Business Profile – National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Kansas City

Driving down 63rd Street, it’s easy to overlook the small tidy office building at Holmes. Its low profile helps it blend into the neighborhood, but its brick exterior suggests solid construction. The buildings design dates to the late 50s, but manages to remain contemporary. By coincidence, the same traits hold for the organization that calls the building “home” – the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Kansas City (NCADD). This month we’re pleased to feature NCADD, a long-time active member of our community, and a member of Southtown Council for 26 years!

For 50 years, NCADD has maintained one goal – to help those affected in any way, by any type of addiction. Nationally, NCADD was founded by a former member of Alcoholics Anonymous. But as times have changed, so have NCADD’s interests. NCADD has an active partnership with Park University to provide professionals in the field with ongoing accreditation and the latest information on the recovery community. The organization has developed a faith-based initiative, supported by COMBAT funds, to work within the religious community to provide education and remove the stigma that prevents many from seeking help. They have two programs specifically designed for children affected by addition, one serving children 6 through 12, the other for those 13 to 17. And of course, they remain a central and critical part of the system that helps addicts on the road to recovery through counseling and referrals to services.

NCADD plans to mark its golden anniversary with events scheduled throughout the remainder of this year. On August 11th, NCADD will host the 15th Annual Otis Taylor Celebrity Golf Tournament. October 23, they’re holding “dinner and a movie” at All Soul’s Unitarian Church and the Simpson House, featuring “Bill W and Dr. Bob.” The next evening, they’re hosting a night at 18th & Vine, which includes a live performance by comedian Mark Lundholm and tours of the Negro Leagues Museum and the American Jazz Museum. For information about these events, or any of NCADD’s programs and services, call 816-361-5900, or visit their website at www.recoverycentral.org [1]. For its commitment to our community and its citizens, Southtown congratulates NCADD, and wishes them another 50 years of success.