Brothers Amir and Amare came to Operation Breakthrough suddenly, two years ago, when a member of their family was brutally murdered. The shooting rocked their family; made them feel unsafe in their own home. They needed to move, change schools, get their bearings. The boys were 7 and 8, and their mother was paralyzed with grief.
“The children were very frightened,” says Amir and Amare’s mom. “It was hard,” says Amare, now 10. Losing his sister. Feeling scared. Wondering what was going to happen to them. A friend brought the family to Operation Breakthrough. There, staff immediately found space in the early learning program for Amir and Amare’s little sisters and enrolled the boys in the before- and afterschool program. They helped get the boys enrolled in a new school. They helped their mother find another apartment and move into it, furnishing it with donations. They offered the whole family therapy. Today, their mother says, “the boys feel trust in the community again. They absolutely feel safe at Operation Breakthrough. Here, they can open up and step outside their box.”
Amare likes “everything” in Operation Breakthrough’s after school program. Amir’s favorite activities are “doing homework, coloring and playing math games.” Both light up at the mention of #87 for the Chiefs. Amare was “super excited” to be a guest in Travis Kelce’s suite for the Chiefs vs. Titans game, along with other children from Operation Breakthrough. “He’s a nice, kind gentleman who’s fun to play with,” Amare says. “I’m cheering for him every week.”
These boys are just a few Kansas City kids you’ll be supporting by donating to Travis Kelce’s Catching for a Cause campaign. Join Travis in making sure these resources survive and grow and continue to provide comfort and security for the kids who need us.
“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”
Written by: Jennifer Heinemann, Operation Breakthrough
