If the holiday spirit could be captured in a single moment, it might be at the holiday event for the Gillis Campus Day Treatment School, hosted by the Kansas City Young Matrons (KCYM) every December. All the ingredients for a merry time are there: cheerful music, festive decor, joyful smiles, and a table filled with homemade decorated cookies.

“You can smell the cookies as soon as you get to the gym,” said Mary Jennifer Amato, President of Kansas City Young Matrons. Since joining the organization in 2016, Mary Jennifer has been involved in planning this beloved event.

“The ladies start baking cookies in November,” she said. “Lots of love is put into those cookies.”

Students arrive by class starting at 9:30 a.m. and can choose from one of several holiday crafts – some favorites from last year were assembling hot chocolate kits and making snow globes. They can then fill a box with cookies, which is sealed and topped with a candy cane. Every student leaves with a goodie bag that often includes fuzzy socks, a juice box, and snacks.

“The kids are always so thankful,” said Mary Jennifer. “One child, as he was leaving, looked up and said, ‘This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had.’ It was a short twenty minutes on December 12. If you can touch a child like that – at eight or nine years old – how would you not want to work with an organization like Cornerstones of Care?”

KCYM’s partnership with Cornerstones of Care officially began in 1987. In 1995, Cornerstones of Care was a benefactor of their bi-annual Gala, receiving a $40,000 donation from the event. The relationship has only deepened since then, with KCYM becoming active volunteers for the Thyme for Kids Plant Sale in the early 2010s.

KCYM volunteers at the Thyme for Kids Plant Sale

“That’s always something that people love to do because we have lots of gardeners,” said Kristy Frazier, KCYM’s President-Elect. Kristy’s first volunteer experience with KCYM was at the plant sale after she joined in 2018. “We volunteer for four days in two shifts to help with planting in April and then work the entire weekend of the sale in May. There are probably 15 to 20 women who get involved, not counting those who shop.”

Today, the 108-year-old nonprofit has over 300 members of all ages, each of whom dedicates their time, talents, and resources to local organizations or “affiliates,” many of which focus on helping women and children. Currently, KCYM supports 23 affiliates, including Rose Brooks, Sheffield Place, and Ronald McDonald House.

One of their newest affiliates, Red Bags KC, also provides annual donations of wrapped gifts to Cornerstones of Care during the holiday season. After learning about this connection, KCYM organized a collection for Cornerstones of Care in November through Red Bags KC to help them meet the high demand. This is just one example of the rich benefit of this long-standing relationship between the two organizations.

Kristy Frazier (president-elect), Mary Jennifer Amato (president), and Mary Katz (past president)

KCYM members also enjoy monthly educational programs, many of which are hosted at the colonial revival-style clubhouse near the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus.

“The clubhouse is really the heart of our organization,” said Kristy. “It’s on the KC historical register and is something that we’re very proud of.” Both Kristy and Mary Jennifer grew up in Kansas City and deeply believe in giving back to the community through acts of service.

“You can’t really be part of the community unless you’re helping the community,” said Mary Jennifer. Her parents, both educators, modeled the importance of service for her as a child. Her father helped start the Third and Long Foundation, a nonprofit focused on improving literacy in the Kansas City area.

“My parents were not bystanders; they were doers,” she said. “They were in it, and they saw the impact, and they encouraged their four daughters to get involved.”

KCYM Fall Picnic – September 2024

Receiving the Spirit Award is both a surprise and an honor for KCYM, a group of women used to operating “under the radar.” They rarely seek recognition or reward and, instead, try to shine the spotlight on the causes they support.

Like many volunteer organizations, KCYM struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’ve proven resilient through each change and challenge throughout their 108-year history.

“This year, we had club commitment day, and there were lines of women waiting to sign up,” said Kristy. “Every single program affiliate activity had names underneath the lines and even on the back of the pages. We’re back in full force.”

If anything, Mary Jennifer and Kristy hope this award helps get the word out about KCYM, growing their membership and, in turn, expanding their impact on their community affiliates and the women, children, and families they serve.