Black & Veatch

This year’s charity event raised more than $200,000 for organizations working to protect vulnerable people and combat human trafficking and exploitation 

For nearly three decades, Black & Veatch’s annual charity golf tournament has raised funds to support non-profit organizations — this year, working to protect vulnerable people and combat human trafficking and exploitation, raising more than $200,000. 

From left to right: Kathy Gust Gelia of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Black & Veatch Chief People Officer Andrea Bernica, Pamela Jensen of International Justice Mission, Black & Veatch Mission Critical Solutions Vice President Scott Kinner, Black & Veatch Chief Financial Officer Michael Williams, and Jason Alvis and Kailey Neslon of ReHope.

The event on Sept. 21 at Shadow Glen Country Club in Olathe, Kansas, brought together clients, partners, vendors, volunteers and Black & Veatch employee-owners to support ReHope, International Justice Mission (IJM) and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). 

The tournament has raised more than $5 million for charitable causes during its 28-year run, reflecting Black & Veatch’s commitment to giving back and caring for people and communities. 

Based in Kansas City, ReHope is the biggest residential survivor program in the Midwest. Its services range from trauma-informed counseling and life coaching to holistic wellness programs and therapeutic small animal programs, job training, education, reintegration and gardening and spiritual development. Medical and psychological offerings are free, along with prescriptions and dental and vision care. 

International Justice Mission partners with local authorities through 33 program offices in 18 countries to combat slavery, violence against women and children and police abuse of power. Their mission is to protect people in poverty from violence by rescuing victims, bringing criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts and working with the governments of developing countries to improve justice systems. 

The third organization, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, has a mission to help find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation and prevent child victimization. NCMEC works with families, victims, private industry, law enforcement and the public to assist with preventing child abductions, recovering missing children and providing services to deter and combat child sexual exploitation. 

The funds raised by Black & Veatch will help ReHope, International Justice Mission and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children continue their work to protect vulnerable people and support communities affected by human trafficking and exploitation in Kansas City and around the world.   

For more than a generation, the tournament has brought people together around a shared commitment to giving back. Supporting these organizations is not only part of the employee-ownership culture at Black & Veatch, but also its commitment to caring for people and communities. As a global company, Black & Veatch believes it is its social responsibility to help continue the fight to protect vulnerable people and combat human trafficking.