The KC Cares Show has published over 400 podcasts promoting local nonprofits for free. The weekly podcasts are currently about 20 minutes long. One of the people making this possible is Ruth Baum Bigus, an active KC Jewish community member.
KC Cares shares what nonprofits do, their passion, why they do what they do, what they need and how they can help the community — all in the words of the leaders of their organizations. The goal of the podcast is to provide nonprofit organizations with an opportunity to amplify their message, communicate their impact across various digital platforms and provide free content that helps nonprofits connect and grow. The podcast allows nonprofits to tell their story, with the hopes of increasing their impact and potential funding, reaching their goals through communication and marketing and learning from experts in the nonprofit world.
The podcast is trying to raise the bar for the incredible number of non-profits in the area, the podcast’s co-host and producer, Bigus, told The Chronicle. “It’s very challenging for nonprofits to tell their story and to get coverage in the general media. We’re providing this podcast and having a conversation with the key people so they can then take that podcast, they can repost it, they send it to stakeholders, donors, potential volunteers, people involved,” Bigus said, “It’s telling their story rather than that brochure or website. It’s giving them an extra tool in their toolbox. And it’s all free of charge. We don’t charge. That’s part of our philosophy. We want to bring this to the community.”
Bigus describes the work KC Cares does as a combination of tikkun olam — helping repair the world by sharing and connecting — and gemilut chasidim — providing acts of kindness through free exposure of the good works nonprofits do in the community. “We’re trying to be the digital resource for nonprofits, bringing them experts, stakeholders, volunteers, etc.,” Bigus said.
Bigus has been working with the once-radio show since 2012. She is not the only Jew or member of a minority group dedicated to KC Cares. Bigus and her team focuses on diversity, what is timely, what will be helpful and who is interested in telling their story when selecting nonprofits to feature on the show. The size of a nonprofit does not impact whether or not KC Cares will feature a nonprofit. No nonprofit is too small.
Due to COVID -19, KC Cares is no longer recording from a commercial radio studio, so they’re strictly a podcast at the moment. They’ve transitioned to a completely remote recording format. They’re using tools like Zoom. In the last few weeks they have started to do Facebook Lives of their podcasts. “By doing Facebook Live the audience has a live interview, a live peek at the conversation with whoever our guest is,” Bigus said. KC Cares is still looking into different opportunities to return to radio.
KC Cares has roughly 4,500 unique monthly visitors, with an email database of over 3,000 loyal nonprofit lovers. The podcast has featured over 400 nonprofits, in addition to various experts in areas of banking, fundraising, legal, civic, health, human services and more. Numerous KC Jewish community organizations have been featured on the show. Included are the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family services, Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and the Jewish Federation.
There is a library on the KC Cares website where you can find podcasts by guest name, organization or subject matter. “That’s one of the great benefits to nonprofits and our guests,” Bigus said. KC Cares can provide non-profits with a hive of ideas and advice, as well as connecting the community with local non-profits. For example, last year they did a podcast on the Black Community Fund through the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, which provides funds to the Black community. People can still listen to that podcast to find out how they can access the fund. “That’s kind of the joy of having a podcast — you can go back, and you can refer to it,” Bigus said.
Bigus enjoys hearing what people are passionate about and the importance of their cause. She has specifically enjoyed connecting with local athletes about what they do in the community. She is also a big theater fan, so fine arts-related nonprofits have been particularly interesting for her, too.
According to the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at UMKC, there are nearly 9,000 non-profits in the Kansas City metropolitan area. “That’s an awful lot of organizations trying to share their good work. We hope we’re just one cog in the wheel of raising awareness. People have to know who you are to get money,” Bigus said.
Kansas City is home to some of nation’s largest charities, according to a 2017 Metro Market Charitable Analysis Study. The study ranks Kansas City as ninth in the country for charitable giving. The amount of philanthropic work happening in Kansas City is pretty impressive, especially considering the size of the city.
Bigus hopes that the Kansas City Jewish Community will go to the KC Cares website, listen to the podcast and share their feedback. The podcast is also on Spotify. How can you help? KC Cares wants to be connected with more nonprofits who have a story to tell. Currently KC Cares is underwritten by The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, but they are always looking for more support.
Being able to give nonprofits free exposure is meaningful for Bigus. “Oh, I love it,” she said, “It draws from the whole idea of continuing to help to repair the world.” Bigus said that the goals of KC Cares are stated well in Pirkei Avot 2:21 — as Rabbi Tarfon says, “It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either.”
To get involved head to kccaresonline.org or email Bigus at . You can connect with KC Cares on Facebook, Twitter (@KCCaresradio) and Instagram (kccaresonline). Bigus and her family were members at Beth Torah. Bigus works for Jewish Family Services. She also freelances for the Jewish Community Center. She has freelanced for the Federation (following 14 years on staff), JVS and HBHA.
By Meryl Feld
Editor