VNA 2023 Annual Report

I believe VNA’s founder, Anna Millard Rogers, would be proud of our organization today.

In 1896, it was her idea to take healthcare to the streets of Omaha, caring for those who were sick or injured and had no access to medical services.

128 years later, that core idea has not wavered. VNA takes healthcare and supportive services wherever people call home. There is nothing more vulnerable than opening one’s door and inviting a caregiver to cross the threshold into your personal space. In those spaces, we witness the environment interacting with a client’s health needs, and we use that knowledge to create unique plans of care.

As each year passes, VNA is evolving. We have incorporated technology into home visits and embraced medical advancement. We use innovative methods of education and practice — drive-thru flu and COVID shots are hugely popular! And I believe we understand social determinants of health better than anyone because of the privilege we have to enter clients’ homes, where we observe obstacles never seen in a doctor’s office or hospital.

VNA is growing to serve more people with more complex health issues every day. We seek collaborative partnerships, each working to our strengths to best serve a community in need. We’ve grown beyond Omaha to serve Council Bluffs and surrounding counties like Sarpy, Cass, and Washington. In 2012, Easterseals Nebraska merged operations with VNA, expanding services that help people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to live, learn, work, and play.

Letter from

Dr. Carole Patrick President & CEO

VNA is proud to remain a leading force in the care of some of the most under-resourced individuals and families in our community. The most enduring impact has come not from a severe pivot to something new but as the result of an intentional, values-informed commitment to people who deserve access to quality healthcare and supportive services.

Our 2023 annual report tells the story.

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Parenting Support

Growing parents’ skills

VNA offers four voluntary home visitation programs for under-resourced families with infants or small children: Healthy Families America, Project WIN, Love & Learn, and Nurse-Family Partnership. Our Physician-Ordered Family Home Healthcare program educates referred parents on how to monitor age-appropriate development milestones, often avoiding unnecessary emergency room visits or other medical services. In all our Parenting Support services, our goal is to empower parents to maintain self-sufficient, healthy, and happy families.

Families participating in any of the programs can also access services and resources for breastfeeding support, car seats and pack n plays, childbirth education classes, and community referrals.

In August 2023, VNA’s Golf Fore the Cause tournament raised funds for our Parenting Support services. Attendees gathered at The Players Club at Deer Creek for a fun-filled day with good company and a great cause. Together, we raised $28,556 to support young families in Omaha and southwest Iowa.

3,384

Parenting Support clients

“I can see now that my baby can learn a lot from me if I take the time to work with him.”

— Maria, Project WIN program participant

young families.

Shelter Nursing

Increasing access to care

VNA is the primary provider of public health nursing services in Omaha and Council Bluffs homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and group maternity homes. In 2023, we added a fifth shelter nurse to our team to expand our reach in the community.

VNA shelter nurses help clients on their health journeys through physical assessments and health screenings, care of illnesses and injuries, preventative healthcare, education on positive coping skills, chronic disease monitoring, nutritional assessments, prenatal and childbirth education, breastfeeding support, postpartum and infant assessments, and positive parenting education.

Our 26th annual Art & Soup event, which raised funds for VNA Shelter Nursing services, was a huge success at the Omaha Design Center. We exceeded our fundraising goals, raising $181,534 to ensure VNA nurses are in every shelter and maternity home in Omaha and Council Bluffs. We are thankful for the chefs, artists, and attendees who continue to support this event year after year.

1,792 Shelter Nursing clients

Support resilient futures for shelter clients.

“I started working with a young woman who had come to a shelter to escape domestic violence. She had just started a job, and with each visit, I would ask her about it. She checked in with me each time I visited the shelter, and we continued to build rapport. One day, she came to see me in distress, sharing that she was depressed and considering returning to her abusive situation. She felt she had too many barriers to obtaining an apartment and independence. I spoke with her about safety and encouraged her to connect with additional community resources. I connected her with other organizations to access financial assistance and housing. She was able to find an apartment near the bus route and successfully leave an abusive household with the help of VNA and other community resources.”

— VNA shelter nurse

Flu & Immunization

Protecting community health

As a part of our long-term commitment to community wellness, VNA provides drive-thru and workplace immunization clinics every fall. All proceeds from our annual flu shot clinics are reinvested into our Community Care services.

