On October 23, 2025, The Oliver in Kansas City’s historic West Bottoms will come alive with the sound of dueling pianos, clinking glasses, and Kansas City’s unmatched energy, for a cause that hits home for thousands of local pet lovers. The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City is hosting its largest fundraiser of the year: Paws & Purpose. And this time, they’re pulling out all the stops.
“Attendees can expect a fun night with live entertainment (dueling piano bar!), amazing food from around Kansas City, fabulous silent auction items, sharing our impactful work with everyone, and more,” said HSGKC President Sydney Mollentine. “It’s a celebration of the work we have done and a night to raise funds for the work we have to do ahead of us.”
And the work ahead is no small feat. The organization has set an ambitious fundraising goal: $400,000, a number that directly reflects the urgency of their mission.
“The significance of the $400,000 is covering the cost of much-needed repairs to the building,” Sydney explained. “Most recently, our shelter flooded and uncovered structural issues that have caused us to close our cat shelter until repairs have been made.” But that’s not all. “We want to make it accessible for pet parents to get the care their pets need, even if they can’t afford it.”
A study conducted at one of their largest vaccine clinics revealed that nearly 70% of pet parents with unaltered pets wanted to spay or neuter them, but couldn’t due to cost. The Humane Society sees this as an opportunity to step in and stop the overpopulation crisis at its root.
That’s where Paws & Purpose comes in. It’s not just a night of good times, but as a rallying cry for Kansas City to step up and support real change in animal welfare.
To bring that vision to life, HSGKC is collaborating with CREATEDkc, an event design company that specializes in experiences with impact. “CREATEDkc is working in tandem with HSGKC President, Sydney Mollentine, to create a one-of-a-kind event benefiting HSGKC,” said Christy and Macie Heller of CREATEDkc. Although the duo preferred to keep the focus on the Humane Society’s mission, their behind-the-scenes contributions are a major reason why this year’s event promises to stand out.
“Each year, we host an annual event, which is our largest fundraiser of the year,” said Sydney. “This year, we wanted to bring the FUN! We recognize that most ‘galas’ or ‘fundraising events’ follow the same program, over and over again. We wanted to create a FUN evening for our supporters.”
From the energy-packed dueling piano bar to the Taste of KC experience featuring multiple local chefs and the jaw-dropping silent auction (with over 80 baskets last year), the event is designed to break the traditional gala mold. One especially unique feature? A live painting by local artist Ashley Corbello, which one lucky guest will take home at the end of the night.
The event is also an opportunity to reflect on how far the Humane Society has come. “When I started working here, the average length of time in our shelter was 257 days,” said Sydney. “As of today, our average length of stay is under 20 days.” The team has also grown dramatically, now including 6 veterinarians and 9 technicians who help over 14,000 pets every year.
But with success comes scale and strain. “We know our work is just getting started,” she said. “The need, now more than ever, is growing at an alarming rate, and to keep up with the demand, we need to scale up our operations.”
Recent stories bring that need into sharp focus. From housing over 100 dogs seized, from inhumane breeding operations, to responding to a devastating hoarding case in Jewell County. On the clinic side, their Dose of Love event vaccinated 554 pets in one day, which is a testament to both the need and the potential of their work.
So what’s the dream outcome of this year’s event?
“The dream outcome is raising awareness of who we are, the work we do, and gaining new supporters,” said Sydney. “We want to be a resource and an ally for the whole community. Selfishly, because I am proud of who we are, our mission, and the work we do, I want us to be a household name.”
For those who want to be part of that dream, the call to action is simple: Visit hsgkc.org to consider donating, sponsoring, or attending the event. “Every dollar counts,” Sydney said. “We would love to bring on new sponsors that believe in our mission and want to help us propel our initiatives forward, changing the landscape of animal welfare in Kansas City.”
Mark your calendar. Bring your appetite. And come ready to change lives, four paws at a time.