By Ian Miller
Sometimes, innovation comes from unexpected places. Down Syndrome Innovations is not some giant institute on the cutting edge of technology or research like MIT or CERN, but they are on the forefront of a different, and equally important, kind of innovation: the science of making people’s lives better.
Down Syndrome Innovations (DSI) is a Kansas City-based organization focused on life-changing support and services that enable people with Down syndrome to live to their fullest potential. As the name implies, most of their clients have Down syndrome, but some of their services also expand to individuals with other disabilities. DSI has a long and storied history, their tireless efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities indelibly woven into the fabric of the history of Kansas City itself.
DSI began its life in 1984, as the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City (DSG). Founded by a group of parents of children with Down Syndrome, the DSG sought to empower every child with Down Syndrome. Every parent wants their children to thrive, and the parents who founded DSG made that their goal from the beginning. Today, the organization is known as Down Syndrome Innovations, and they are just as empowering, influential, and, well, innovative as they were in 1984. DSI served 855 families in 2024.
The employees of DSI are passionate about the people they serve. Amanda Myers, Director of Employment Services, discussed her role with the organization and the mission of the DSI. Amanda has been in her current role for nearly five years.
“Employment is something I’m really passionate about because it provides such a sense of purpose and meaning to our lives,” Amanda said. “It’s incredibly rewarding when we can help individuals find jobs that align with their skills and interests. It provides them with a way to contribute to their community and live as independently as possible. I love to see individuals advance in their career and achieve their goals.”
I asked what made her want to work at DSI, and she said, “I had a passion for helping individuals with diverse abilities find employment and reached out to DSI, since I had a friend that worked there. They wanted to offer employment services but didn’t have staff with that background, so they hired me to build out their program.”
In addition to serving the individuals with disabilities themselves, Amanda also works with employers and organizations that provide services around the Kansas City area. “I also enjoy working with other providers in Kansas City so we can make a bigger difference together and [also] training employers on how to support individuals with diverse abilities in the workplace,” she said. “If we can equip employers with practical tools and resources to support individuals of all abilities, then we can help hundreds of other people that experience barriers to employment as well.”
She went into detail about how DSI works to improve the lives of people with disabilities: “Down Syndrome Innovations is a lifespan provider, so they provide services to new parents with babies all the way through the aging years. DSI provides a variety of services that assist individuals through every aspect of their life, including adult continuing education, fitness and nutrition, therapies and mental health services, caregiver education, expectant and new parent support and age-level social groups. All of these services impact one another, so they are crucial to supporting individuals as a whole and promote independence and well-being. Our mission is to provide life-changing support and services that enable people [with] Down Syndrome to live to their fullest potential.”
Sources:
Down Syndrome Innovations. (2025, February 11). About us | Down Syndrome Innovations. https://kcdsi.org/about-us/
Find the Golden Scoop at these locations:
9540 Nall Avenue
Overland Park, Kansas 66207
913-284-804410460 W 103rd Street
Overland Park, Kansas 66214
913-232-9639Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 8am-7pm
Sunday @103rd: 9am-5pm
Sunday @ 95th: 1pm-5pm
