December 23, 2023

Gloria White is a former athlete decorated in track and field accomplishments. Her life has been forever changed by another decorated athlete – Travis Kelce and his Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation. Thanks to a major investment in the work of Rebuilding Together Kansas City, Eighy-Seven & Running was instrumental in helping to complete needed repairs and safety modifications on White’s home of 56 years.

“Rebuilding Together Kansas City exists to help some of our most vulnerable neighbors stay in their homes,” said Scott Hickox, executive director of Rebuilding Together Kansas City. “Miss Gloria has been a fixture in her neighborhood for decades, and we are thrilled to make it possible for her to be able to stay there. She and the neighborhood will both be better off as a result.”

With a $30,000 grant from Eighty-Seven & Running, Rebuilding Together Kansas City was able to assist White, 79, with repairing and updating her home to accommodate her limited mobility. White is partially wheelchair bound due to arthritis, joint pain, and other health issues. The repairs, which were completed in early December, included fixing the roof, making bathroom and kitchen repairs, installing grab bars, adding railings, addressing major plumbing issues, and more. Without assistance, she may not have been able to continue living in her home.

“I thank God so much for the work they did here at my house,” she said. “You never know which way your blessing will come, but it will be at the right time.”

Rebuilding Together Kansas City works to eliminate unsafe and substandard living conditions in neighborhoods throughout Kansas City’s Northland. The organization has helped over 125 senior citizens, low-income families, veterans, and physically challenged residents in 2023 – a nearly 25% increase over last year. As a nonprofit organization, Rebuilding Together Kansas City is dependent upon charitable contributions and the work of hundreds of volunteers.

“For anyone interested in giving, serving, or connecting with our work, we have a place for you,” said Hickox.

More of White’s story and Eighty-Seven & Running’s impact can be found on Rebuilding Together Kansas City’s YouTube channel.