We’re living in unprecedented times, to say the least.

With social distancing in effect and large swaths of people unable to work for the foreseeable future, the way the makers, doers and dreamers of Kansas City do business has been changing in fundamental ways. Plato once said that, “Necessity is the mother of invention” and we have seen irrefutable proof of this in a multitude of measures as our community has come together to support each other.

Nothing makes me prouder than to see the womxn leaders InnovateHER KC serves answering this call to action and it would be impossible to choose just one to highlight this week. So I didn’t.

Below, find some of those who are leading the charge to serve our community in very different and immeasurably inspirational ways.

Emily Brown, Food Equality Initiative - Food pantries in Kansas City do incredible work to help ensure some of our most vulnerable Kansas Citians are able to put nutritious, affordable meals on the table. But what do you do if you need assistance and also have an allergy (or two, or three for that matter) that makes finding food that’s safe to eat difficult? Emily Brown of the Food Equality Initiative has been working on the front lines of food assistance for years, offering allergen-friendly options for individuals that have sensitivities to the top 11 food allergens, including soy, gluten, nuts, etc. With the onset of COVID19, her efforts have ramped up and so has their need. Emily and the FEI team have also published a policy brief with the Greater KC Food Policy Coalition to help local, state, and federal agencies take steps now to ensure students with special diets can continue to access critical meals during school closures.

To learn more about the Food Equality Initiative and how you can help, visit foodequalityinitiative.org. To read the policy, visit Food Insecure & Allergic: Adjusting to Meet Food Allergy Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr. Allison Edwards, Kansas City Direct Primary Care - Dr. Allison Edwards has been a longtime advocate for healthcare and the ways we can make it better. Her belief that your relationship with your doctor should be relationship-based with as few financial and logistical hurdles as possible has inspired her to offer affordable and flexible healthcare options to her practice members. In the face of COVID19, not only does she and her team continue to offer care at risk to their own health, but Dr. Edwards has begun to offer a weekly healthcare update in which she shares easily digestible, accessible information about COVID19 and what you can do to prepare yourself at her blog.

To read more, check out the KCPDC blog here.

Dr. Saroj Gupta, Asuun - With a background in everything from dentistry to blockchain to software development, Dr. Saroj Gupta has always been open to new ideas and paths forward. In the face of COVID19, she realized that necessities were either inaccessible or too expensive for many so she decided to put her significant and multi-ranged experience to great use, creating a resource database with matching functionality. Need baby wipes but couldn’t find them at three different stores? Still on the hunt for toilet paper? Donors with these resources are looking to connect with someone who has an urgent need and Dr. Gupta has created the perfect tool to help them find it.

To access the KC COVID19 Help Site, visit COVID19KC.com

Aaron Fulk, Lillian James Creative - Business owners are hurting now, with many seeing significant drops in sales. Some have had to layoff or shutter for the time being. As organizations pivot to new revenue streams and find ways to work through stress and trauma, it helps to know that one, you’re not alone and two, there are actionable things you can do right now to impact your business in positive ways. Aaron Fulk, CEO of Lillian James Creative, has always had a strong presence on social media and now she’s sharing her expertise for free to businesses impacted by COVID19 - by teaching us how we can strengthen our brand while being uniquely real and funny about what’s happening in our lives.

To attend a session, join the Small Business Marketing group on Facebook. You can also follow Aaron on LinkedIn.

Di’Anna Saffold, The Village KC - The Village KC, a non-profit organization that serves teens in grades 6-12 in the areas of financial literacy, recreation, college/career readiness, heath and wellness, and community service, launched just before the advent of COVID19. With most of their programming at a standstill due to social distancing, The Village KC pivoted when it became clear that those they serve needed access to meals. Since then, founder Di’Anna Saffold has been leading efforts to deliver no-contact drop offs of sack lunches to students and families within the KCPS, Hickman Mills, Grandview and Raytown areas to ensure everyone has a meal when they need it. The Village KC has partnered with Urban Community Connections, the Youth Empowerment Readiness Program, The iMatter Experience and Love United Missionary Baptist Church to provide these services on a biweekly basis. As of this writing, they have distributed over 150 sack lunches to 42 families in need, with many more on the way.

You can learn more about The Village KC at VillageKC.org, donate funds through CashApp at $VILLAGEKCINC, or call 816-877-7354 to donate prepackaged meal stuffs.

Maite Salazar, KC Gig Workers - Amongst the financially hardest hit in our community are those individuals who don’t have a steady paycheck - the musicians, freelancers and small business owners who often live paycheck to paycheck. As if running for Congress wasn’t enough, Maite Salazar saw this clear need and jumped into action as soon as COVID19 started to affect Kansas City’s gig workers and small businesses. They created KC Gig Workers, a Facebook group dedicated to supporting gig workers, small business owners, performers, artists, musicians, and many others who may need additional assistance during this time. The group has grown to over 2,000 members and counting.

To join KC Gig Workers and find out how you can help, visit the KC Gig Workers community group.

Katie Boody Adorno, The LeanLab - Most educational institutions simply weren’t designed for the virtual learner - and now with schools closed, we find parents suddenly thrust into the role of teacher, educators left scrambling to update curriculum and students without access to internet or computers. Enter LeanLab Education, a bridge-building nonprofit that helps span the gap between schools and technology. In the wake of COVID19, Katie and her team marshaled lists of vetted, highly reputable resources in a multitude of areas, including digital access, educator technologies and parent support to help jumpstart educational efforts with as little disruption as possible. They have now turned their attention to assessing connectivity needs and device needs across 22 school districts to ensure access for all students. To date, they have identified 11,000 families without internet connectivity and 2,500 students who need devices and are working to connect these families with vendors who can help. To access the resource list, and read more about LeanLab Education, visit leanlabeducation.org/coronavirus-resources.

To learn more about digital access inequities and see how you can help, visit LEANLAB Emergency Connectivity Covid-19 Response.