About us

History

The Urban Ranger Corps was founded and incorporated as a Missouri nonprofit corporation in July 2003 by the Rev. John Wandless while he was pastor of Saint Louis Church, an inner Kansas City parish (2001 – 2006). The Urban Ranger Corps (URC) is an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3), as of March, 2005, and classified as a “public charity” under section 509(a)(3), as of June, 2009, of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Urban Ranger Corps was founded because Fr. John was deeply troubled by the dangerous and high risk-factor environment in which neighborhood youth lived.  Approximately 80 percent not achieving in high school and nearly 50 percent were dropping out of high schools operated by the Kansas City school district.  They seemed to have little or no hope in the future and looked out at the world as a place that had no room for them.  As a consequence, they were on a downward career trajectory headed for a life in the streets, longer imprisonment, or an untimely death.   Eighty percent did not have a strong parent in the home.  Very few had part-time jobs.  They were in grave danger of involvement with gangs and/or in the sale of drugs as “corner boys.”  Most seriously, male youth were at clear and present danger of becoming innocent (or involved) victims of death by gunshot and, sometimes, as perpetrators (typically) in drive-by shootings.

Operations began in the summer of 2005 with the launching of the “Urban Ranger Program,” a summer program with a Troop of 12 rangers.  Priority for participation in the program was (and is) given to high school boys, 14-18 years of age, attending high schools located within Kansas City, Missouri, and living in high-risk factor inner-city neighborhoods.

By the summer of 2008, the program was expanded into a year-around program with Summer and School-Year phases, with a Troop of 24 rangers.  By the summer of 2011, the program added a summer internship project and has a Troop of 50 rangers.  The Urban Ranger Program is the Corps’ sole program.