Video: Operation Breakthrough helping kiddos reach their full potential
November 9, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Founded in 1971 by two nuns, Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer, Operation Breakthrough serves more than 450 children daily with a mission to provide a safe educational environment for children in poverty.
The has adapted through the decades to meet the needs of Kansas City’s low-income community, Operation Breakthrough CEO Mary Esselman said. Implemented three years ago, the makerspace includes such zones as textiles, studio arts, chef’s corner and construction/toy hacking, she said. It’s part of an effort to expand early childhood development beyond merely teaching toddlers how to pick up a book, Esselman said.
Welcoming select children from ages 6 weeks to 13 years, the center also includes such health-related programs as a USDA-approved meal program serving more than 1,000 meals a day, occupational and physical therapy, speech and language therapy, a dental clinic, and an on-site Children’s Mercy clinic.
Learn more about the center with the video below.

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Just funded: Digital Sandbox KC drops the hook for three more emerging tech startups
From optimizing trucking logistics to revolutionizing peer-to-peer recommendations and streamlining compliance with AI, the latest startups funded by Digital Sandbox KC are poised to make a significant impact in their industries, said Jill Meyer. “We’ve been truly impressed by the expertise and passion these founders bring to the table,” said Meyer, senior director of Technology…
Tech champion tapped to lead Patterson Family Foundation; How Maria Flynn plans to ‘make opportunity happen’ for rural communities
A startup leader, exited executive, and tech advocate who emerged from Cerner to become one of the most prominent voices for investing in Kansas City will now champion the region in a new way: as president and CEO of an influential nonprofit that bears her former boss’ name. Maria Flynn was announced Tuesday as the…
If you build it, they will come: KC leaders pitch downtown baseball to expats eying a return to home plate
Downtown baseball remains a winning prospect for Kansas City — and the Royals — civic and business leaders told a crowd of former residents who are considering a move back to KC, encouraging them to imagine a homecoming of big league proportions. “I think everyone agrees that Major League Baseball is a downtown sport,” Jon Stephens,…
