The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City

What The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City does

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (The J) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center founded in 1914 (originally as the Young Men's Hebrew Association) and headquartered at 5801 W 115th Street, Overland Park, Kansas. It serves nearly 10,000 members annually with 500+ employees, operating a recently expanded 32,000+ square-foot main campus on the Jewish Community Campus. The J provides a comprehensive portfolio of programs across fitness (150+ group fitness classes, Meshugge CrossFit, personal training, Pilates Reformer, Ben Rubin Parkinson's Wellness Program), sports and recreation (youth and adult leagues across basketball, soccer, pickleball, tennis, baseball, and more), aquatics (indoor 25-yard and outdoor 50-meter Olympic pool, swim lessons, J Jets swim team, lifeguard training), arts and culture (The 465-seat Lewis & Shirley White Theatre, Encore dance, STAGES theatre education, Studio J, KC Jewish Film Series), the NAEYC-accredited Child Development Center (infants through Pre-K), the ACA-accredited J Camp, the NISC-accredited Heritage Center (adults 55+), Jewish Experiences programming, and the KC SuperStar scholarship competition.

The organization's business model blends recurring membership dues (tiered individual, couple, family, single-parent, senior, and corporate subscriptions, auto-renewed monthly), one-time facility rentals (theatre at $300/hour or $2,500/day, pool and gymnasium rentals), program registration fees, tax-deductible donations (including the Growing Our J capital campaign and Legacy Society planned giving), corporate/event sponsorships, and ancillary products such as Belzer Garden tribute pavers ($180-$540). Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through in-person tours, an online membership application with credit card or eCheck processing, and a corporate membership channel for local Kansas City employers. Technology consists of a standard membership management system with online reservations and class registration, alongside a branded mobile app (The J-Kansas City); no proprietary software or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Marketing is conducted via a website, segmented email newsletters, Facebook/Instagram accounts spanning 10+ sub-brands, SEO, member referrals, and community partnerships with local synagogues, foundations, and other Jewish organizations.

Name

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City

Legal name

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City

Website

https://thejkc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (The J) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center in Overland Park, Kansas, serving nearly 10,000 members annually with fitness, aquatics, sports, arts, accredited childcare, summer camps, senior, and Jewish cultural programming from a recently expanded 32,000+ sq ft campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

Keywords

• Community fitness center
• Youth sports programs
• Aquatics swim lessons
• Performing arts theatre
• Senior recreation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Overland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and monthly membership fees for individuals, couples, families, and seniors. Auto-renewing subscriptions with various membership tiers.
2. Corporate Memberships: Discounted corporate rates offered to local Kansas City companies as employee wellness benefits.
3. Facility Rentals: Rental income from The White Theatre (465-seat venue), sports facilities, indoor turf, meeting rooms, and aquatic spaces for events and parties.
4. Program Fees: Fees for youth sports programs (FUNatics, athletic development, CrossFit Kids), youth aquatics (swim lessons, team), adult sports, group fitness classes, arts and culture programs (Encore dance, theatre education, art classes), and summer camps.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations supporting scholarships, programs, and capital campaigns including Growing Our J expansion project. Legacy Society planned giving and memorial gifts.
6. Belzer Garden Tribute Pavers: Sale of tribute pavers ($180-$540) in the Belzer Garden for commemorations and memorials, with proceeds supporting scholarships.
7. Corporate/Event Sponsorship: Charitable donations from businesses for events, theatre playbills, fitness/sports events, Member Perks Program, and KC SuperStar fundraiser.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City operates as a multi-faceted community center providing fitness, aquatics, sports, arts, culture, early childhood education, summer camp, and senior programming under a unified membership model. The organization sells individual, couple, family, senior, and corporate memberships granting access to its 32,000+ sq ft facility in Overland Park, KS, and additionally generates revenue through program registrations, facility rentals (including the 465-seat White Theatre), donations, and fundraising events.

