We are one of Kansas City’s most critical nonprofits, serving over 20,000 individuals and families each year through a wide array of programs and services in areas including Education, Health, Social Services, Youth Recreation and Development. During the early 1900's in exodus of the hardships caused by the Mexican Revolution, many Mexican nationals began to leave their homeland in pursuit of a b
etter life for both themselves and their families. While many stopped in the already predominant Mexican-American Southwest, others went further north and decided to settle in the Westside Community of Kansas City, Missouri. Upon their arrival, the Mexican immigrants faced yet another hardship. Mexican children were not allowed into certain schools, while their parents were not allowed to shop in many places. The Mexicans were also exploited in the workplace and basic services offered by area hospitals and government agencies were not granted to the Mexicans. Not knowing where to turn or how to respond, the need for basic services within the Mexican community continued to grow. To answer this growing need, a Catholic women's club in 1919 decided to establish a volunteer school and clinic for the underprivileged Mexican immigrants who had settled in the Westside. Naming the entity after the patron saint of Mexico, the Guadalupe Center became one of the nation's first social service agencies for Latinos and has grown to be the heart of the Latino community within Kansas City.
