News

September 18, 2009

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Rev. John Wandless, Urban Ranger Corps (URC), toured the Ranger's “Model Block” (10 homes in the 3300 block of East 60th St, in Kansas City). Congressman Cleaver was interested the URC strategy of rehabbing and landscaping a "block at a time" and training -- and paying -- at-risk neighborhood youth (14-18) as Urban Rangers to help improve their neighborhoods (while mentoring them to set career goals and complete high school). The Corps began its fifth year of operations in June.

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July 6, 2009 - Urban Rangers Corps Gets Kids Working

KANSAS CITY, MO. - They're learning a trade, cleaning up their neighborhood and staying out of trouble. Kansas City's Urban Rangers Corps are teens learning to be successful in life.

About 35 teens between the ages of 14 and 18 are spending their summer working. They're fixing up homes for their neighbors and rehabbing others that used to vacant or abandoned.

For more information click here

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Urban Rangers Corps reaches out to at-risk youths in Kansas City

Each summer, a group of teenagers from troubled neighborhoods in Kansas City, Missouri learn new skills and give back to their community by fixing up local homes.

The Urban Rangers Corps targets young men and women between the ages of 14 and 18, teaching them about basic carpentry, home repair and painting.

For more information click here

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June 30, 2009 - Urban Rangers Clean Up

The Urban Rangers were out in the 64130 zip code cleaning up vacant yards and picking up trash. The Urban Rangers Corps was started by Father John Wandless, as a way to give you a positive way to spend their summer. They are paid for doing the work.

To watch the video click here

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May 11, 2009 - Urban Rangers maintain their focus

When school lets out, the Urban Ranger Corps will begin its fifth year of providing at-risk teens with summer jobs.

The rangers, young men 14 to 18, rehabilitate homes near the program’s headquarters at 5908 Swope Parkway. They learn by doing: Painting, making home repairs using power and hand tools, adding fences or decks.

For more information click here

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April 2009 - Priest honored for K.C. Spirit

KANSAS CITY, MO - Two things badly needed work in the Swope Parkway neighborhood surrounding St. Louis Parish: homes, particularly those of the poor and elderly, and the neighborhood’s young men.

Four years ago, St. Louis pastor Father John Wandless dipped into his own money and launched the Urban Ranger Corps, an eight-week summer project that pays young men aged 14-18 while they learn basic home repair skills..

For more information click here

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May 19, 2006 - Urban Rangers Try to Reclaim Houses

KANSAS CITY, MO - It is an unusual story of urban renewal. A millionaire priest is using his own money to reclaim one block of a blighted inner-city neighborhood.

The Rev. John Wandless has a vision that goes beyond the mess neglect has made of much of the block at 60th Street and College Avenue, KMBC's Bev Chapman reported. Wandless wants to trim the weedy lots and rehabilitate the empty houses to create a neighborhood.

For more information click here