In 2023, VNA continued our partnership with the Douglas County Health Department and Consonus Pharmacy. Since then, we have expanded our services with Consonus and developed a partnership with Immanuel Communities. In the 2024-2025 flu season, VNA will provide flu clinics at the Immanuel Communities in the Omaha, Lincoln, and Des Moines areas.

VNA’s on-site corporate flu clinics provide the convenience of getting a flu shot without the hassle of making an appointment. VNA also offers a Flu Voucher program in combination with the on-site flu clinic. This supports the health of employees who are unable to attend the scheduled flu clinic date. It is also an opportunity for corporations to provide an alternate option to receive a flu vaccine, if an on-site clinic is not desired.

8,740 Immunization clients

Home Health Aide

Fostering independence

Personal care, bathing, and light housekeeping can be overwhelming for older adults, people who have disabilities, or people who have chronic health conditions. VNA’s Home Health Aide services help individuals maintain their safety and independence while helping delay or prevent the need to transition into a higher level of care, such as a skilled nursing facility. VNA’s team serves those with or without family support and those who may have limited financial resources.

126 Home Health Aide clients

Provide peace of mind at home.

Ray, a Vietnam veteran with a history of heart disease and Thalassemia, experienced an aortic dissection in 2015, leading to heart surgery. Subsequent health declines, including a stroke and seizures, required increased care. Despite his family’s efforts to support him at home, his mobility and cognitive abilities declined further, necessitating assistance with basic tasks. After a fall resulting in a fractured hip, his care needs intensified, but both Ray and his family did not want to transition him to a long-term care facility.

In 2017, Frank, a VNA bath aide, began visiting twice weekly to meet his hygiene needs and keep him safe from falls, forming a strong relationship over the past seven years. With these services in place, along with the help of his family, Ray can remain in his home and participate in family activities.

School Health

Promoting student wellness

VNA contracts with various schools in the metro area to provide nurses as part of its commitment to a healthier community. Nurses in schools promote wellness, provide physical and mental health services, and help ensure the overall well-being of students and staff. In 2023, VNA served an additional 2,013 students compared to 2022.

No two schools are alike — VNA nurses personalize the services they provide based on the needs of the students, the resources available from the school, and the priorities of the administration and parents. Available services include health evaluations and screenings, wellness education, care for students who are sick, disease prevention and control, and staff training.

23,626

Students served

62

Participating schools

Infusion Pharmacy

Expanding treatment solutions

For more than 35 years, VNA has been honored to serve clients with infusion therapies in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. In 2023, VNA’s Home Infusion Pharmacy joined the Nebraska Medicine health network.

Moving forward, our focus will remain on providing high-quality, community-based services. We’re thrilled to have found a partner in Nebraska Medicine, an organization with the expertise and resources to continue delivering vital infusion medication services.

This new partnership only involves the Home Infusion Pharmacy. Other VNA programs and services are not affected. Nebraska Medicine welcomed all 10 employees of VNA’s Home Infusion Pharmacy, honoring their years of service.

875

Infusion Pharmacy clients

“We

are incredibly excited to join forces with VNA’s Home Infusion Pharmacy. Their expertise in delivering quality and safe infusion medications in the home setting will allow us to expand the care we provide our patients and to meet an important need as we work to enhance the continuum of care.”

— Kyle Skiermont, Vice President of Operations

at

Nebraska Medicine

Easterseals

Supporting equitable opportunities

VNA and Easterseals Nebraska is an alliance dedicated to enhancing the health and lives of those we serve, working in tandem to foster a community where everyone can access the care and support they need to thrive, regardless of ability. With merged operations and resources, both organizations bring greater impact to those within the communities we serve.

1,363

An alliance dedicated to enhancing the health and lives of those we ser

Services provided by Easterseals Nebraska include job placement assistance; employment follow along support; benefits planning and work incentives counseling; alternative financing for assistive technology; device and work technique recommendations for farmers and ranchers; and camp, respite, and recreation opportunities.

Easterseals

Nebraska clients

“The AgrAbility program was a godsend. It improved my bottom line and has let me return to work with my dad and son, brightening my day and attitude toward life.”

— Craig, AgrAbility client

Reduce barriers for clients with disabilities.

