KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
—
Kansas City Public Library has been selected as one of just 11 library systems nationwide to receive a $500,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation. The funding will help expand programs that connect people to careers and citizenship.
Half of the grant money will support the library's Refugee and Immigrant Services & Empowerment (RISE) program, which offers free classes on subjects ranging from English to financial literacy.
Julie Robinson, RISE program manager, said many people aren't aware of the accessibility of KCPL's services.
"I think a lot of people just don't realize that our classes are free, and you can come at any time, especially for English, for citizenship," Robinson said. "And, you know, if you come in week eight, that's okay. You just wrap around, and we start all over again at number one."
The grant will allow RISE to expand its offerings to include workforce certification preparation and more flexible class schedules.
"So we're just going to help them get over that one stumbling block, and then they can go and take their course," Robinson said. "And they'll end up with a certification, and they can go out and get a job at a better rate of pay."
RISE is currently outgrowing its home at the Northeast KCPL branch, with language classes filling up consistently. The new funding will help address this demand.
"We have a lot of people who can't come at the times that we're offering the classes, so this will give us more opportunities so I can maybe have classes on a Sunday afternoon," Robinson said.
The remaining half of the grant will support teen programs at the library.
For those interested in enrolling, the library makes it easy to sign up with no questions asked, and all classes are completely free. Since these programs rely on grant funding, this new financial support will enable much-needed improvements and expansions.
—
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
