KANSAS CITY, Mo. October 17, 2011.  The community is invited to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City.  The event is themed, “On the Frontline” signifying the organizations commitment to addressing need in the most critical areas for African-Americans.  This celebration will be held at the new Kauffman Performing Arts Center on 1601 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri 64106-2010, 816.994.7200 Doors open at 6pm, program 6:30pm – 9:30pm. This is a Black Tie affair.  Guests will be treated to a wonderful presentation of fine food, entertainment and remarks by nationally renowned speaker and author, Robert Jackson.
Founded in 2006, the 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City members are diverse, and ranging from retired executives to corporate leaders—all with a sincere desire to make a positive impact in the community.  The programs and activities are molded in the group’s vision of improving economic growth, sustaining good health, setting a positive example and mentoring youth in the community.  

To that end, for five years, the KC chapter has been involved with numerous programs ranging from mentoring youth at Operations Breakthrough and University Academy to conducting both a Reading Comprehension program and a Read-Aloud initiative at KC Schools.  They have raised the visibility of the importance of fathers with their annual Father of the Year event.  Also, in an effort to improve the general safety and welfare of the community, they’ve delivered smoke detectors in conjunction with the Cause for Alarm program.  The organization has also implemented “Teach Me Tuesdays”, educational sessions teaching inner city families the fundamentals of financial management.    Many other efforts and countless lives have been touched by 100 members individually and collectively.                                                                                                                                                                           

Anthony Williams, the president of the local chapter states, “Today’s programs are only the beginning.  The next 5 years will be even greater with the community’s support of the 100 and efforts like ours.  We invite all of Kansas City to celebrate with us at our gala on December 13. Contributions from your ticket purchase are tax deductible and help expand our programs.”

For tickets, sponsorships or more information on the Gala and the 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City, visit 100blackmenkc.com.

About The 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City is devoted to improving the quality of life for African-Americans, particularly young males in the Kansas City metropolitan area, through programs focusing on mentoring, education, health & wellness and economic empowerment.

Outreach initiatives and programs are based on four pillars of commitment:
•    Mentorship – To guide youth in life experiences that help the mentee to develop a positive self-perception and self-respect, establish and pursue life-long goals, promote healthy personal relationships
•    Health and wellness- To raise awareness of health concerns affecting African-American men, their families and their communities
•    Education - The “100″ is responsible for encouraging and facilitating the development of programmatic initiatives which address the educational needs of our youth and those of the broader community.
•    Economic Empowerment- To encourage and empower the African American community to become financially literate and economically self sufficient.