KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A building that has served as a lifeline for the Kansas City, Kansas, community needs repairs after this week's severe storm.
McNewton's Community Outreach Center, 2100 N. 13th St., in Kansas City, Kansas, was hit by flood waters that ripped through a wall and dropped several inches of mud and debris into the building's event space.
“This is very disheartening and heartbreaking,” said Carl Newton, president of McNewton's Community Outreach Center. “We were kind of bombarded when we found out what was going on.”
Newton took over the building two years ago and made a promise to keep its mission alive.
“It hurts me deeply when we are not able to fulfill what we have promised to the community,” Newton said.
The space offers help in different ways.
Those include daily showers and meals for those in need, to a practice facility for young cheerleaders.
“We have lost a lot of stuff; we're in a devastated area right now,” Newton said. “It was just devastating for me.”
The mud beneath his feet deepens his sense of loss.
“We count on this building for the community here,” said Sanquel Ford.
Ford once received help from the center.
Now, he’s the one offering help.
“It breaks my heart,” Ford said. “The disaster, the destruction, it is devastating to everybody.”
He says it feels like a war zone, but he’s determined to help people come together and clean up the mess.
“It's not a million-dollar building, but it's our building here in our community,” Sanquel said.
Newton and Ford said the mud and water damage are not washing away their hope.
“We continue to pray," Newton said. "We continue to work at it and make sure that we get back on our feet as best as we can."
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KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
