As 2026 began, Passion and her three kids had their lives turned upside down.
Their home for nearly 13 years was in danger of being condemned, after ongoing city code violations, deteriorating living conditions, and unresolved safety issues.
“It started off with the apartment managers doing absolutely no maintenance,” said Passion. “We had pests, roaches, mice. I had a ceiling that leaked and the carpet was ripping up. It just really saddened me.”
But Passion didn’t have enough money to pick up and move her family. When the city told residents of Olive Park Village Apartments they were being forced to leave, she was both relieved and nervous about where her family would go.
“I was really scared. I thought we were going to be homeless,” Passion shared.
In her time of need, United Way of Greater Kansas City was there.
Working with the city and community partners, and thanks to generous support from people like you, United Way was able to provide financial aid, helping Passion and 30 other residents needing relocation assistance, including finding a new property, moving expenses, and security deposits.
“I didn’t know how I was going to do any of that in such a short amount of time,” Passion said. “I thank y’all so much because I’ve never really had this kind of support.”
Chronic homelessness costs our community an average of $35,578 per person year year in emergency services. Supportive housing costs about $20,115 annually, reducing public expenses by more than 43% while delivering stronger outcomes. Investing in housing isn’t just compassionate. It’s a smart, responsible solution that works. Consider giving to elevate our support to keep Kansas City families house.