The Gillis Center, 8150 Wornall Road, has launched a school supply drive for the upcoming school year, starting August 22nd. According to VP of Development, George Robbins, “this is going to be a particularly tough year.” Requested supplies include binders, calculators, crayons, pencils, pens – virtually anything and everything for school. Gillis happily accepts both actual supplies or financial donations. Donations and supplies can be dropped off at the Gillis Center, or at the Southtown Planning Center, 6814 Troost.

Driving down 63rd Street, it’s easy to overlook the small tidy office building at Holmes. Its low profile helps it blend into the neighborhood, but its brick exterior suggests solid construction. The buildings design dates to the late 50s, but manages to remain contemporary. By coincidence, the same traits hold for the organization that calls the building “home” – the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Kansas City (NCADD). This month we’re pleased to feature NCADD, a long-time active member of our community, and a member of Southtown Council for 26 years!

Members of the Southtown Council’s Beautification Committee are hoping to visit with individual Troost area property owners to explore establishing a Community Improvement District (CID)

Congratulations to KC SourceLink on completing its fifth year of operation this summer. Since June 2003, KCSourceLink has made it its mission to help small businesses in an 18-county region around the metropolitan area, an ambitious goal given the wide geography that includes more than 165,000 businesses located there. KC SourceLink’s model is to provide a one-stop shop for small businesses looking for a wide range of resources.

The Kansas City Public Library will host the first of five monthly discussions in a series titled “Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature – Identity and Imagination”

The Southtown Environment and Public Works Committee selected Mad Jack’s On Troost, a fresh fish market and restaurant, as the recipient of the June Sparkle Award.