charity

It's the holiday season once again, when many of us look to donate some time to a worthwhile cause. Today, we ask representatives of local non-profits what makes a great seasonal or year-round volunteer, and how you can have the most impact when you give back to the community. Then, learn about a debate that has been raging since the 1940s — what is the better winter holiday snack; the latke or the hamantash? It may sound like apples and oranges, but the Hanukkah potato pancake and the Purim stuffed cookie square off year after year to help debaters hone their craft.

You could be forgiven for not realizing there's an organization based in Kansas City that's helping people around the world gain access to sanitation and clean water. Today, we meet the CEO and co-founder of Water.org. Then, astrophysicist Angela Speck returns to discuss what the scientific community learned from the eclipse on August 21. We also find out what it was like for folks living in St. Joseph, Missouri, to play host to more than 80,000 total eclipse tourists.

The monarch butterfly migration is one of the most beautiful phenomena in nature. Today, we speak with an Overland Park native who is following the migration on her bike, a 10,000-mile trip. Then, we shine a spotlight on Angel Flight Central, a Kansas City charity staffed by volunteer pilots who fly patients in need to essential medical care.

The little black dress was sleeveless, with a sequined neckline, and perfect.

She was going to a family wedding with her boyfriend, feeling like they were taking the next step in their relationship, and she wanted to look just right.

“I bought it for my boyfriend-at-the-time sister’s wedding, and it was where I was getting to meet his parents for the first time,” she says. “Little did I know, I was also getting to meet his future wife.”

How much would you pay for a charity wine tasting? $50? What about $50,000? Depending on the event, it can be a pricey prospect.

We’re approaching the time of year when people tend to be most generous. But how do you know that your desire to help … is really helping? That your giving is actually doing good and not harm?

Tuesday we take a look at how the best of intentions can sometimes backfire, and how to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.

Has a stranger ever helped you in a moment of need or brightened your day with a a small interaction that you can't forget?  Have you ever been that stranger to somebody else?

Central Standard explores why someone might be kind when they have nothing to gain in return and what impact that can have on people's lives and the world. Our guests include Suzy Hall, co-organizer of Kinder KC and Dr. James Doty, director for Center for Compassion and Altruism Research Education (CCARE).

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has teamed up with the KC clothing boutique Method to provide young men with a smart "fly" dress shirt as they embark on interviews that can transform their lives.