Revive Magazine: COVID Edition by Revive! Omaha

COVID-19 EDITION

Protecting the Village

Everyone Has a Role to Play

Community Collaboration

to Address COVID-19

Community-Based Health Centers

EMPOWERMENT NETWORK COLLABORATIVE & TRANSFORMATION 2025 Working Together to Rebuild the Village & Transform the City

Advance Omaha! Racial Equity, Diversity & Inclusion/Legacy Wealth EN, American National Bank, CHI Health, OPPD, Union Pacific, Children’s Hospital, Mutual of Omaha CEO (Transformation 2025), CHRO’s and Diversity Scorecard AAERG’s/BEN’s & AA Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Groups African-American Leadership Conference Redefine the Game Institute with Dr. Randal Pinkett Legacy Wealth Initiative with Dr. Pamela Jolly Supplier Diversity

Step-Up Omaha! Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship Collaborative EN, Urban League, Hope Center, Boys/Girls Club, PACE, Girls Inc., City of Omaha, HWS, OPS, MCC, BC Education Exploration Employment Entrepreneurship Engagement/Leadership

Omaha 360 Violence Intervention & Prevention EN, Adopt a School, Pastors/Faith Leaders, YouTurn, Boys/Girls Club, OPD, NONA Collaboration Prevention Intervention Enforcement (Community Policing) Reentry and Support Services

Cradle to Career Education Collaborative EN, OPS, 100 Black Men, Boys/Girls Club, Urban League, Learning Community, MCC, UNO Early Childhood K-5/Village Focus Schools Prepared for H.S. Graduation/Striving for Success Post Secondary Careers/Step Up Omaha

Village Revitalization Plan/Entrepreneurship COLLAB! EN, OEDC, FHAS, Holy Name, Habitat, 75 North, White Lotus, City of Omaha, OHA Private Developers EN, NEF, MPSDC, Shift Omaha, Start Center, Carver Legacy Center, DreamKeepers, SBA Rebuilding the Village: Empowerment Conference Mixed-Income Housing and Home Ownership Commercial & Corridor Development Entrepreneurship and Business Development The Village at 24th & Lake

Healthy Village Collaborative, Champions and VEC EN, DC, Charles Drew, Ctr for Holistic Development, NOAH, CHI Health, Creighton, UNMC, Children’s Hospital, NMEP, Whispering Roots, OEDC/Fair Deal Village. Health Insurance Physical & Behavioral Health Access to Healthy Foods Village Champions/Churches/Connectors Village Empowerment Center (VEC) at OHB – 52nd and Ames

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Media

EN, Great Plains Black History Museum, OEDC, Union, Malcolm X, Revive Center, Fair Deal Village EN VC, Omaha Star, 95.7, NOISE, 100.3, Surreal Media, Night Fox Entertainment, WithLove Felicia Arts & Culture: The Village at 24th and Lake Revitalization Venues, Events, Businesses and Artists Christmas in the Village, Native Omaha Days First Fridays Omaha: Live from 24th and Lake North Omaha/Black Media Collaborative

empoweromaha.com

Empowerment Network Collaborative & Transformation 2025 Working Together to Rebuild the Village & Transform the City

IN THIS Co-Publisher Yolanda Barney

ISSUE

COVID-19 EDITION

Co-Publisher Willie D. Barney Editor Yvette Norris Chief Financial Officer Greg Johnson Contributing Writers Elaine Adams JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike Viv Ewing, PhD Janice Gilmore Earl Johnson Yvette Norris Rev. Bruce Norris Contributing Photographers Nehemiah Barney Jason Fischer Phillip Hodges Herb Thompson Cover and Magazine Design Jeff Taylor

Revive Omaha™ is a publication of SMB Enterprises, LLC and is distributed via mail and selected locations throughout Greater Omaha area and beyond. ©2020 SMB Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the Publisher, is prohibited, excepting individually copyrighted articles or photographs. The views expressed herein, whether expressed as fact, fiction, opinion, advice or otherwise, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of SMB Enterprises, LLC or Revive Omaha™. Manuscripts and photographs submitted for publication are welcome and should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope if their return is desired. We reserve the right to edit, use or not use materials submitted. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. The publication of any advertisement in this issue does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s products or services.

