The Kansas City Chiefs kick off the preseason at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and while the arrival of another football season is always exciting, this particular game is about so much more than what takes place on the field.
It's the annual Chiefs Charity Game – widely regarded as the top philanthropic event of its type in the NFL – and as the 42nd edition of the game takes place on Saturday, the matchup will directly benefit the life-changing work being done by Jackson County CASA.
Established in 1983, Jackson County CASA – which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates – provides advocacy and legal services for children who have experienced abuse or neglect and now find themselves under the jurisdiction of the Jackson County Family Court system.
"These are everyday people – folks from the community – who volunteer to advocate for the best interests of children in foster care in Jackson County," said Angie Blumel, the organization's President and CEO. "Our mission is to serve as a child's voice in family court. Every child needs a caring and consistent adult by their side as they navigate the child welfare system, and that's exactly what our CASA volunteers do."
It's a critical mandate, as between 1,300-1,500 children in Jackson County experience Family Court on an annual basis. It's an unfortunate reality, but Jackson County CASA exists to make these challenging situations just a little bit easier.
"As you can imagine, foster care is a scary place for kids," Blumel said. "They're often removed from their home of origin for their safety, so they're in this world where they may be staying with a family member or a traditional foster family, and everything is new to them, so having a caring adult that's showing up for them on a regular basis is so important. Other individuals in the system are there for the parents, but CASA volunteers are there just for the kids."
Jackson County CASA will wrap up a three-year term as the game's beneficiary on Saturday after raising an estimated $1.3 million for its mission during that time. The stretch followed a three-year run in which the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA), the game's beneficiary from 2021 through 2023, raised $1.4 million over its three-year tenure.
"I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Kansas City Chiefs and the Hunt Family Foundation for their support," Blumel said. "This has elevated our profile in the community, and it helps people to understand who we are and the importance of what we do."
In total, the Chiefs Charity Game has raised more than $16 million over its four decades of existence, with nearly $8 million being raised over the last 15 years alone. The financial benefit is significant, to say the least, but the game's impact goes far beyond the dollars and cents.
"Ultimately, this has helped us recruit more CASA volunteers, and we always need more volunteers," Blumel said. "We'll serve more kids this year than we ever have in the history of our organization. We're on pace to serve more than 1,500 children this year, and not all of those children have a CASA volunteer by their side. So, we're hoping this will help us to spread the word and ensure that every child in foster care has a CASA volunteer with them every step of the way."
It's all to say that the event will assist Jackson County CASA in making a tangible difference in our community, and at the same time, the game itself will provide a collective opportunity for everyone involved to have an experience that they won't soon forget.
"We'll have 225 kids and their families at the game, and we're so excited," Blumel said. "Just to give them that experience of a fun day is so meaningful. Foster care is stressful and chaotic, so to go to a Chiefs game gives the kids a chance to just be kids. They can forget what's going on in their lives for a little bit and just have a blast."
To learn more about Jackson County CASA or to get involved, click here.