Product overview

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (The J) operates as a multi-faceted community center offering fitness, sports, aquatics, arts, culture, education, and Jewish community programming. The organization provides a unified platform of interconnected services including fitness and wellness facilities, competitive and recreational sports leagues, aquatic centers, performing arts venues (The White Theatre), early childhood education (Child Development Center), summer camps, senior programming (Heritage Center), and Jewish cultural experiences. Members access these services through a unified membership system with tiered options for individuals, couples, families, and corporate partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The White Theatre: The 465-seat Lewis & Shirley White Theatre at The J, featuring Broadway-style productions, live concerts, and film series.
• Heritage Center
• J Camp
• Child Development Center (CDC)
• Meshugge CrossFit
• KC SuperStar

Products and services

• J Memberships

Quantifiable outcome

• 48% membership growth vs pre-pandemic high
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• AdventHealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner with Christian mission, shared vision, common values, and focus on whole-person health. Nearly 50 hospital campuses and hundreds of care sites in nine states.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaises and allocates more than $5 million each year to support more than 80 Jewish programs and initiatives in Kansas City, Israel and around the world.
• C You In the Major LeaguessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Royals General Manager Dayton Moore, this foundation benefits youth baseball, families in crisis, education and faith-based programs. The J hosts C You in the Major Leagues baseball camps during summer.
• SevenDayssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization promoting understanding across races, religions, and cultures following the April 2014 tragedy at the Jewish Community Campus. Events encourage kindness to 'Make a Ripple to Change the World.'
• BBYOsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish youth organization located on the Jewish Community Campus. Provides teen programming and leadership development.
• Hyman Brand Hebrew AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish day school located on the Jewish Community Campus providing K-12 education.
• Jewish Family ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial services organization located on the Jewish Community Campus providing family support services.
• Jewish Vocational ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and employment services organization located on the Jewish Community Campus.
• Midwest Center for Holocaust EducationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation organization located on the Jewish Community Campus dedicated to Holocaust education and remembrance.
• Tiger-Rock Martial Arts of KCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing Tae Kwon Do classes for youth FUNatics programming at The J.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 92nd Street Y (New York): Iconic Jewish community center offering similar bundled programming — fitness, aquatics, performing arts, lectures, early childhood, and senior programs — under a single membership umbrella. Directly comparable in mission and program breadth.
• Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center: Washington DC Jewish community center with comparable bundled programs including fitness, aquatics, theatre/cultural arts, senior services, and early childhood education. Operates the same multi-program membership model.
• YMCA of Greater Kansas City: Local Kansas City nonprofit community organization offering overlapping membership-based fitness, aquatics, youth sports, and childcare programs. Most direct local competitor for member dollars.
• Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA): Large multi-program Jewish community center in the Atlanta metro, operating a similarly broad portfolio of fitness, aquatics, theatre, day schools, camps, and senior programming under a unified membership model.
• Bernard Weinger JCC (JCC Chicago): Suburban Chicago Jewish community center with comparable fitness, aquatics, early childhood education, and cultural programming. Closest direct peer in terms of suburban footprint and Jewish-anchored community center model.
• Stroum Jewish Community Center (Seattle): Seattle-area Jewish community center offering parallel programming across fitness, swim, arts, camps, and senior services. Similar scale and multi-program integration as The J KC.
• St. Louis Jewish Community Center (J): Nearby regional peer Jewish community center providing essentially the same suite of membership-based programming (fitness, swim, arts, early childhood, camps). Closest geographic peer in the central US Jewish community-center landscape.

Others

• Jewish Community Centers Association of North America: National umbrella and convener for JCCs including The J KC. Relevant for benchmarking programming standards, accreditation support, and Maccabi Games network participation.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City: Local federated fundraising body that allocates more than $5M annually across 80+ Jewish programs. Co-located ecosystem partner and a key funding channel for The J's operations and capital campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Life Time Fitness Holdings: Large publicly traded premium fitness operator with bundled amenities including pools, group fitness, kids programming, and spas. Operates at greater scale but competes for the same affluent family membership demographic in suburban markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thej_kansascity
• Facebookfacebook.com/jcckc
• Instagraminstagram.com/TheJKansasCity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City