1996: Adele Hall

The Junior League of Kansas City

Causes/Issue Area(s): Philanthropy, Voluntarism, Child Welfare, Education

What’s her impact?

As a Junior Leaguer and a dedicated philanthropist, Adele Hall believed in a world in which children would be healthy and well educated, families would have decent livelihoods, and all people, regardless of status, race, gender, or religion, would have decent opportunities to pursue the comforts of successes in life. Narrowing the gap between that vision and reality was the mission to which Adele she devoted her career.

A long-time member of the Junior League of Kansas City, Adele spent decades involved in philanthropic efforts that made her family name—the Halls of Hallmark Cards—synonymous with charity as well as voluntarism.

After being named the first female president of the United Way of Greater Kansas City, she went on to found the Women's Public Service Network to provide a forum for women in Kansas City to focus on social issues.

Guided by an enduring interest in children's welfare and education, Adele served in leadership roles for the American Academy of Pediatrics Partnership for Children, Children's Mercy Hospital, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Partnership for Children, and Crippled Children's Nursery School as well as De La Salle School and Genesis School.

Her commitment to creating lasting community impact was evident in her other leadership roles, including those for the University of Kansas School of Nursing Advisory Board, Junior Achievement, Negro College Fund, the Youth Volunteer Corps of America, the Library of Congress Trust Fund, and Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.