Financials 2023

$7,596,549 2023

$9,425,449

Financials 2023

Board of Directors 2023

Jason Hansen, Chair

President

American National Bank

Elizebeth Murphy, Vice Chair

President

Emspace + Lovgren

Richard Secor, Secretary

Partner

Cushman & Wakefield | Lund Company

Sean Winekauf, Treasurer

Director, Operational Risk Management Mutual of Omaha

Fawn Bottolfson

Community Outreach Coordinator, Corporate Charity Omaha Track

Kate Bruzzano

Senior Vice President, Head of IT Service Delivery BMO

Kelly Butts-Elston CEO

Connections/Southwest 8 Senior Services

Jessie Fechner

Director of Nursing

Methodist Women’s Hospital

Craig Flanagan Chief Financial Officer WesleyLife

William (Bill) Foley

Attorney, Shareholder, & President Erickson Sederstrom P.C., L.L.O.

Harris A. Frankel, M.D.

Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Nebraska Medicine

Jenny Jacobsen Senior Advisor HUB International

Roger H. Kobayashi, M.D.

Clinical Professor UCLA School of Medicine

Sue Nuss, Ph.D.

Chief Nursing Officer Nebraska Medicine

Carole Patrick, Ph.D.

President & CEO

Visiting Nurse Association/ Easterseals Nebraska

Jeanne Rice

Program Manager HBC Nebraska Methodist Health System

Marcos Rodriguez

Senior Advisor, Business Banking First National Bank of Omaha

James Summerfelt

Former President & CEO Retired June 2023

Visiting Nurse Association/ Easterseals Nebraska

Board volunteer hours

Thank you to our supporters

We could not grow, evolve, and lead community care without the support of our donors, who helped VNA and Easterseals Nebraska exceed our 2023 fundraising goal by 17%.

$1,000-$4,999 Jill Adkins Aksarben Foundation American National Bank Anonymous (5)

The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation Bland Cares Foundation

BMO Bank North America

The Briley Team | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Burlington Capital

Kimara and Kevin Clark

Cushman & Wakefield Lund Company

Gloria Dinsdale

6,097 Clients served through donor-supported care

Eide Bailly

Emspace + Lovgren

Gary and Kathleen Ensz

Debbie Erikson

Todd Feltz

First National Bank of Omaha

Craig Flanagan

James P. and Anne C. Foley

Charitable Fund

William Foley

Fraternal Order of Eagles York

Auxiliary #3990

Amy Haddad and Steven Martin

Maylene and Thomas Haslett

Ann Hatting

Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation

HUB International

Husch Blackwell LLP

Dean and Maria Jacobsen

Pam and Robert Johnson

Kiewit Corporation

Matt and Angela Kleager

George Kleine

Jack and Stephanie Koraleski

John and Wende Kotouc

Lincoln Financial Foundation, Inc.

Lund-Ross Constructors

Ian MacLeod

Trenton Magid

John and Andrea Marshall

Nancy and Michael McCarthy

Cheryl McIntyre

Medica

Laurie Merten

Wesley Meyer

Midlands Community Foundation

Frank J. Mikkelson Trust

Elaine Montgomery-Baisden

Elizebeth Murphy and Ray Schueneman

Mutual of Omaha

Sharee and Murray Newman Fund

Omaha Scheels

Omaha Track

Richard and Mary Parrish

Carole Patrick

Helen A. Pearson Charitable Trust

Norman Sack

Robert and Suzanne Sall

Bryan and Heather Schneider Scoular Foundation

Richard and Sharon Secor

Security National Bank

Marci and Brett Sesker

Kevin and Lindsey Simmonds

Philip and Sharon Smith

James and Margaret Summerfelt

Ron Suverkrubbe

L.B. and Jann Thomas

Union Pacific Railroad Company

Urban Abbey

Samuel Watson

Mark Wolf

WoodmenLife

Jeffrey and Jamie Ziemba

Recurring and planned gifts greatly impact the lives of the individuals and families we serve.

Event Performance

In addition to our annual Art & Soup fundraiser and Golf Fore the Cause event, we raised $4,421 during city- and nation-wide giving days, and we closed out 2023 with $48,030 from our year-end campaign.

Art & Soup

$181,534

308.5 volunteer hours

Golf Fore the Cause

$28,556

Give days

$4,421*

*Includes Do Good Days, Give Hastings, Give to Lincoln, and Giving Tuesday

Year-end giving

$48,030

Clerical volunteers

285.5 volunteer hours