On Tuesday, at a special outreach visit to Cornerstones of Care, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that the non-profit organization will be the next beneficiary of the Chiefs Charity Game. Hunt Family Foundation Vice President Lamar Hunt Jr., along with the Chiefs quarterbacks, were on hand to make the announcement.
Recognized as the top philanthropic game of its type in the NFL, the Chiefs Charity Game continues a long-standing commitment of supporting the local community that was started by team founder Lamar Hunt more than three decades ago.
In partnering with Cornerstones of Care, the Chiefs are reinforcing their dedication to uplifting children and families in crisis throughout the metro area by supporting safe healing environments that respect dignity and inclusion so children and families can experience more fulfilling and rewarding lives. Additionally, collaborations such as these strengthen the organization's dedication to uniting the community by engaging its neighbors through charitable programming while putting an intense concentration on positively impacting youth.
"On behalf of the entire Hunt family and the Chiefs organization, we are delighted to welcome Cornerstones of Care as the beneficiary of the Chiefs Charity Game beginning next season," Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. "Cornerstones of Care provides vital support and services to children and families who need it most in the Kansas City community. We hope our partnership will significantly enhance their efforts to promote safe and healthy families."
Cornerstones of Care, officially introduced in 1998, works with children, young adults and families to achieve safety and health through six key service areas: education, mental and behavioral health, foster care and adoption, youth support, family support and community trainings. The organization is dedicated to helping children and families wherever they are, whenever they need help. The trauma-informed Cornerstones of Care team provides services in homes and communities throughout the region. Last year alone, Cornerstones of Care partnered with 10,000 children and families in five states, including Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado and Illinois.
"We are honored that the Kansas City Chiefs have selected Cornerstones of Care to be the beneficiary of the 2018 Chiefs Charity Game," Cornerstones of Care President and CEO Denise Cross said. "Cornerstones of Care has a long legacy of partnering for safe and healthy communities and we look forward to our partnership with the Chiefs organization to amplify the needs of children and families in Kansas City."
Next summer marks the 34th edition of the annual Chiefs Charity Game. Since its inception in 1985, the Chiefs Charity Game has raised more than $13.3 million, with more than $6 million being raised in the last decade alone. The Children's Place, the effort's previous beneficiary, set a new Chiefs Charity Game record in each of its previous three years, raising $736,000 in 2015, $740,000 in 2016 and $845,000 in 2017 for a three-year total of more than $2.2 million. The Hunt Family Foundation, formerly the Chiefs Children's Fund, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by the Hunt family in 1983 to support charitable agencies in the greater Kansas City community. Through philanthropy and community programs, the foundation provides vital assistance to more than 125 area charities each year and works to give back to a community that has given so much to the Kansas City Chiefs organization for more than five decades.
