Amethyst Place

When we first began planning our housing expansion project back in 2021, we knew we wanted to design the space for women and by women. Meet Emily Clements, NCIDQ. She is our formidable lead architect from Rosemann & Associates. Every step of the way, her passion for this project has shone through as she ensures a high-quality, functional home for Amethyst Place families. Emily shared: "As someone who already worked almost exclusively on supportive and/or low-income housing, there was no question I wanted to be involved from the beginning – if I see a community with a gap in affordable or supportive housing, of course I want to fill it! I was also lucky enough to be able to learn more about Amethyst Place and their program just by working at Rosemann and participating in volunteer events. Hearing about their success rates and seeing firsthand the amazing, hard work they are doing not only to get these women housed and reunited with their children after homelessness, trauma, and addiction recovery, but to continue to build them up and support them for as long as they need (and beyond!), really struck a chord with me.  This isn’t just an apartment development; it’s an expansion of a program that is saving lives, and who better to lift women up than other women? While many of us are fortunate enough not to experience some of the hardships that these ladies have faced and overcome, I think women in general have a level of empathy and understanding with each other when it comes to things like community, safety, and security that was important to bring into this project." You can read more about her design inspiration and story on our blog: https://lnkd.in/eyEFESZP

💜 It's beginning to look a little more like home! 💜 The painters have begun adding our signature purple to the apartment building siding. Construction is progressing nicely, with expected completion by the end of the year. We can't wait to bring 32 more families home to heal! 💜🏠

We continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through our series featuring the perspectives of AP moms and staff! We asked AP mom Amapola about why this month is special to her and how she honors her family's cultural traditions. Here is her perspective: What makes you proud to be Latina? "La Familia (Family) and our beautiful colors we use for our clothing and homes. Our language we speak in our native Spanish." Why is it important for you to pass down your culture to your kids? "It's important so they can know where they came from and what their momma went through to come to the United States, as my parents told me the story many times. I tell my kids the same story that, thanks to their grandparents, their life is so much better, more convenient. They don’t have to suffer and to appreciate life more. Being a single Hispanic mother of four is a struggle, but we just keep pushing forward and love life! What is your favorite family tradition? "Family tradition is just being together united as one. Playing La Loteria Mexicana (Carlos's favorite game of all time)." What is your favorite cultural dish to make? "Family dish is tamales. My oldest daughter always wants them. But I only make them once a year for Christmas! And that’s a hard maybe. I lost a child, he was 16 years old, and this Christmas will be 3 years since he has been gone. My loving son Carlos was my real Mexican eater and never turned down a plate of home cooked meal. So my heart 💜 continues to be hurt. I don’t cook like I used to." Our thanks to Amapola for sharing her perspectives as a Mexican American. We will feature more perspectives throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, so stay tuned. #hispanicheritagemonth2024 #hispanicheritagemonth #latinavoices

Each year, we commemorate our graduation ceremony by publishing a yearbook that highlights the tremendous accomplishments of our Leading Ladies (AP women) and Rising Stars (AP youth). Make sure to download your free copy so you can relive this year's incredible moments: https://lnkd.in/gH9k6sQd

Amethyst Place's annual Trunk or Treat event is approaching soon! 👻 We need your help! Please help us make our event spooktacular by donating from the list of needs below: - Kids Halloween costumes in various sizes - Bags of candy - Individual variety chip bags - Cases of water, juice, and/or soda If you would like to donate, please contact Ashley Brooks, our Senior Youth Empowerment Coach: ashley@amethystplace.org. We appreciate you! 💜

At this year's Graduation, we launched our inaugural Leadership Award. We asked residents to nominate a fellow resident who has shown exceptional leadership at Amethyst Place over the past year. Please help us congratulate Whitney L., winner of this year's Leadership Award! Here is what one resident said about Whitney in her nomination: “Whitney has laid the foundation for the newest addition to Amethyst, as well as inspired many new moms that they can earn their crown and throne in recovery too. She has nailed together the walls for future generations to come home and heal. Whitney exemplifies how sweet recovery is, you can hear it in her laughter. She also speaks freely, raw feelings that we can all relate to on some level. Whitney deserves this for her transformation and adventures of finding herself, which is what we all truly want and need. She shows how simple, not easy, it can be.” Congratulations, Whitney! The AP community is so fortunate to have your leadership!

It’s time to start recapping all the highlights of our 2024 Growing Generations Graduation: Purple Carpet Edition! First up, we were so excited to honor Robbyn Mitchell, MBA and Ke'Lan Mitchell, owners of The Little Gym of Kansas City North-Parkville, MO, as our Companies That Care Partner of the Year! They have been steadfast AP supporters since 2022 when they hosted their first donation drive. Ever since, they have provided multiple gymnastics pop-ups for AP kids, hosted numerous donation drives, and even rented affordable housing to AP graduates through a separate family business. Please help us applaud this socially conscious company for making a big impact in the community! #companiesthatcare

We are so honored to be among these affordable housing chanegmakers in our community. Without the investment and leadership from the KCMO Housing Trust Fund, this work would not be possible. P.S. That’s our construction site in the photo on the right!🏡

After moving out of Amethyst Place in 2020, Amber worked a full-time job while attending college. What kept her motivated? She says: "To achieve a goal that I thought addiction had robbed me of. To prove to myself that I could, and I was worth it."   This year, all her hard work paid off as she: ✅Graduated from MCC-KC with her associate's degree ✅Achieved 6 years in recovery After all these wins, what is next for Amber and her family? She says, "Lowering debt and getting ready to begin the process to hopefully buy a house." You've got this, Amber! The determination of AP families is unparalleled. You can help us honor the accomplishments of women like Amber on September 28 by attending our Growing Generations Graduation! Each year, we join with our community of supporters to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of AP women and children. Their feats are achieved in spite of all odds. Reunifying their families, attending college, buying a home, becoming a leader in their community — they do it all! 📅 Date: Saturday, September 28 ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM 📍 Location: Park 39 – 1923 Auditorium, 300 E 39th St., KCMO 64111 This inspirational, FREE event will include: 🎓 Graduation ceremony honoring AP women and children 🌠 Appearances by local KC celebrities 🎶 Music and entertainment 🍴 Hors d’oeuvres 🍹 Artisan mocktails, and more! Secure your free tickets here: https://lnkd.in/gug5EmkM Can’t make the event? You can still show your support by making a gift at https://lnkd.in/eJ9D5SJ7.

Many hands make light work, especially when they’re from strong high school students! Last week, Pembroke Hill School students in Dr. Marjie MacGregor’s Science in Society class came over during their school day to learn about the real-life implications of poverty and substance use. They also helped set up an apartment and donated cleaning and hygiene products to furnish two apartments. We can’t wait to see the positive social impact these emerging leaders continue to have in Kansas City and beyond!