Your Chamber at Work - December 18, 2018

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

The Boards of the KC Chamber and the Civic Council have endorsed the Pre-K for KC plan to expand early childhood education for children in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chamber Board made the decision Monday.

The Pre-K for KC proposal is on the April ballot and calls for a 3/8th cent sales tax to fund pre-K programs and services in the city. The proposal is modeled after Denver’s successful pre-K program and funding.

A third of Kansas City kids don’t have the skills they need when they begin kindergarten, meaning they’re behind before they even begin school.  In some areas of the city, that statistic rises to two-thirds. The Chamber has been working on kindergarten-readiness for more than four years – it’s one of our Big 5 goals. We see it as both necessary for long-term workforce development and as a moral imperative.

We are encouraging the school superintendents, the mayor, and others to continue to work together to find a path to agreement. We know all parties believe in the cause of early childhood learning and we believe there is an opportunity for everyone to unite. But the bottom line is, our kids need quality early childhood education to succeed. If this measure doesn’t pass, things don’t get better and every year there’s another new round of four-year-olds who will not get what they need.

 

KICK OFF 2019 WITH HEALTHY KC

No matter if you are one of the 214 companies who were 2018 Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certified or you want to be a certified company in the future, the Workplace Wellness Recognition Breakfast on January 23 is for you. We’ll meet at Arrowhead Stadium, where the KC Chamber will introduce you to local companies that have outstanding health and wellness cultures and shine a spotlight on their best practices. Learn from the best and meet others striving to be the best! This event will feature a Healthy Vendor Expo. Mark your calendar for 7:30-9:30 am at 1 Arrowhead Drive. Admission is $25 per Chamber member and $35 per non-member. Online registration is open. For questions, or to participate in the vendor expo, contact Madison Rich at rich@kcchamber.com or (816) 374-5434.

Healthy KC is presented by the KC Chamber and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. Healthy KC is sponsored by the Health Forward Foundation and REACH Healthcare Foundation; Shawnee Mission Health; CommunityAmerica Credit Union, DST Systems, H&R Block, HCA Midwest Health, Saint Luke’s Health System, and the University of Kansas; CBIZ, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Garmin, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, KVC Health Systems, Mosaic Life Care, and Staples Business Advantage.

 

SPRINT HELPS CHAMBER MEMBERS SAVE

Sprint has designed special deals for the KC Chamber, all of its members and their employees. You can visit www.sprint.com/save or mention code MCBMA_ZAF_ZZZ in store to receive promotional offers. Save on devices like the iPhoneXR and the LG V40 ThinQ; the Samsung Galaxy S9, or Samsung Galaxy S9+. KC Chamber members get 25% off all accessories. And check out Sprint’s multiple levels of unlimited service here.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Boardroom is available, by reservation, for KC Chamber members’ meetings or events which support the overall mission of the Chamber. For a member to use the Boardroom, they must be in good standing with their membership dues, as of the date they are requesting and the date of their usage. This shall be confirmed by a membership department team member. To learn more about the room availability for specific dates and the fees involved, please contact Marco Drummond, (816) 374-5448 or email drummond@kcchamber.com. You can also learn more here.

 

START YOUR NEW YEAR WITH STAPLES

Learn more about how Staples can help grow your company’s health and wellness culture. The company has information on topics like cold and flu prevention, ergonomics, healthy eating, wearable technology, and more available online here. Sign up and learn more about the Staples discount program here.