Kansas City churches unite to help after championship rally shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Churches across Kansas City unite to make sure “darkness” does not prevail following the shooting that killed a woman, and injured dozens of others, at a rally to celebrate the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Several churches ed a fund called “The Church Loves Kansas City” following last week’s violence.

Right now, a banner sits in front of Union Station reading “Kansas City Strong & United” while the flags remain at half-staff, showing signs of pain but also . But eventually, the flags will be raised again, and the banner will come down. The trauma however will remain, so local churches want everyone to know help is always available.

Pastors from the churches involved in the effort said they want love to prevail. Organizers are asking churches to take up a special fund or offering. They said the donations will will be sent to the National Christian Foundation. Donations will be held there until they are distributed.

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The churches involved in the fund said the donations will pay for all funeral expenses for Lisa Lopez, the woman killed in the shooting. Organizers will then focus on paying medical expenses for all victims injured in the shooting.

After medical bills are paid, the group hopes to create a fund to pay for counseling costs for anyone who needs assistance processing the trauma and tragedy.

“On the ongoing counseling a person has to make a decision do I have the money and time for this? We want the answer to be yes, I have the money and the time,” Gary Kendall, Executive Director of LoveKC, said. “And we’re going to make that happen as much as we possibly can.

“The reality is the two alleged perpetrators -- they probably were traumatized at some point in their lives as well. And trauma has a way of repeating if we don’t find healing.”

Any additional money donated will be used to create something called “Crisis KC Fund.” The involved churches said it will be held by the National Christian Foundation. The fund will be used to assist during any future crisis that impacts Kansas City.

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The united churches said it is time to do something together that no one person can do alone.

Additional information about the fund can be found at TheChurchLovesKansasCity.org.

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