For the stuff in the back of the closet

• Uplift and Operation Breakthrough cater to the metro’s unhoused + underserved communities.
• Uzazi Village accepts lightly used maternity, toddler, and baby clothes.
• Dress for Success provides empowerment through professional women’s clothing.
• WCC Prom Boutique collects prom dresses + other formal wear, tailored free of charge.

For the old furniture gathering dust

For whatever else is lying around

• Wayside Waifs accepts everything from dog toys to cleaning supplies.
• Scraps KC upcycles office supplies and craft items for use in the classroom.
• Book Drive KC re-donates used books. Looking to trade? Prospero’s Bookstore exchanges books in good condition for store credit or cash.
• Harry J. Epstein Co. sells new-and-used tools for every trade. They typically only work on the wholesale end, but it’s worth a look.

• Merriam Plaza Library Ribbon Cutting | Wednesday, March 20 | 9 a.m. | Merriam Plaza Library, 6120 Slater St., Merriam, KS | Free | Be the first to score a book at the newest JoCo library branch’s official opening.
• Night at the Arboretum | Wednesday, March 20 | 5-9 p.m. | Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8909 W. 179th St., Overland Park, KS | $0-$5 | Explore the gardens as they begin to bloom under the starlit sky and gaze at celestial wonders through provided telescopes.

• NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Fan Fest | Thursday, March 21-Saturday, March 23 | 2-5 p.m. | Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W. 13th St., Ste 100, KCMO | Free | Wrestling fans can get their fill at this expo featuring autograph sessions and coaches clinics.

• Pop-up Restaurant: Global Flavors | Friday, March 22-Sunday, March 24 | Times vary | Lenexa Public Market, 8750 Penrose Ln., Lenexa, KS | Try flavors from Thailand and Kenya at the Ethnic Enrichment Commission of KC’s pop-up kitchen.
• Silhouette Artist | Friday, March 22 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Pottery Barn Kids, 5208 W. 119th St., Ste. 2105, Leawood, KS | $10 | Pop in for a hand-cut silhouette portrait by internationally-known artist Chris Casey.
• The Outtakes - 80’s & 90’s Dance Band | Friday, March 22 | 8 p.m. | Knuckleheads Saloon, 2715 Rochester St., KCMO | $12 | Shake your hips to all your favorite hits and deep cuts at this East Bottoms haunt.

• It begins. The no excuse absentee voting window is now open for the Tuesday, April 2 vote to determine if a 3/8-cent sales tax will be used to fund Arrowhead renovations + a downtown Royals stadium. You can vote at the Kansas City Election Board, the Whole Person, and the United Believers Community Church, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (FOX4)

• After opening for Drake at T-Mobile Center earlier this month, hip hop legend J. Cole released a snippet of a new music video filmed in the West Bottoms. Most of it is from a bug’s eye view, but watch the video to spot the “Stowe Hardware and Supply Co.” sign. Explicit language, fyi. (FOX4)

• Local artist-activist Nasir Anthony Montalvo launched B/qKC, self-described as a “Black queer digital archive” which seeks to elevate the historical contributions of overlooked residents. As part of this mission, B/qKC has already paid $2,000 in reparation stipends to its inaugural contributors. (KC Defender)

• 12,500. That’s how many new neighbors KC locals got between July 2022-2023, according to the US Census Bureau. Second place (across both Kansas and Missouri) went to Springfield with 4,122, while St. Louis lost 3,246 residents in that same time period. (Kansas City Business Journal)

• Speaking of thrifting, the former Ace Hardware at 12202 College Blvd. in OP will soon become a Hillcrest Thrift. Set to open Monday, April 15, the store will sell everything from toys to kitchen appliances, with proceeds funding the nonprofit’s transitional housing programs. (Johnson County Post)

• It’s the first day of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Shop deals like 30% off a Bose bluetooth speaker and 30% off women’s high-waist workout leggings.*

• Pro tip: Consolidate debt to lower your payments. Pay off credit cards, medical debt, and more. Calculate your monthly payments.*