Joe's Mission Continued

Tom Karlin was a teenager whose life and passing moved his family and community to act. In his memory, the Tom Karlin Foundation was established with a clear, urgent mission: to improve the quality of teens' lives and reduce suicides through awareness and education.

The foundation built real programs — including a Teen Advisory Board that gave young people a voice and a role in shaping the conversation around mental health. The guiding philosophy was simple and powerful: Talk. Listen. Act.

Tom's name became a rallying point for families, schools, and organizations across the Kansas City area who believed that open conversation and community connection could save lives.

Joe Karlin was Tom's father, and after Tom's passing he became the driving force behind the Tom Karlin Foundation. He showed up — to events, to conversations, to every opportunity to break the silence around teen mental health and suicide prevention.

Joe brought warmth, humor, and an unshakeable belief that community was the answer. He built relationships with organizations across Kansas City, championed the foundation's work, and made sure Tom's name kept opening doors and starting conversations.

Joe died of prostate cancer, leaving behind a community he had helped build and a mission still very much alive. The annual Joe Karlin Memorial Buffalo Wing Contest was established in his honor — a celebration of the spirit, the laughter, and the connection he brought to every room he entered.