‘Part of something big’: Homeless Kansas Citians celebrate Chiefs Super Bowl win

In February 2020, Northland residents Laci and Ryan McClelland wanted to go to the Super Bowl.

Faced with hefty price tags for themselves and their two children, they decided to take a step back and reconsider how else they could use the money.

What if they instead stayed in Kansas City and threw a Super Bowl watch party for people experiencing homelessness, who didn’t have the privilege of watching the big game from their own couches and TV screens?

After the couple reached out to a few shelters, John Kraus, director of Morning Glory Ministries, a homeless ministry group based out of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, eagerly raised his hand to help the McClellands make their dream a reality.

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl that year, as about 100 mostly men experiencing homelessness cheered on their hometown football team. The pandemic paused the McClelland’s party planning efforts in 2021, but with coronavirus vaccines now widely available, they decided to throw a second Super Bowl bash on Sunday, complete with a catered Jack Stack barbecue dinner, and free haircuts by local barber Vonzell Robertson.

“It’s in the air, it’s in the atmosphere,” Lynn Grace, 51, said of the excitement she felt Sunday evening. “We’re not alone. We’re not left out. We’re able to be a part of everything that’s going on.”

She was among about 160 people packed in at this year’s Super Bowl watch party near downtown Kansas City.

Grace, a lifelong Chiefs fan, said it was just nice to know she and others experiencing homelessness had a place to go to watch the game.

“I’m waiting for the fireworks tonight,” she added.

The fireworks eventually came, after a nail-biting game that almost went into overtime.

As the players ran across the projected image, Charity Morgan’s youngest children ran around the hall, chasing red and gold balloons.

Morgan, 36, watched the 2020 Super Bowl from home.

This year, she and her four children, who recently became homeless, didn’t have a TV to watch the game on at the shelter they’re staying at. So they came down for the watch party.

“I’m excited for the balloons!” Morgan’s 5-year-old daughter exclaimed, wrapping her arms around a huge red balloon next to a cutout of Patrick Mahomes as people took turns at the homemade photo booth. Her older daughter said she was hoping for a Chiefs win to get Wednesday off school when a parade is planned.

For Morgan, the evening gave her a chance to make memories with her kids outside of the shelter. It also gave her a moment to forget the stress of waiting on a housing voucher to be approved.

Last year, Marqueia Watson, executive director at The Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness, estimate there were roughly 2,000 people experiencing homelessness around the Kansas City metro. Many are families. On Sunday, the squeals of more than a dozen children filled the room as they chased each other around the hall after cake was served.

“It’s great to get to serve them, and to whatever extent we can, spoil them rotten,” said Joan Nickum, 72, a volunteer with Uplift Organization Inc., who helped serve cake and dote on toddlers throughout the night.

James, 27, who asked not to have his last name included, was possibly the only Eagles fan in the crowd. He moved to Kansas City from Florida about nine months ago, and hasn’t forgiven the Chiefs for beating the Jaguars in the NFL divisional round.

But, he said, the event was pretty nice, despite the sea of red before him.

“I don’t have anything against anyone here personally, I just don’t like the Chiefs. But seeing them happy, that’s a good thing. And a lot of them don’t get a chance to be happy … so for them to have an opportunity to sit down and enjoy this, that’s wonderful.”

James, who is also navigating homelessness, said he was pretty happy too.

While Shawn Akins’ wasn’t raised on football, he decided to jump on the bandwagon after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020.

That newfound love of football led him to the Morning Glory Ministries watch party Sunday night.

“When you’re homeless, and you get to do stuff like this, it makes you feel like you’re part of the human race again,” said Akins, 48. “It makes you feel like you’re actually accomplishing something. Like you’re part of something big.”

The decorated party tables were scattered with cards made by fourth- and fifth-graders at Warren Hills Elementary School in Liberty. They included hand-drawn Chiefs logos and sayings like “You shine like Patrick Mahomes” and “You rock like Travis Kelce.”

The card in front of Akins read: “I hope you enjoy the game … I hope you will find a home soon, and don’t give up trying.”

Akins set the card down gently, a smile on his face and the Chiefs scarf he won at the evening’s raffle wrapped around his neck.

“That’s beautiful,” he said.

Homelessness has always been an issue on Laci and Ryan McClelland’s hearts.

Ahead of the Super Bowl, the McClellands and their children passed out printed invitations to Sunday’s party.

Word got out, and a steady stream of people packed into the hall through the first half of the game.

At one point, a guest asked McClelland what she could do to help. McClelland was taken aback by the woman’s kindness, but insisted she instead relax and enjoy herself.

“This is one evening. Tomorrow’s going to come,” said McClelland. “There’s so much more work that needs to be done.”

But for the duration of the game, McClelland soaked up the boisterous room filled with babies and wheelchairs. She listened to the hoots and hollers as the Chiefs ran the ball up the field. She watched as people enjoyed meals around shared tables, took selfies, danced to Rihanna and embraced when the Chiefs won.

“This is what it looks like in so many houses around our city,” she said. “It’s the same.”