125 YEARS OF SERVING KANSAS CITY

1897

Working mothers in Kansas City ar older children at home to care fo children, as they could not afford women of Melrose Methodist Chu Della C Lamb, see the needs of the create a daycare facility in a large 702 Admiral Boulevard. The build named the Institutional Neighbo

October 13, 1904

Plans for a new building o house the daycare and “uplift the neglected North End” are made By this time Della and the other women are caring for up to forty children per day.

1910

The Institutional Neighborhood H continues to expand its service offering summer classes for child ages 5-14 Sixty students attend classes, which are taught by volunteers By 1912 the summer c has grown exponentially, with th hundred students in attendanc

1942

The Institutional borhood House care ldren whose parents ployed by the defens try during World Wa children receive regu als and visits from th ng Nurses Association

June 13, 1941

The Institutional Neighborhood House’s gymnasium is recognized in the Kansas City Star as a popular community center for newcomers Immigrants from Italy, Poland, Mexico, and Syria, as well as Jewish people fleeing persecution in Europe, gather in the facility e 12, 1995 first Della mb football mp is heldized by Della member and rmer New eans Saint Henry Childs.

2007

After decades of offering basketball to low-income families, the girls basketball program begins to exceed expectations By 2018, the Running Angels become nationally recognized and sponsored by Adidas Over 100 young women have gone to college through the avenue of basketball.

1999

Della Lamb opened the first charter school in the State of Missouri targeted to help the children of refugee and immigrant families by giving them the special attention needed to succeed academically

2008 & 2010

Travis and Trevor Releford, former Della Lamb youth basketball players, begin their NCAA Division I basketball careers at the University of Kansas and University of Alabama, respectfully Both continue on to play professional basketball for over a decade

2014 Community becomes a d refugee ent agency es of serving d immigrants a variety of mming,

2015

Dexter McDonald, a former Della Lamb youth football player, is drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 7th round of the NFL Draft.

2017

The Della Lamb Charter School spins off and rebrands as Kansas City International Academy, now a close partner of our Early Education Program

Jan. 27, 1951

Della C Lamb dies at the age of 76 She continued her service to her city and to others until her passing

1960

The Institutional House catches fire and burns to the ground Services are forced to pause but not for long

July 22, 1961

Ground is broken for a new building at 500 Woodland Avenue, which is where the organization remains to this day

June 22, 1969

Della Lamb begins offering adult education courses They are taught by student teachers from the University of Missouri – Kansas City

1973

Della Lamb hosts its first annual Operation Santa Claus program It provides holiday gifts and meals for families in need

1993

Della Lamb holds the first Operation Thanksgiving, giving frozen turkeys, potatoes and other classic Thanksgiving food to 250 families

February 1, 1995

Representative Karen McCarthy rises on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to honor the work of Della Lamb

Community Services

1946

The Institutional Neighborhood House is renamed the Della C. Lamb Neighborhood House to honor her decades of service

March 2020

States begin to implement shutdowns order to prevent the spread of COVIDFollowing state and federal protocol

Della Lamb s Early Education cente reopens to ensure children are cared while parents return to work The De Lamb Food Pantry remains open to se community members in need.

April 5, 1962

The new building opens It includes space for social workers a well-baby clinic, a daycare, a oster family program, and recreational activities.

September 28, 1976

The Building Code Board of Appeals approves Della Lamb to be Kansas City’s first round-the-clock daycare center This eases the burden of parents who work the night shift and cannot find childcare.

1988

The Della C Lamb ymnasium is completed nd titled the Mabee Multi-Purpose Center.

March 2021

Della Lamb hosts a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic to serve our atrisk neighbors while overcoming language barriers and other accessibility obstacles

November 2021

In 1 week, Della Lamb welcomes 119 Afghan evacuees By March 2022, 351 Afghan evacuees were welcomed by the Refugee Services team

November 2020

Operation Santa Claus and Operation Thanksgiving are combined to become Operation Holidays We shift to a drive-thru style for social distancing purposes

August 15, 2021

Taliban fighters enter Kabul and the Afghan government collapses. Millions of Afghans flee the country and the US plans to aid and resettle Afghan allies

December 3, 2022

Illuminate the City, the first fundraising gala in over a decade, brings together passionate Della Lamb supporters to celebrate 125 years of serving Kansas City and envision the next 125.

November 2022

Della Lamb Community Services celebrates 125 years of serving Kansas City's most vulnerable thanks to the passionate supporters, donors, and volunteers for more than a century