By: Kyle Smith, Marketing Intern
This month marks one year since Kolette Schneider started volunteering at least once a week at Thelma’s Kitchen, which shifted to to-go meals in March in response to COVID-19. “A family of seven pulled up recently and all the kids piled out to get a meal,” Kolette said. “We rarely saw that before the pandemic.’
“We have more guests who are experiencing homelessness, more who just got laid off… more and more people are relying on Thelma’s Kitchen right now for a free, delicious meal.” Kolette also recruited her husband Kyle into the effort. He helps Chef Artis Grigsby prep in the kitchen, while she works up front serving guests.
“While COVID-19 has led to more stress for our guests and made the environment at Thelma’s a bit more volatile, overall, what I’m seeing and hearing the most is gratitude,” Kolette said. “What really sticks with me is the number of people who say thank you each day. It’s astonishing to me because I feel like I’m doing such a small thing, just handing someone a to-go box, but people are so grateful.”
Kolette and Kyle Schneider, flanked by a portrait of Thelma’s Kitchen’s namesake, volunteering during COVID-19
Kolette said that gratitude goes both directions, “When I first started volunteering my goal was to give back to the community. I thought I would just be helping others, yet somehow I’m blessed every time I volunteer at Thelma’s. It’s a real honor to be able to serve others whose life’s journey and circumstances are so different than my own.”
Kolette retired in 2018 from DST systems after 30 years, serving as a Human Resources Executive for her final 18 years. “I have lived a very blessed life. I’ve never had to worry about where I was going to get my next meal or how my family was going to weather a storm like COVID-19,” she said. “After every volunteer shift at Thelma’s I reflect on how our guests are dealing with so much uncertainty and yet are still so grateful. That perspective is humbling and has been a blessing all its own for me.”
While volunteering at Thelma’s has brought Kansas City’s economic and racial inequities to light for Kolette, she said it’s an issue that has been on her heart and mind for some time. “In 2003-04, I participated in a professional development exercise at a KC Tomorrow event that made it clear to me what we’re really talking about when we discuss societal inequities.”
The exercise went like this: a diverse group of people stood shoulder to shoulder as the moderator instructed each person to take steps forward or steps back based on their life circumstances. For example, they gave instructions like: take three steps back if you grew up in poverty; take four steps forward if you are a white male; take one step back if your parents struggled with substance abuse.
“After much back and forth the moderator asked us to stop and look around. This is how the race of life begins,” remembered Kolette. “They said now you can see how we each have a different starting line and circumstances that either propel or hinder our progress.”
This simple exercise had a profound effect on Kolette. She said it completely shifted her mindset and she began to look for opportunities in her HR role at DST. “It started very small, but eventually our leadership became very attuned to equity and inclusion and this was reflected in the evolution of our leadership team.”
After her retirement, Kolette began to look for ways to use her interests and professional experience to benefit those in need in Kansas City, especially those who faced oppression and marginalization due to their race. When she heard Father Justin Mathews, Executive Director of Reconciliation Services, share the mission of the organization to reveal the strength of all, she was immediately compelled to action. “Before that I didn’t even really understand that Troost Avenue divides our city economically and racially. I started helping out right away,” she said.
Kyle, Kolette and other volunteers making lemonade at Thelma’s Kitchen during COVID-19
First she helped RS finish and refine its employee handbook. Then she went through orientation and started volunteering at Thelma’s Kitchen regularly. And at the beginning of 2020, Kolette joined the RS Board of Directors.
Over time Kolette has developed her own verbiage for describing the mission of RS and why others should invest their time, talent, or resources. “If you want to support an organization that lifts people up and aggressively works to break down barriers that create socioeconomic differences, Reconciliation Services is the place. "
Kolette said she remembered at a young age seeing how people of different races were treated differently. “I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood and there was one African American couple that lived catty corner from us,” she said. “My earliest memory of my Black neighbors is playing in the pool with their nieces and nephews and how much candy they gave me on Halloween – I thought they were the greatest people in the world.” Only later did she learn that many neighbors were uncomfortable having a black family in the neighborhood; however, her parents spoke in favor of the family and helped them stay.
“My parents grew up in Kansas City in the 1950s and then Troost Avenue was a very scary place. In her youth my mom was on Troost and heard gunfire and never wanted to go back,” Kolette said. “She was even scared for me when I started volunteering at RS.”
However, at the end of 2019 she brought her parents to eat lunch at Thelma’s Kitchen. During their lunch, Kolette, her husband, and parents sat at the Community Table so they could talk to other guests and get to hear their stories firsthand. “My parents were anxious when we arrived but by the time we left they felt much better.” Kolette said this experience stuck with her parents and when COVID-19 hit, they wanted to help and even made a donation to help RS continue its work.
Kolette said she understands more and more how one cannot be a part of the solution if they are disconnected from the history of how things got this way. “And, we have to have personal relationships with people of other races,” she said. “Thelma’s Kitchen is a great place to cultivate both.’
“Thelma’s Kitchen is a place trying to actively make a difference to solve Kansas City’s socioeconomic disparities. It may be one meal at a time, but any forward motion we can make together is important.”
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Reconciliation Services remains open during this COVID 19 crisis, offering essential services like: case management, housing and utilities assistance, ID and document assistance, medical supplies, trauma and depression therapy, and free to-go lunches through Thelma’s Kitchen. Please consider supporting these vital services and donate today.