The Justice and Dignity Center

The Justice & Dignity Center (JDC) located at 3114 Paseo in Kansas City, Missouri is a community nonprofit in Kansas City led by Bishop Tony Caldwell.

We focus on violence prevention, crisis response, and wrap-around support for families, seniors, and youth—often coordinating with 200+ local organizations to connect people to food, clothing, housing referrals, mentoring, and safety resources.

" a community Center built by the people, for the people"

- Bishop Tony Caldwell

Our 5 Key Focal Areas

Violence Prevention Among Youth: including our flagship program, “Guns Down, Gloves Up” boxing initiative to channel rivalries into structured bouts and mentorship programs. The Justice & Dignity Center is making a positive difference in violence on our Kansas City streets.

Supportive Housing: partnerships to place at-risk minors (including trafficking survivors) into immediate safe housing including, Rapid response & advocacy: community safety efforts, missing-persons support, and neighborhood mobilization.

Food and Nutrition: The Justice & Dignity Center in Kansas City runs a strong food program that provides fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables from local farmers each week. In addition to grocery distributions, the program offers hot meals and special support for seniors through its “Seniors First” initiative. With help from volunteers and community partners, the Center ensures families and individuals always have access to healthy, reliable food.

Virtual Reality: A youth initiative to turn competition into mentorship—teaching discipline, de-escalation, fitness, and tech skills in a safe, high-impact environment. In partnership with schools, community groups, and tech/sports organizations, collaborating to build and install VR labs, develop curriculum, and provide hands-on training for local coaches and mentors. Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, the coalition will train and oversee program rollout.

Education: With a whole-person approach that blends academics with real-life skills. Programs include mental health initiatives that teach coping tools and resilience, financial education for budgeting and saving, and relationship lessons that build healthy communication and boundaries. JDC also guides youth in becoming positive community members through service and civic engagement. To prepare teens for the workforce, it offers job-training pathways—resume building, workplace skills, internships, and entry-level certifications.