The Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City (HSC) traces its history to 1982, when a small group of service providers, calling themselves the Emergency Shelter Coalition, began meeting to discuss the problem of homelessness. These and other agencies began to share resources and identify collaborative strategies to address the increasingly complex set of needs of homeless people-and the increasing number of people faced with homelessness. Changing its name to the Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City in 1986, this volunteer network has grown to more than 60 service provider and government agencies.

In 1994, the HSC adopted a formal Continuum of Care strategy to strengthen its collaborative work and enable it to leverage increased funding and service delivery. The HSC took a further step in 1997 by forming a committee of 28 member organizations to coordinate the Continuum of Care application process.

During this process, it became evident that a lead organization was needed to better coordinate resources in Kansas City with the needs of the area's homeless. The lead organization would be responsible to enhance collaboration among agencies, bring focus to overall efforts, and clearly communicate needs, resources and activities to the community-at-large. The HSC was designated by the community as the most appropriate group to become this lead organization.

Up until this time, however, the HSC had remained a relatively informal volunteer network, with a minimal budget. To effectively organize its next stage of development, the membership determined that a facilitated strategic planning process would be a crucial step in consolidating work already done and in moving forward. It was thought by creating a staffed entity, HSC could better participate in economic and community development planning strategies.