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
Missouri cannabis company grows into flower, buying massive Kansas City grow facility
A Springfield-based cannabis company is acquiring a massive growing and manufacturing facility in Kansas City, positioning Show-Me Organics as a vertical player in the budding Missouri marijuana market. The deal to purchase the local 80,000-square-foot cannabis operation from Holistic Industries — one of the nation’s largest, private multi-state operators in the cannabis industry — is…
THC-infused lemonade squeezes into market as ballot push unbottles potential for 2M Missouri cannabis customers
Blending the classic and comforting flavor of lemonade with the benefits of marijuana is like mixing oil and water, said Michael Wilson. But Franklin’s Stash House persisted, spending the time and money to perfect the process behind its THC-infused lemonade, he said. “Our water soluble formula has been our biggest investment — and really the…
‘This is our era’: How one local streetwear brand got the ball rolling for an exclusive KC Comets collab
Soccer fans can kick off their weekend with a one-day-only sale of a limited-edition apparel collaboration between Kansas City’s premier indoor soccer team and its top streetwear brand, said Vu Radley. “We found this really cool, creative space with the KC Comets where we could pay homage to their vintage jerseys and mix it with…
Not all shops will be riding high if Missouri legalizes recreational cannabis, but even imperfect expansion ‘far worth the effort,’ advocates say
Legalizing recreational marijuana would have potent outcomes across the state if Missouri voters approve a constitutional amendment Nov. 8, but some cannabis advocates and small business owners say not all strains of success will be equal. On one hand, Missouri’s Amendment 3 would expunge the criminal records of people with past non-violent marijuana charges and…
