{"id":14140,"date":"2026-07-29T16:41:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T21:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=14140"},"modified":"2026-07-31T16:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T21:53:31","slug":"2026-blue-kc-gamechanger-honoree-monica-bassett-month-of-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/sports-partnerships-community-and-culture\/2026-blue-kc-gamechanger-honoree-monica-bassett-month-of-july\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Blue KC Gamechanger Honoree Monica Bassett \u2013 Month of July"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is Who You Are<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Monica Bassett has always had a military mindset. As a daughter of a Vietnam veteran, she watched her parents serve their country and their community. Now, as the wife of Lieutenant Colonel Greg Bassett, stationed at Fort Leavenworth, she is doing the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is the founder of Stronghold Food Pantry, an organization that provides fresh groceries to military families struggling with food insecurity. Surprisingly, nearly one in four military families suffer with food insecurity to some degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It became worse during COVID and the years that followed. We all suffered with a lack of basic necessities, like toilet paper, because shipments of supplies were delayed due to a lack of staffing in the shipping industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For military families, moving from one duty station to another adds struggles. Moving costs often outpace what\u2019s covered by the military. Delayed shipments of household goods compound the problem, forcing families to repurchase items they already own, leaving families to make hard decisions when it comes to food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassett and her family were on vacation when she became aware of the situation. Her immediate reaction was, \u201cThis can\u2019t be happening.\u201d With her military mindset, she set out to change the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they returned home to Junction City, Kansas, she put her daughters\u2014Sofia, then age 8, and Amelia, then just 18 months old\u2014into a wagon and went around the neighborhood and collected food. She set up a makeshift food pantry in her garage. She then volunteered with the Geary County Food Pantry before starting Stronghold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three years after moving to the Kansas City area, Stronghold has provided more than 300,000 meals\u2019 worth of fresh groceries to more than 18,000 military families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Because of her work, Bassett is the July recipient of the Blue KC Gamechanger award. Founded in 2024 by Blue KC and the Kansas City Current, the Blue KC Gamechanger program recognizes an individual whose leadership inspires physical, mental, emotional and community wellness by creating healthier, more inclusive environments. This can be done through healthcare, education, sport or advocacy efforts. To nominate the next Blue KC Gamechanger, CLICK HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassett didn\u2019t want to reinvent the wheel, instead focusing on helping Stronghold fill the gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t an idea that was always there,\u201d she said. \u201cIt truly was a call to action. There is no way I could unsee what I read. There are things that once you know, you can\u2019t unknow. That really pushed me into action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stronghold is a grassroots organization, so Bassett has to wear a lot of hats. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. But her husband\u2019s words have inspired her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes I\u2019m up until 3 in the morning getting things done, and I\u2019ll say, \u2018Why did I do this?\u2019 she said. \u201cMy husband will say, \u2018This is who you are.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She believes God placed this mission in front of her\u2014one she couldn\u2019t ignore, and one that rooted her in Kansas. While her work at Fort Riley was meaningful, she hadn\u2019t yet seen the need beyond it. When they moved to Fort Leavenworth, a connection with Armed Forces Insurance gave Stronghold a home to grow into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said she was \u201cinsanely humbled\u201d by the Blue KC Gamechanger honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI started screaming, \u2018Greg! Greg!\u2019 I don\u2019t ever like to celebrate things like that,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of the prayers I say every night and every morning is \u2018Don\u2019t let me get ahead of You and don\u2019t let me get a big head,\u2019 because I am human.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that the award is being given by Blue KC and the Kansas City Current makes it more special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one thing to be recognized within the military community,\u201d she said. \u201cBut that community is 1 percent of the entire nation. To be recognized by an outside of that box community for the work that we\u2019re doing, that is humbling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s certainly worthy recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

Blue KC supports the Kansas City community through impactful sports partnership programs<\/h3>

Blue KC Gamechanger program<\/p> <\/div>\n

\n \n Nominate your Gamechanger today!<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Was this helpful?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t