Community Resilience and Renewed Spirit: Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council Triumphs Over Turmoil, Restores Joy and Purpose

Cropped and merged images of Ivanhoe Community Members and Vendors at their Harvest Days. (Photos: Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council) A Brief History of Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council The Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council is a resident-led community-based organization founded in 1967 to improve the livelihood of the residents of the Ivanhoe neighborhood. The neighborhood itself is made of majority Black residents and extends from 31st to 47th Street and from Prospect Avenue to Paseo Boulevard. The council is known for offering programs and events like legal aid support, cooking and technology classes for seniors, Harvest Days, and a weekly farmers market and numerous youth programs. In 2010, Ivanhoe leaders, committee members, and their partners at the University of Kansas and Kauffman Foundation began developing a 100-point strategic plan to address community needs and improvements. Since then, the council has executed their strategic plan with the aid of grant funding to rehab community centers, build a new playground, launch the Positive Alternatives for Youth Program, and implement other community events and programs. On Wednesday August 14, members of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council received a notice that they were no longer employed. For many, this decision was unforeseen. But according to Board President and Treasurer Arthur...