Our Story

Essential Families, a state of Missouri 501c3 nonprofit was conceptualized by Terri English-Yancy April 2019, and founded January 2020.

Terri’s vision is to reach, inform, and inspire the lives of children and families. Terri’s mission is to strengthen families because they are “Essential” to our community, city, and state. Terri believes, and has over 30 years experience, and data that proves Everything Starts at Home...

November 2022, funded by Kauffman Foundation, the Essential Broadband Pilot was a one (1) year project. The goal was to reach, register, and provide services that closes the Digital Divide for 69 families. Essential Families accomplished this goal in 47 days, but continued Pilot from November 11, 2022, to February 11, 2023 - ending with a waitlist of 137 people.

During the Essential Broadband Pilot, Essential Families watched, listened and gathered “empirical DATA” directly from our unserved and underserved clients. This approach helped Essential Families

design and develop services required to Close the Digital Divide, effectively launching Essential Broadband Program.

Effectively September 3, 2023, Terri EnglishYancy renamed Essential Broadband Program to Essential Digital Opportunity Program. This name change better reflects the program's purpose, and aligns completely with NTIA Digital Equity inititaves, to close the Digital Divide.

Today, we have served 862 households. There are currently 1947 households on our Essential Digital Opportunity Program Workshop waitlist.

Thank you City of Kansas City Digital Equity Office for your partnership, Health Forward, Shumaker Family Foundation, Hall Family Foundation, Proverbs Holdings LLC, GoogleFiber, Reach Healthcare Foundation, Kauffman Foundation, NoW video, and Bryon Lee for your consistent and continued support!

(Photo and Video Gallery)

December, 05th 2025,

Groundbreaking Event: Essential Families Office Building & Francine Marie Kerr Family Center

December, 15th 2025,

Celebrating economic mobility wins! Vanessa and Veronique won our follow-up contest with KC’s Digital Equity Department, receiving Chromebooks and support. Their commitment stood out, and Veronique will train as a Digital Case Manager in 2026.

December, 02nd 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: Dave’s Place

November, 17th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: WYCO Residents ONLY West Wyandotte Library 1737 N 82nd Street KCK 66112

November, 12th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: Get Help KC 11.12.25 Gregg/Klice Community Center

November, 13th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: 2816 E 23rd St/ Seton Center

November, 11th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: 2816 E 23rd St/ Seton Center

November, 08th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: Get Help KC Lamp Campus 1801 Linwood Blvd

November, 08th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: ONLY Lafayette County Residence 547 S. Business Highway 13 Lexington, MO 64067

October, 29th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: SENIORS ONLY 3325 Prospect Ave Palestine Senior Citizen Activity Center

October, 24th 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: ONLY Lafayette County Residence 547 S. Business Highway 13 Lexington, MO 64067

October, 23rd 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: Hickman Mills Middle School

October, 23rd 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: St. Michael's Veteran Center

October, 22nd 2025,

Essential Families Economic Mobility Workshop: Gregg/Klice Community Center

October, 14th 2025,

We’re back! Digital Director , Digital Case Manager team meeting held on Thursday October 14th. Preparing for our upcoming Economic Mobility Workshops.

October, 18th 2025,

Community Event: Giving Hope and Help - 13th Annual Feminine Hygiene Period Product Drive & Expo

February, 15th 2025,

4th T-Mobile 5G Internet Hotspot Distribution - Southeast Community Center

February, 08th 2025,

3rd T-Mobile 5G Internet Hotspot Distribution - Northeast Library 6000 Wilson Ave

January, 25th 2025,

2nd T-Mobile 5G Internet Hotspot Distribution - Southeast Community Center

January, 21st 2025,

1st T-Mobile 5G Internet Hotspot Distribution - Southeast Community Center

December, 18th 2024,

Lyriks Institution - Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop at Southeast Community Center

December, 17th 2024,

ArchWell Health - Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop - 3135 Prospect Ave

December, 12th 2024,

St. Michael's Veterans Center - Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop at 3818 Chelsea Drive

November, 11th 2024,

Resiliency at Work (RW2) - Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop at Southeast Community Center

November, 07th 2024,

Rural and Greater Kansas Digital Navigator Team Meeting

October, 19th 2024,

Linc Community Event. Family and Community Engagement Director, Mikia Johnson

October, 12th 2024,

Community Outreach Bash, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Saturday, October 12th. Digital Navigator Dorothy Burrell, Family and Community Engagement Director Mikia Johnson

September, 12th 2024,

Dallas County - Buffalo Missouri Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop

August, 21st 2024,

State Senator Barbara Anne Washington Essential Telehealth letter of support.

August, 12th 2024,

Essential Rural Digital Opportunity Workshop- Lexington Missouri

July, 12th 2024,

Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop and 500 Household Celebration

June, 22nd 2024,

Essential Families is growing: Now using courier service to deliver laptops and essential workshop material and equipment

June, 22nd 2024,

Washington Wheatley Community Partner Event- Essential Families uses courier service to deliver laptops and workshop essential equipment and material.

June, 18th 2024,

Essential Families works to eliminate digital divide Rae Daniels Interview

June, 15th 2024,

Latinx Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop

June, 12th 2024,

Latinx Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop

May, 16th 2024,

May 16th: Digital Navigator Curriculum Training (May 14th-16th, 2024 Trainer: Tamiika Samuel, Digital Navigator Council District 5 Director)

May, 15th 2024,

Della Lamb Essential Digital Opportunity Workshop

June, 08th 2024,

Manheim Park Neighborhood Meeting- Our newest Community Partner

May, 20th 2024,

Community Partner: Greater KC LINC

May, 15th 2024,

Digital Navigator Curriculum Training - May 13-15th, 2024 | Trainer: Christina Kohn Digital Navigator Council District 6 Director

May, 08th 2024,

May 8th, 2024 Community Partner : Key’s Reality

May, 07th 2024,

Community Partner: ArchWell Health. Aging Population Healthcare.

May, 04th 2024,

Entrenamiento de Navegadores Digitales de LEC

April, 16th 2024,

Community Partner: Black Family Technology

March, 19th 2024,

Essential Telehealth Letters of Support for Veterans, Unserved and Underserved Rural, Urban Communities, and Early Childhood Mental

February, 27th 2024,

Community Partner: ArchWell Health. Aging Population Healthcare.

November, 14th 2023,

Phyllis Wheatley Elementary School

October, 14th 2023,

W.E.B. Dubois Learning Center 50th Anniversary Event- Community Partner Registration

October, 04th 2023,

First 2-day Virtual Digital Navigator Curriculum Training Cohort. Trained 8 new Digital Navigators. We now have 59 Digital Navigators for the greater Kansas City area.