As a kid, she felt nobody cared for people in need in KC’s urban core. Now, she does
Shelle West, 35, was raised in Kansas City learning the importance of being of service to others and your community whenever and however you can.. But growing up in the city’s urban core, she often felt like nobody cared.
West was determined that she would be the one who cares, and that she would make a difference. She made it a priority to help others whenever possible.
This pull she felt toward assisting those in need sparked an idea in 2019 to provide a homemade Thanksgiving dinner for the less fortunate. She reached out to local organizations and pooled those resources to maximize the impact.
That community dinner became the foundation for Show Me You Care KC, a nonprofit that West founded to address the gaps she saw in the community. Today, the organization supports a variety of groups in need, including people without housing, youth, elderly, and LGBTQ communities.
Recently West sat down with The Kansas City Star’s culture and identity reporter, J.M. Banks, and talked about the unexpected journey that led hear to start a nonprofit, building relationships with other organizations and expanding her non-profit outside of Kansas City.
Banks: Can you begin by telling me about your early life and upbringing?
West: I grew up in a single parent home, raised by my mother and went to Central High School. I was involved in student council and really loved school. I was raised with a strong sense of being of service when you can, and helping people. I did not expect to start a organization or nonprofit that would do all this work in the community but we have been going strong.
What kind of work does Show Me You Care KC do in the community?
We are an organization that was created to address urgent needs within in the community. I wanted to create lasting impressions on people through initiatives that support and grow our inner city. Collaborative partnerships are a big part of the work we do and we try to work with as many other community minded groups as we can to build a network of help for those who need it.
How did you get the idea of starting the organization?
It started back in 2019 with an event I put together partnering with other organizations in Kansas City that turned into a Thanksgiving community dinner. I thought that people give turkeys but there are so many people who don’t have stoves or electricity, so we wanted to make sure we were providing warm meals for those who are unable to cook it themselves.
From there we grew into a platform in the community where all are accepted. We work with everyone from the unhoused, inner-city youth, to our senior citizens, and catering to what the underserved people need in the community.
Can you tell me about the different initiatives Show Me You Care KC does in community?
Of course we have our yearly Thanksgiving dinner that we started with and we continue to do a lot of work with the unhoused community. We have our program, Once Upon a Prom, where we take submissions from high school girls who are seniors who are completely sponsored for their prom. We partner with local seamstresses, make-up artists and hairstylists to create an experience for these girls who may not of had the chance to have everything they need for prom.
We do a lot of mentoring work with teens, who are in dark places, who don’t have the support they need at home so we step in and try to help.
We have our Voices of Care program where we provide holistic and wellness support in the community. We have an annual back-to-school basketball game where we bring local talent into the community and give the kids a great kick off to back to school.
This year we just started our Show Me You Matter program, which is a program for the LGBTQ community that showcases education, suicide awareness and creating events that are centered around them and gives them a safe space. Through that we are partnering with local creatives for our Moulin Noir show on the 22nd to showcase the contributions of LGBTQ performers in ballroom and burlesque.
Have there been any challenges or difficulties that you face in achieving your goals?
I don’t know if I have had many difficulties doing this. I don’t want to say funding because I know that is just something everyone faces. I think everything has moved smoothly because our relationships with people are organic and we all understand that the work we do is vital to the community so we work together. Our relationships are built around a need to see the work done so we have found support whenever we have needed it.
How do you feel your work impacts the community around you?
We are the boots on the ground. People see us out there working with the community and they respect it. When we aren’t out here helping people through our initiatives we are out here talking to them finding out what their needs are and how to meet those needs.
What about your organization makes you the proudest?
I think being an organization that people recognize and knowing that we are a group that cares about the community. It always motivates me to hear people come up to me and say they respect the work we do in the community.
Do you have a personal motto or philosophy that guides you?
I have this quote that pushes me in my work and that is; “Service to others is the rent you pay for your home here on earth.” It reminds me that being able to provide service to others will provide me longevity in life.
Have there been any memorable achievements in your personal journey thus far that stand out?
We won the Kansas City’s Peoples Choice Award for Best Community Organization in 2023. I have received the Women Making Waves Award in 2023 and the Women of Courage Award from Delta Sigma Theta in 2024. It has been amazing to be recognized in the community for the work.
What are your organization’s goals for the future?
Well as of this year we have grown so now there is a Show Me You Care St. Louis. So we are hoping to keep expanding and growing and starting new chapters in other places. I would also love to have a brick and mortar to create a safe space for the teens we mentor and provide more services for our unhoused community.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to follow the same career path as you?
I would say to find partners who are aligned with the same mission and really get out there and do the work. People have to see you out there doing the work because that is how you show them you are invested and care about the community. When people see that, they will want to build a relationship.
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This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 1:33 PM.
