KANSAS CITY, February 19, 2025– Synergy Services, a non-profit social services agency serving the Greater Kansas City area, will host its annual Read-A-Thon at the heart of the 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Kindest Kansas Citian Awards.

The Read-A-Thon will be held on Friday, March 7th, from 9am-noon and 1pm-4pm, at Synergy Services’ Youth Resiliency Center (2001 NE Parvin Road Kansas City, MO 64116).

Thirty-five years ago, hundreds of students, grades K -12, in schools across the greater Kansas City area were the first to write essays or draw pictures, nominating their Kindest Kansas Citian to be recognized at a citywide celebration. Nearly half a million adults and children have participated in the essay contest since its inception in 1990. These student essays highlight the everyday heroes in their lives who help make Kansas City a safe, nurturing place. Past nominees include neighbors, coaches, teachers, crossing guards, firefighters, and so many others.

On March 7^th, the tradition continues as community volunteers will begin the selection of this year’s Kindest Kansas Citians by reading thousands of essays and drawings, written in students’ own words, nominating their Kindest Kansas Citian.  The Read-A-Thon is the first step in an extensive process created to select the top Kindest Kansas Citians from each grade level, K-12. The winning students and their nominees will be honored at the 35th Annual Kindest Kansas Citian Awards held Friday, April 25^th, at The View at Briarcliff (4000 N Mulberry Dr, Kansas City, MO 64116).

For more information or to sign up for the Read-a-Thon, please visit, https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4CA5AE2DA7F4C34-53176776-kkcreadathon#/

For more information about the 35^th Annual Kindest Kansas Citian Celebration, please visit our website at www.synergyservices.org/kkc or email kindest@synergyservices.org.

Support from Raising KC

During 2025, RaisingKC Public Health Campaign, an initiative of Fox4 and the Raised with Love and Limits Foundation, is using Fox4’s media platforms to recognize initiatives in our community that show how to build Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships (SSNRs) between an adult and a child, the #1 way to support lifelong mental and physical health.  The students’ essays and illustrations nominating their “Kindest Kansas Citians” uniquely do that from the perspective of a child. The students, through their own words, show how to build SSNRs through their descriptions of who in their lives have, essentially, made a life-changing positive impact. In short, the students in Kansas City have been identifying and celebrating their SSNRs for 35 years.

About Synergy Services

Synergy Services provides a full continuum of care to assist individuals and families with immediate respite from violence, and services that empower clients to find and choose good options for future safety and success. In addition to our work to treat the effects of violence, we provide supportive services to families in crisis to prevent violence. Additionally, we focus on community education and social change to build a safer and more humane society. Our fully integrated programs include crisis hotlines, emergency shelter, transitional housing, therapeutic services, advocacy, mentoring and violence prevention programs throughout Greater Kansas City, serving over 27,000 Individuals annually. Learn more about Synergy Services at www.synergyservices.org.

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