Sporting Kansas City announced today the launch of Sporting Community Kitchen, partnering with City Foods & Events and Operation BBQ Relief to provide 1,000 free hot meals every weekday to citizens across Greater Kansas City affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beginning Monday, April 13, Sporting Community Kitchen will distribute 250 four-pack meal kits to people and families unable to work due to COVID-19. Meal packs will be available Monday through Friday via online registration, with curbside pickup at Children’s Mercy Park during designated times. Prepared by award-winning Plowboys Barbeque, meal packs will consist of a rotating barbeque entrée, two sides and bread for four people.
Sporting Community Kitchen meal registration will open at 8 a.m. CT on weekdays and remain open until all 250 slots are filled. Curbside pickup will take place outside of the Budweiser Brew House—located at the northeast corner of Children’s Mercy Park along France Family Drive—from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT throughout the week. Individuals must register online in advance to receive a specific pickup time. No registrations will be accepted in person.
Sporting Community Kitchen: How to Sign Up
- CLICK HERE to register for meals. Registration opens weekdays at 8 a.m. and remains open until all 250 slots are filled.
- Secure your email confirmation and be prepared to present it upon pickup.
- Arrive at the Budweiser Brew House at Children’s Mercy Park during your designated pickup time (between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily). The Budweiser Brew House is located at the corner of France Family Drive and Village West Parkway in Kansas City, Kansas.
- Remain in your vehicle, where you will be met by Sporting’s staff. Present your email confirmation to receive your meal pack. Packaging/reheating instructions and allergen information will be included.
Inspired by the Rieger Hotel’s Crossroads Community Kitchen, Sporting Community Kitchen will receive distribution support from local volunteers as well as packaging and bagging providers Sysco and Price Chopper, respectively. Individuals interested in joining the initiative as volunteers can email communitykitchen@sportingkc.com.
Sporting Community Kitchen is part of a newly established philanthropic platform called Sporting Serves, which will see Sporting Kansas City and The Victory Project—the club’s flagship charitable arm—join several community partners to provide relief to citizens across the metropolitan area in a unified response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent weeks, Sporting and The Victory Project have donated 1,200 non-latex gloves to Children’s Mercy Hospital and 200 soccer balls to Ott Elementary School in Independence, Missouri, while continuing to support children and families affected by pediatric cancer through the Sporting Wishes program and a family assistance fund to aid with medical bills and household needs. More information about Sporting Serves will be announced in the near term.
Founded in May 2011, Operation BBQ Relief has provided over 3 million meals throughout the United States and internationally following natural disasters and through The Always Serving Project, benefiting the homeless, first responders, veterans and servicemen and women. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Operation BBQ Relief formally partnered with Plowboys Barbeque last month to pilot the Restaurant Relief Program, designed to feed the community while supporting restaurants and their employees. Individuals are encouraged to make donations to Operation BBQ Relief by clicking here.
About Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City is owned by Sporting Club, an entity founded by a group of local business and community leaders comprised of the Patterson Family, Cliff Illig, Pat Curran, Greg Maday and Robb Heineman. Sporting prides itself on a commitment and vision to provide high-performance experiences. Sporting Club purchased the team from the Hunt Sports Group in 2006, and under its direction has opened Swope Soccer Village, Children's Mercy Park, Wyandotte Sporting Fields and Pinnacle while investing in the Sporting KC Academy and Sporting Kansas City II for developing local youth into homegrown talent. A charter member of Major League Soccer, Sporting are two-time MLS Cup champions and four-time winners of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
About City Foods & Events
City Foods & Events, the exclusive catering operator of Sporting Kansas City, is a competitive culinary and events team dedicated to setting a high bar and delivering the greatest experiences in Kansas City, Major League Soccer and beyond. Founded in 2019, the company specializes in comprehensive catering services that deliver specifically to every partner’s needs. The team’s skilled chefs develop a unique vision with every menu creation, and its talented event architects meticulously execute on all details. City Foods & Events operates on a wide-ranging spectrum, facilitating everything from boxed lunches for business meetings to 1,000-person plated dinner galas. Boasting culinary experts, detail-oriented experience managers and memory makers, City Foods & Events strives to be the very best—not just on our turf but also on yours.
About Operation BBQ Relief
Operation BBQ Relief is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in May 2011 in response to a need for tornado relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri. Competitive pitmasters from eight different states answered the call to feed displaced families and first responders. Together, they were able to serve over 120,000 meals in a 13-day period. This experience of building a network to feed individuals in need has been the inspiration for Operation BBQ Relief. To date, Operation BBQ Relief has provided over 3 million meals throughout the United States and internationally following natural disasters and through The Always Serving Project, benefiting the homeless, first responders, veterans and servicemen and women. For more information, visit www.obr.org or follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @opbbqrelief.
About Plowboys Barbeque
Todd Johns and his brother-in-law Randy Hinck started the barbeque competition team Pork Pullin’ Plowboys in 2001. The duo won their first Grand Championship in Kearney, Mo., and were named “Show Me State” Team of the Year. Johns began selling his Yardbird Rub, an award- winning blend of sweet and salty with a bit of heat, and then introduced Bovine Bold, now used by competition and backyard barbequers from around the world. By 2009, the team had racked up 22 KCBS-sanctioned competitions in seven states and five championship wins. After placing 5th in Chicken, 8th in Pork and 1st in Brisket, Johns was crowned the American Royal Grand Champion. Plowboys returned to the American Royal in 2010, placing 8th in the American Royal Invitational, 5th out of 503 teams in the Open competition and winning 2nd in the Open for Chicken. After placing in the top 10 teams in the 2011 American Royal Invitational, Johns released his third rub, Fin & Feather and two sauces, Sweet 180 and En Fuego, followed in 2012. Johns opened Plowboys Barbeque in Blue Springs, Mo., in 2013, followed by a downtown Kansas City location, two concession stands at Arrowhead Stadium and a third full-service location in Overland Park, Kan. Plowboys Barbeque also has a franchise at Barry's Husker Bar in Lincoln, Neb. For more information, visit plowboysbbq.com.
