Ingram's December 2022

ADDRESSING KANSAS CITY’S $1.4 BILLION ANNUAL CRISIS

KANSAS CITY’S ON THE MAP —we’re ramping up to host the NFL Draft and the 2026 World Cup. We’re building a state-of-the-art airport and a National Women’s Soccer League stadium, and we’re known around the world for our barbecue and all-star quarterback. We’re also on track for one of the deadliest years on record and rank in the top 10 most violent cities in the U.S. Kansas City is at a crisis level for homicide, domestic violence and other violent crime. Violence in our city is more prevalent than ever. From 2017 to 2021, the average yearly homicide rate rose nearly 50 percent compared to the five years prior, soaring to 155 murders per year. We are at a tipping point for violence in our region. Each of the last three years have been Kansas City’s most violent on record, witnessing 487 people tragically lost to homicide. In October 2022 alone, we lost 25 people to homicide. These violent crimes take a toll on every person and business across the region. UMKC Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology Dr. Ken Novak highlights RAND Corporation research that each homicide in Kansas City costs on average $8,649,216. We’re on track to lose $1.4 billion this year. Economic impacts of increased violent crime include diminished job opportunities, fewer new businesses, decreased property values and strips generational wealth. At KC Common Good, we’re addressing the root causes of violence in our region. We’re convening the doers, the changemakers and the leaders to reduce violence, instill hope and ensure a successful future for every individual in our region. As Kansas City positions itself as a hub for economic investment and top destination to raise a family, KC Common Good is spearheading new initiatives to make our city safer. Earlier this year, we launched The Common Good Fund to provide financial aid up to $5,000 for families struggling with funeral expenses for a loved one who was killed. Since its inception, The Common Good Fund has assisted 50 families grieving after losing a loved one. As we work to support families affected by violence, we’re also focused on expanding career pathways for youth from historically marginalized communities most impacted by violence. In early 2021, KC Common Good launched Working for Youth , a paid youth summer internship program. This has grown into a regional program called ProX in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation’s Real World Learning. Over the past two summers, the program has placed 846 youth with more than 90 participating employers. KC Common Good uniquely focuses on a subset of youth within the regional programwho are disconnected from school. Young people placed in internships are provided with professional development, career coaching and, through a partnership with Community America Credit Union, a banking relationship and financial education. Investment in these young people

increases the likelihood they’ll pursue higher education and creates a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce.

KC 360 is a comprehensive, community-based approach to reduce violent crime, build stronger community relations, increase access to education and jobs and implement responsible justice reforms. Fifteen years ago in Omaha, Nebraska, a nonprofit called the Empowerment Network was founded to reduce violence through community-based solutions that collectively involve prevention, intervention, enforcement, reentry and reform and support services. Since this time, Omaha has seen a 74

THE COST OF CRIME IN KANSAS CITY From 2020 to 2021, the cost of crime in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, was nearly $4.6 billion.