'A mighty day': LINC Caring Communities go back to school

From North Kansas City to Grandview, from Kansas City’s West Side to Buckner, Mo., LINC’s Caring Communities school programs pounced on the new school year. See the sights and sounds. We’ve got video.

Garden therapy: LINC learns community gardening for the health of children, families

At the moment, the freshly churned garden bed was surrounded by adults — LINC Caring Communities coordinators and their staff — kneading the soil with seeds and seedlings. But it was easy to imagine where this hot August training day at Kansas City Community Gardens was leading: Kids. Lots of them.

Spreading the word: How students can get 2 years of college free

The Missouri A+ Scholarship program gives students the ability to earn two years of college free, but too many families don't know about it and are missing out on the opportunity. We’ve created a website to answer your questions.

Farm fresh: How free produce from Missouri growers is getting to KC area families

“It helps my kids eat healthy. It helps the moms who struggle throughout the summer to feed their kids when they’re not in school.” See how the Missouri Department of Social Services, LINC and local farmers are bringing home the harvest of a new federal program.

Tax-free weekend for back-to-school purchases coming Aug. 4-6

There will be no sales tax at all from 12:01 a.m. Friday Aug. 4 until midnight Sunday Aug. 6 on any sales of the exempt items like school supplies, backpacks, calculators and jeans.

Summer of LINC: celebrating the 'authentic child'

Summer at LINC throws open all the doors from the house of learning and opens children to a wider world. Throughout June, many of the children unloaded from school buses and let loose that first-time stare as they took in the scene of a trampoline park, or exotic zoo, or a theater stage.

Interactive map helps locate free breakfast and lunch summer programs for children

Free meals are waiting for children in the long summer weeks ahead, and an online interactive map can help families find where they are.

What a day! Triumphant Caring Communities Day shines with joy and love

“This is Kansas City. Everybody coming together.” Caring Communities Day can be measured by many large numbers, starting with a crowd that exceeded two thousand people. But take a look at the stories and images of the day and see how Caring Communities measure optimism, pride and power.

Joy of art: LINC, KCYA team up to help kids find their voice

Summertime and all its wide-open joy brings opportunities for something different, something more. LINC’s partnership with Kansas City Young Audiences — a staple of LINC’s after-school programming during the fall and spring — can really stretch during June and July. See how LINC students can attend a camp for free.

Check out all the prizes waiting for you at Caring Communities Day 2023

We are seriously loaded with prizes that we’re giving away at Caring Communities Day this Saturday, June 10. Take a look at the video. Check out our photo gallery. We’ve got big raffle give-away prizes like grills, air fryers and Chiefs tailgating gear. And we’ve got hundreds of game prizes for all ages.

Caring Communities Day June 10 to deliver food, family resources, music, dancing, games and prizes

And it’s all for free: The food. The treats. The games. The music. The raffle prizes. All the information booths. Caring Communities Day returns with a joy that reminds us what a world of good neighbors means to children and families. Join us. Here’s what you need to know.

Last Longfellow field day: Sending children to next adventures with love

“I wanted this day to be great for students, parents and our staff to show our Longfellow love and our Longfellow pride,” Principal Dr. Jimmie Bullard said. “(To have) a good, really good, last time together to show how much we care about and appreciate each other.”

Line up LINC families! It's time to enroll for summer

June is just around the corner and LINC’s Caring Communities team will be there with before- and after-school programs, ready for lots of recreational fun and learning.

Begin the enrollment process now by filling out the online form at kclinc.org/summer.

LINC children find power and peace in yoga

Dreamy music rises in a classroom lit by slanting afternoon light. Children lie face-up on mats, limbs splayed. “The peace . . .” says their instructor, seated at the center, in a solemn chant. “The peace,” respond the children, their voices soft in echo. “Begins. . .” she says. “Begins,” they answer, like a heartbeat. “With.” “Me.”

See the video and photo gallery

Collier named sole finalist in search for next KCPS superintendent

After a unanimous selection, Jennifer Collier is now in negotiations with the school board to finalize her pending promotion from interim to permanent leader of Kansas City Public Schools.

'So I can touch the stars': Watch the father-daughter dance at Hale Cook Elementary

Celebrate fathers and daughters at the King and I dance at LINC Caring Communities at Hale Cook Elementary.

Watch: LINC Super Bowl dance party at Whittier Elementary

LINC Caring Communities show we’re Super Bowl-ready.

KCPS revises recommendations for school closings

Kansas City Public Schools’ plan to close schools is taking a big step back. Only two schools — Longfellow and Troost elementaries — are slated for closing at this time, according to revised recommendations by the administration. Central High School among those schools taken off the closings list.

Remembering 2022: Our year in photos

Take a look back. LINC celebrates a full year of Caring Communities, with great appreciation for so many partners and volunteers who all came together to help strengthen children, families and neighborhoods.

Operation Toys for Tots: LINC, U.S. Marine Corps spread holiday cheer

It’s not a simple operation, bagging up 200 toys for every LINC Caring Communities site. But the U.S. Marine Corps and LINC managed it again, packing the big red sacks of toys into an assortment of LINC staff’s pickups, vans, SUVs and one fully loaded U-Haul to cap off another Toys for Tots mission.