Sweet connections in Citadel Center: Building safety and belonging, one scoop at a time
On Saturday, July 19, the Citadel Center Homeowners Association hosted a powerful event with a simple name: Sweet Connections: A Neighborhood Ice Cream Social. But behind the frozen custard and friendly faces was a deeper mission—to help prevent violence by strengthening community trust, access to resources, and neighbor-to-neighbor connection.
Supported by the City of Kansas City, Missouri Health Department’s Violence Prevention Fund and administered by Community Capital Fund through the Strengthening the Health of Neighborhoods (STRONG) program, the event aligns with the Blueprint for Violence Prevention, which calls for investing in prevention and community resilience—starting at the block level.
Here’s how this neighborhood ice cream social helped prevent violence before it starts:
It built social cohesion, one of the strongest protective factors against violence and delinquency.
It connected more than three dozen residents to services from MOCSA, Oak Street Health, Charlie’s House, the KCMO Health Department, and others.
It promoted the myKCMO app, empowering residents to report problems and advocate for improvements in their environment.
It gave neighbors space to fellowship, reducing isolation and building trust—a core ingredient in safer communities.
Kids played. Families laughed. Residents learned about everything from emergency services to home safety. And together, they made their neighborhood stronger and more connected. That’s what grassroots violence prevention looks like.
The HOA plans to build on this momentum with future events—offering even more interactive demos and expanding outreach so that even more neighbors feel seen, supported, and empowered.
Click here to learn more about the Strengthening the Health of Neighborhoods initiative.
