Sportswriter, Author and Humorist Joe Posnanski Headlines KVC Hero Luncheon
Award-winning sportswriter Joe Posnanski will headline KVC Health Systems’ seventh annual KVC HERO LUNCHEON taking place May 30 at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kan. The event provides an exclusive opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes stories from Posnanski’s coverage of Major League Baseball and his interactions with some of the world’s top athletes. Posnanski has also authored four books, and attendees will receive a copy of Posnanski’s book, “The Secret of Golf: The Story of Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.” The luncheon raises awareness of the need for heroes in the form of foster parents, financial supporters and mentors to help children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Tickets are available at www.kvc.org/heroluncheon.
The 2018 KVC Hero Luncheon is presented by Holmes Murphy and KVC Health Systems. Lead sponsors for the event include Garmin, Bank of Blue Valley, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City, Community America Credit Union, Hays Companies and Spencer Fane. See a complete list of corporate sponsors here.
In addition to Posnanski, the event will have well-known local personalities in attendance. 41 Action News (KSHB) co-anchor Kevin Holmes is emceeing the event, and Sports Radio 810 WHB host Nate Bukaty will facilitate a lively discussion with Posnanski.
The event supports KVC Health Systems’ work to give children in crisis a safe place to stay and the caring treatment they need. This year, funds raised will benefit youth receiving compassionate treatment at KVC’s children’s psychiatric hospitals. Each year, KVC Hospitals serves over 3,000 children, adolescents and adults experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and other mental health crises.
In addition to behavioral healthcare, KVC Kansas provides in-home family support, family reunification services, relative care, foster care and adoption services to more than half of all children and families involved in the Kansas child welfare system. This is due to a successful 22-year partnership with the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). KVC cares for more than 3,800 Kansas children each day in highly-trained foster families and other community-based programs, plus thousands more children in other states.
KVC is known nationally for its achievements such as keeping up to 94% of families safely together without disruption to foster care by providing high-quality, in-home family preservation services; caring for 95% of children in foster care in family homes as opposed to group settings; safely reducing the average length of stay for children in residential psychiatric treatment to about 80 days as compared to 9-12 months in other states; and earning recognition as a national leader and trainer in integrating trauma-informed care into child welfare and related systems.