Your chamber at Work - July 18, 2022

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Two items to share with you this week:

Having workforce problems? Here’s a solution you might not have considered: hire a returning citizen.

Executives say 82 percent of their returning citizen hires have been at least as successful as their average hire. That’s according to a report by the Society of Human Resources Management. Giving them a second chance works.

On July 27, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is bringing together regional businesses, national experts, and Departments of Corrections at the Second Chance Hiring Summit to help answer your questions and increase your confidence in second chance hiring. The session will last from 10 am to 3 pm in the Chamber’s Union Station Board Room. Click here to register for this free event. You’ll hear from national experts and connect with local resources to help you navigate the second chance hiring ecosystem. We’ll have a reception immediately following.

The event is part of the Chamber’s Workforce Opportunities for Returning Citizens (WORC) initiative.

Update on hiring a new KC Police Chief: The coalition of 16 organizations focusing on the hiring of a new police chief met with two Board of Police Commissioners last week in our regular Friday morning session. Commissioners Cathy Dean and Dawn Cramer both told us how impressed they were with the report we presented to them on the qualities the community wants to see in a new Chief of Police. They’ve shared our report with the firm charged with finding and vetting a new Chief. And they told us they hope to continue this collaboration.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING: ROKC

Join us for what could be one of the most unforgettable Neighborhood Networkings yet – Friday, July 29 at RoKC’s 654 North Central location in Olathe! RoKC was developed by local climbers who dreamed big and brought world-class climbing to the Kansas City area. Now you get to check it out and connect with your fellow KC Chamber members. We’ll have coffee and a light breakfast. Chamber members can register now for free; non-members are $15. The KC Chamber's 2022 Neighborhood Networking sponsors are Unbound, Bardavon Health Innovations, and Kansas City Current. The KC Chamber's 2022 overall networking sponsors are Delta Dental and Mazuma Credit Union.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

Sign up to roll up your sleeve and give blood today at the blood drive co-hosted by the American Red Cross and the KC Chamber. Save your spot Monday, August 1, 1 to 5 p.m. in the Chamber’s Board Room located in the southeast corner of Union Station’s first floor. Use the code “KCChamber” when registering for a timeslot. All donors will receive a ticket to Worlds of Fun! KC has been experiencing a blood shortage since COVID began, and now is your opportunity to help. Register today!

BANTER AND DECANTER

Grab a team of wine lovers and head to the Nelson-Atkins Museum for genKC’s popular Banter & Canter, Friday, August 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Atkins Museum’s Kirkwood Hall. This wine tasting competition for early career professionals is co-hosted by the museum’s Young Friends of Art. Teams will drop off six bottles of red wine at the Nelson a few days before the event, then at the event taste a variety of wines and vote for your favorite. Register your team of six today! The cost is $120 per team and this event sells out each year.

APPLY TO BE HEALTHY KC CERTIFIED

Do you have a healthy workplace? Apply now to become Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certified. You have until August 31 to apply here. This certification program recognizes organizations for innovation in promoting a culture of health in the workplace. Certifications range from Honorable Mention all the way up to Platinum. Beginning this year, the criteria are based on guidelines from the World Health Organization's healthy workplace framework and model, offering a more holistic approach to health and wellness. Special thanks to our Healthy KC Presenting Sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.