kansans of lower socioeconomic status, further compounding health and economic disparities in our state.”

All grantees—including universities, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and municipalities—received funding through a competitive application process, with individual grant awards of up to $100,000. In total, the Kansas Health Foundation provided approximately $2 million in healthy living grants across the 22 grantees. Initiatives funded emphasized strategies intended to lead to implementation of policy, systems and environmental interventions with the potential to impact a broad population. Through this type of grant making, the foundation opens up to Kansans who have the experience, know-how and inspiration to tackle some of the toughest issues facing public health today and provides the funding needed to see their mission accomplished.

Kosher Fest planned June 1

On June 1, there is going to be Kosher Fest, which will be held in the parking lot of congregation Ohev Sholom located at 75th and Nall in Overland Park, Kan. The hours are from noon to 5 p.m.
KosherFest is the fifth biannual event, a Kansas City tradition join thousands of friends and neighbors from the entire metropolitan area. At this event they will have not only kosher food they will also have electric cars on display plus there will be a lot of information regarding the various community gardens throughout the Greater Kansas City area plus there will be a lot for whole family. This event only happens every two years and it is truly an experience. In fact Congregation Ohev  Sholom started off in Kansas City, Kan., and in the early 1960s moved to Overland Park, Kan.  There are a lot of members who live in Kansas City, Kan., who belong to this congregation.
For more information you can call congregation Ohev  Sholom at 913-642-6460 or visit the website, www.ohev-sholom.com

–    Information from William Crum