KVC commemorates 50 years of heart-centered service to children and families in crisis in 2020. It’s an ideal time to reflect on the impact we’ve made over half a century, and how far we’ve come from our humble and heartfelt beginnings.

Watch KVC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration here.

Or read about our 50th Celebration and 2020 Impact Report here.

The organization that is now KVC Health Systems began in 1970 as a brick home in downtown Kansas City, Kansas called Wyandotte House. A group of caring women from the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties created it to help vulnerable children; victims of abuse who otherwise had nowhere to go except the local juvenile detention center. Wyandotte House grew steadily and in 1994, the name was changed to Kaw Valley Center (KVC). The Kaw Valley is a particular region that surrounds the Kansas River in northeastern Kansas, but today, KVC’s reach extends thousands of miles beyond that. We now serve children and families in five states (Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Kentucky and West Virginia). In 2019, we proudly passed the milestone of 10 years of life-changing work in both Nebraska and Kentucky. Our services now extend even beyond U.S. borders, as child welfare leaders from Canada, Singapore and other countries have received consulting and training from KVC.

This rich history inspires us as we look forward at the next 50 years and beyond, and the letters KVC are now a way to think about what drives us: Knowledge, Values and Connections. We envision a future where every person is safe and connected to a strong family and a healthy community.

We kicked off our anniversary in February 2020 with an energetic organization-wide Town Hall meeting to celebrate the heart of KVC: our amazing employees. Then in October, we held our 50th Anniversary Celebration with many friends and supporters. Please follow along with us all year on social media and at our upcoming events! We’ll be showing our gratitude to our employees, supporters, donors and everyone who has helped us come this far; and making plans for even greater positive impact over the next 50 years.

Get Involved in Helping Children & Families

The children and families we serve in your local community are facing serious problems. It may be mental illness, addiction, economic stress, family discord, child abuse and neglect, divorce, domestic violence, parental incarceration, the loss of loved ones, and ultimately, isolation. Our staff come alongside them with professional expertise and compassion. They help them develop a personalized plan and provide support. We help stop the cycle of childhood adversity. Please join us in one of the following ways:

• Sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of this page
• Learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent
• Donate your time or resources
• Join the KVC team by exploring our career opportunities