Spring 2026 Newsletter
A SPRING TO REMEMBER
EMBRACE's Annual Grant and Scholarship Cycle
This spring, our board loaded up and hit the road. Over three days in late March, we delivered $620,000 in grants to 18 Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Shortly after, we walked into nine classrooms and surprised nine dedicated educators with full scholarships to earn their Master’s in Special Education through Benedictine College, totaling another $100,000 in gifts that will directly impact every child who walks through their classroom doors.
There is nothing quite like the energy in a front office when the check comes out — or the look on a teacher’s face when their classroom erupts in cheers. These are the moments that remind us why this work matters. Every child is made in the image of God, and every child deserves to belong.
Answering a Growing Call
This cycle, schools and teachers across the Archdiocese asked for nearly $1.2 million in support. Thanks to your generosity, we funded $720,000 of it — about 57% — bringing critical support to classrooms and students. Because of you, more students are learning and thriving in inclusive Catholic schools.
However, our work is not done. We trust that the Holy Spirit is at work in this mission, calling us to do more. Every dollar we raise moves us closer to saying “yes” to the next family, the next teacher, the next child.
Every gift — big or small, one-time or monthly — helps us reach the next school, the next teacher, the next child. If this year’s numbers moved you, the most meaningful next step is to give.
Congratulations to our 2026 Grant Recipients!
$620,000 delivered to 18 schools across the Archdiocese
9 teachers. 9 classrooms. Countless lives impacted.
Meet our 2026 Cohort 7 EMBRACE Scholarship Recipients - $100,000 Given in Scholarships!
This spring, EMBRACE traveled to schools across the Archdiocese and surprised nine deserving educators with full scholarships to earn their Master’s in Special Education through Benedictine College. Nine reactions we’ll never forget — and hundreds of kids who will feel the difference for years to come.
EMBRACE Day is in motion.
Across our 42 partner schools, EMBRACE Day is bringing students, families, and school communities together in support of inclusion. Some schools held their celebrations in March and April. Others are gearing up for May. Every one of them is making a difference for the kids in their own buildings.
Early projections put the combined impact at over $20,000 raised from schools that host, with proceeds going back to our classrooms. A heartfelt thank-you to every school, family, and volunteer making EMBRACE Day happen this year.
Final totals and participating school list will be celebrated in a future update.
Save the date: EMBRACE the Movies is back!
Thursday, May 21, 2026 · Boulevard Drive-In, Kansas City, KS
Our family-friendly FUN-draiser returns for another night under the stars. Gates open at 7:00 p.m. with inflatables, food, games, balloon artists, and entertainment for all ages. The movie starts at dusk.
Grab your car, bring the kids, and help us close the gap — every ticket supports grants and scholarships for the next cycle.
The World Cup hasn't been here since 1994. Here's your shot.
Win 2 Group 1 tickets to Ecuador vs. Curaçao in Kansas City — valued at $1,000.
This summer, the biggest sporting event on the planet is happening right in our backyard. And we’re giving one raffle winner two top-tier seats to the Ecuador vs. Curaçao match — Group 1, the kind of seats that put you close enough to hear the coaches shouting and the anthems ringing.
Buy a chance for yourself. Buy a few for your soccer-obsessed kid. Every ticket goes straight to work closing the gap for students and teachers across our Archdiocese.
1 Chance – $25
3 Chances – $50
10 Chances – $100
Thursday, May 21, 2026 at EMBRACE the Movies. You don’t need to be present to win.
Contact us at:
kimhammers@embraceks.org
913-484-3003
