MO Hives KC is a Missouri 501(c)3 nonprofit that was founded in 2019 in order to proliferate urban apiaries (bee farms) throughout Missouri. Co-Founder Marion Spence Pierson, M.D. FAAP says, “We have seen urban bee farms work wonders in areas that were previously blighted. And we’ve seen that bees actually thrive in these areas due to their lower levels of pesticides and herbicides. Bees are an important element to our ecosystem and have suffered a severe population decline over the last 20 years. We aim to rejuvenate those populations while also rejuvenating urban neighborhoods.”

MISSION: MO Hives KC educates and involves urban residents in the creation, preservation and expansion of pollinator habitats in the KC Metro Area, utilizing vacant land to support community health and wellness, as 33% of food depends on pollinators for growth.

Co-Founder Brian Reeves is an avid beekeeper and teaches a Community Action Team how to maintain healthy bee hives.

The inspiration for this organization came from Detroit Hives. Our first hive installations (2020) are at 1) a vacant property on Wabash Avenue, between 50th and 51st Street, and 2) adjacent to a community garden at Children’s Mercy Hospital, both in Kansas City, Missouri. We look forward to having many more hive installations in the coming years, providing a major benefit to KC’s community gardens. Community gardens are vital for food production, particularly in urban areas where “food deserts” (areas that are underserved by traditional and economical grocers) are common.

By creating a healthy urban apiary model that can be duplicated in other Missouri cities, MO Hives KC will inspire communities, provide experiential learning opportunities, amplify community garden yields, increase bee populations, and beautify previously blighted property. 

MO Hives KC is grateful for the sponsorship of dozens of organizations. Please consider signing up for an online newsletter from one or more of our sponsors by clicking the links below.

  1. Missouri Department of Conservation (Financial Support)
  2. Missouri Department of Agriculture
  3. Community Builders of Kansas City (In-Kind Donations /Technical Support)
  4. The Blue Hills Neighborhood Association (Educational/Outreach Partners)
  5. Kansas City Community Gardens (Technical /Operational Support)
  6. Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services / Missouri Office of Minority Health
  7. The Shumaker Family Foundation (Financial Support)
  8. The Links, Incorporated ( National Educational/Outreach Partners)
  9. The Jackson County(MO)Chapter of The Links, Incorporated (In-Kind Donations/ Volunteer Support)
  10. The National Wildlife Federation -STEMReady Gardens 4 Wildlife Program (2020 Nationally Registered and Certified G4W Garden)
  11. KCMO Public Schools– The African Centered College Preparatory Academy-ACCPA (Educational/Outreach Partners)
  12. The Jr. National Society of Black Engineers (Educational partnership with ACCPA-NSBE Jr. Chapters)
  13. GEHA( GEHA Garden-to-Table Test Kitchen Sponsor)
  14. Deep Roots KC (Native Planting Resource)
  15. The Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics Community Gardens (Outreach Partner/Extension Apiary Site)
  16. EVERGY Energy Company (Financial Support Received)
  17. The EVERGY Green Team (In-Kind Donations Received)
  18. Gale Communities (Technical Support Given/Operational Support Received)
  19. William Jewell Nonprofit Leadership DevelopmentProgram (Educational Partnership)
  20. Willhaus Honey (Operational/Technical Support and In-Kind Donations)
  21. The Kansas Bee Company (In-Kind and Technical Support)
  22. Detroit Hives, Inc. (Technical/Operational Support Received)
  23. The Honeybee Conservancy (In-Kind Donations Received)
  24. The Missouri State Beekeepers Assoc.(Technical/ Educational Support)
  25. Urban American Outdoor TV (Technical Support and Operational Support Received)
  26. The Carpenters Apprenticeship Union Program (In-Kind donation of carpentry and construction)
  27. The Hope Faith Homeless Assistance Campus (Outreach Partners and Technical Assistance Given)
  28. Computer Impressions (Technical Support)
  29. Name Brand Identity (In-Kind donation of branding and content support)
  30. The University of Missouri-Columbia Proteomics Center/ Dr. Michael Greenlief (In-Kind and Technical Support Received)
  31. The Lockton Company( In-Kind Donations Received)
  32. The Full Employment Council (Financial Support for Developing Young-Adult Skills Training Program)
  33. The Small Business Administration (Financial SupportReceived / Technical Assistance)
  34. The Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund-Seed a Legacy Program (Technical Advice/Prospective 2nd Phase Sponsor)
  35. BeeResQ
  36. Crooked Hill Beekeeping
  37. University of Georgia KC Alumni Group
  38. Beekeepers.com
  39. Colt Dunn and Family
  40. KC Farm School at Gibbs Road
  41. E & J Construction (In-Kind and Technical Support)
  42. Cornerstone of Care Build Trybe (Community Partner)
  43. Mala Landscape Architects (In-Kind and Technical Support)
  44. Missouri Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson (Outreach Partner and Extension Apiary Site)