Answered.

You asked us where you can volunteer around the holidays. ‘Tis the season for giving, after all. To reward your kind hearts, here’s a list of volunteer opportunities around the KC metro.

Holiday-specific 🦃

Operation Holidays | Della Lamb’s four-day event — Nov. 19-20 and 22-23 — provides food for Thanksgiving + gifts for Christmas, serving thousands of Kansas Citians. Few slots remain, but workers told KCtoday they need help with refugee services.
Operation Turkey | reStart has volunteer opportunities year-round, but this one is dedicated to serving Thanksgiving meals to shelter residents. Volunteering goes from Nov. 20-25.
Shelter KC | This nonprofit serves people experiencing homelessness. Its volunteer page has sections dedicated to both Thanksgiving + Christmas opportunities, starting Nov. 22.
Holiday Boxes | Harvesters seeks to serve 387,000 people in their 26-county service area through meals with all the fixin’s. This volunteer opportunity is doable from your home.

Year-round 📅

Amethyst Place | This nonprofit serves as a recovery housing + education program for women and their children. Volunteer opportunities include working with kids, moving furniture, and tutoring.
Boys and Girls Club | Volunteers help at-risk kids through tutoring, mentoring, coaching, job shadowing, and event support.
Heart to Heart International | This nonprofit seeks to improve healthcare by distributing resources, conducting training, and responding to disasters.
Kaw Valley Center Kansas | KVC provides family support, foster care, preventative services, and family reunification. Volunteers can support foster families, provide meals, sort clothing donations, and help plan events.
Operation Breakthrough | This nonprofit provides education, emergency services, and programs for kids and families in poverty. Volunteers work in classrooms.
ScrapsKC | This nonprofit turns scrap materials into purchasable craft, art, and home goods. Volunteer opportunities include managing + sorting the store.
Uncover KC | A directory for volunteer opportunities in the Kansas City metro. Participants can search by category + location.

#MUSTDO

Today

Veterans Day | Thurs., Nov. 11-Sun., Nov. 14 | Times vary | National WWl Museum and Memorial | Free | A list of various events to commemorate veterans, plus discounted museum tickets. 🇺🇸
Brothers Osborne | Thurs., Nov. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland | $29.50+ | The “We’re Not For Everyone” tour features openers Travis Denning + Tenille Townes. 🎶
2021 Brookside Holiday Season Opener | Thurs., Nov. 11-Sun., Nov. 14 | Times vary | Brookside Shops, West 63rd Street and Brookside Boulevard | Free | A family-friendly event with holiday sales, pop-up events, food and drink specials, music, and giveaways.

Friday

Katt Williams | Fri., Nov. 12 | 8 p.m. | T-Mobile Center | 59+ | Comedian and Emmy Award-winning actor brings “World War III Tour” to Kansas City.
QUEENSRŸCHE | Fri., Nov. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | Ameristar Casino & Hotel | $35+ | One of the best-selling American 1980s heavy metal bands in history. 🤘
Celebration Dinner “Mission: Hope” | Fri., Nov. 12 | 5 p.m. | Arrowhead Stadium | $160+ | A charity dinner celebrating Warriors’ Ascent, an organization working to help heal PTSD.

Saturday

Legendary Tree Lighting Ceremony | Sat., Nov. 13 | 5-8 p.m. | Legends Outlets, 1843 Village West Pkwy., Kansas City, KS | Free | Enjoy live music, entertainment, activities, giveaways, and photo stations. 🎄

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

SEE NOVEMBER EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

55º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain

Today Is

Veterans Day, which honors the brave people who have fought to protect our country. Check out today’s list of area discounts, freebies, and activities. 🇺🇸 (Kansas City on the Cheap)

Coming Soon

These views are prime. A new cocktail lounge, called Prime Social Rooftop, will open Tues., Nov. 16. Patrons can see as far as Arrowhead Stadium + the downtown skyline from the 16th floor of the 46 Penn Centre building in the Plaza. Menu items include pizzas, burnt ends, sushi, and carrot cake. 🍸 (Kansas City Star)

Civic

Olathe is asking for help naming their snowplows. Fifteen hand-painted blades await titles, which will be voted on by city staff. You can submit your ideas by Fri., Nov. 12, on city Facebook and Twitter accounts. (Kansas City Star)
The deadline for the expanded Child Tax Credit is approaching. KC Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted a resource for those who have not filed. Families have until Nov. 15 and can get $250+ for kids up to 17 years old.

Kansas Citian

Paul Rudd is People’s “2021 Sexiest Man Alive.” The Overland Park native attended Shawnee Mission West + The University of Kansas. He’s known for lead roles in “Ant-Man,” “This is 40,” and “Clueless.” (FOX4)

Seasonal

Flip the Switch! Just in time for the holiday season, FOX4 curated a must-see light guide to get you into the festive spirit. Locations range from Blue Springs to Olathe, with ceremonies + events throughout November and December.

History

50 years ago — on Nov. 10, 1971 — leaders broke ground on Worlds of Fun. Today, the amusement park is celebrating with a deal + a spectacle. The iconic WOF hot air balloon will take off and fly over KC Nov. 20-21. Bring-a-friend tickets for pass holders are $19.71.

Sports

Former Sporting KC defender Matt Besler is retiring. The Overland Park native, who played for FC Dallas this year, spent 12 years with SKC. The club called him, “one of the most accomplished and beloved players in #SportingKC history.” (KSHB)

Edu

The US Department of Education recognized the Graduate School Stowers Institute for Medical Research as accredited, confirming the program's level of quality. Its first predoctoral research class began in 2012, producing 25 degrees since.

Feel Good

Kindergarteners are learning how to ride a bike in P.E. class, thanks to $5,000 in donations. Frontier Elementary School teacher Eric Sharp raised the funds and said 85% came from the local mountain bike community. Bikes were provided by the national All Kids Bike program. (KSHB)