REVIVEOMAHA.COM

PO Box 540880 Omaha, NE 68154 402.490.1542 Email: info@reviveomaha.com

Protecting the Village Everyone Has a Role to Play

Community Collaboration

to Address COVID-19

Community-Based Health Centers

Letter from the Publisher.......................................................................................2 Revive Your Spirit......................................................................................................3 Renew Your Mind.....................................................................................................5 Restore Your Body....................................................................................................6 Reclaim Your Family.................................................................................................7 Rediscover Your Purpose.......................................................................................8 Reprioritize Your Finances.....................................................................................9 Douglas County Takes Historic First Step...............................................10-11 Pastor Portia Cavitt making an Impact.......................................................... 12 Community Collaboration...........................................................................14-16 The More You Know. The More They Grow................................................... 17 Community Helping Community..............................................................18-19 Kenny McMorris and Charles Drew Health Center..............................20-21 Doris Moore and Center for Holistic Development............................22-23 Ira Combs and NOAH.....................................................................................24-25 How to Navigate Mental Health.................................................................26-28 Community COVID Task Force.......................................................................... 33 North Omaha COVID Community Resources........................................34-35

Welcome back to Revive Omaha! Thank you for joining us in the relaunch of our printed editions. While we have held a presence in the online world for the past several years through ReviveOmaha.com, we are excited to be back in print. For our relaunch issue, we have focused on the one topic that has changed all of our lives this past year, COVID-19. The team at Revive Omaha would like to offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones to the virus. Our prayers also go out to those who have suffered and those who are still battling side effects of COVID-19. We want to thank the community for doing your part to keep the village safe. Thank you for the sacrifices that you have made and for following the health guidelines and directives. We ask that you continue to wear your mask, keep your distance, help your neighbors and other residents, and support Black owned businesses. The team at Revive Omaha lost one of our members last year. Rev. Bruce Norris was a contributing writer, prominently featured in the Spirit column. His words graced our pages since the inception of the magazine. While COVID-19 was not the cause of his passing, we wanted to honor him in this edition. Our brother will be greatly missed, but we know that his words and his legacy will continue to bless others through the pages and website of Revive. In this issue, we take a look at community collaboration; mental health care during a pandemic; community based medical, mental and behavioral health facilities; making sure our finances are in check, and more. While we all continue to tackle the issues of this virus, we also want to share some of the positive things that have come out in the midst of the pandemic and showcase individuals and organizations that have, and still contribute to keeping the village safe. While we are unable to highlight every individual in this issue, we would like to continue to recognize others in our online COVID edition. If you know someone who should be recognized, send us their name, photo and why they should be highlighted to: info@reviveomaha.com Let’s all continue to wear a mask, keep our distance and do our part to keep the village safe! Yolanda Barney Co-Publisher

Revive Omaha would like to thank our generous sponsors who have made this print and online edition possible.

Charles Drew Health Center | NOAH Medical Clinic | Center for Holistic Development 2 | REVIVE!

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Soul Care Finding Hope Even In Trying Times.

By Yolanda M. Barney

Many of us have experienced loss during the pandemic, whether it is a physical loss of a loved one, loss of business, a dream or loss of the lifestyle that was once known to us. Finding our way through these moments is not always easy. Yet, we can still find a sense of hope.

Rev. Bruce G. Norris September 10, 1958-September 3, 2020 In memory of our brother, Rev. Bruce G. Norris. Thank you for your dedication to the work of God and your tireless effort to spread the Gospel of Christ. Your encouraging words graced the pages of Revive Omaha since its inception. Your legacy lives on. Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

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For the last two years, I found myself celebrating from the mountaintops and then I would find myself back down in what I perceived to be the valleys of life. My family and I went through some pretty intense times during that period, yet sprinkled throughout that time were celebratory moments at the mountaintop. It was during my time in the valley that God showed me what was important, and He showed me how I could maintain my peace and find hope even during trying times. He showed me that I had to take care of my soul before I could take care of anything else in life. I started implementing what I like to call my soul-care regimen. The practice of self-care has been echoed throughout social media platforms, even more so since the pandemic. It has been defined as practice or activities that allow us to improve our own health. While I agree

and whole heartedly believe self-care is vital to our overall health, I also had to come to the understanding that soul-care had to come first before my full self-care practice could be implemented. I found that if my spirit and mind were not at a place of peace (even temporarily), it was difficult to move forward. I had no mental or physical energy to even complete basic tasks in my life. So what is this soulcare routine? It’s simply a few steps that should be applied daily to revive our spirits. A few simple steps that don’t cost money, only a few minutes of your time each day.

Make time to spend with God.

I personally have found that starting my day with God changes the whole outlook of my day. This doesn’t mean that every day will be sunny. Starting my morning with prayer allows me to find my inner peace even when I am

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dealt with the hard blows of life. I try to make sure that my time with God is private and personal. It allows me to focus on Him and not the needs of myself or others. Sometimes, it may require me to wake up while my family sleeps.

There is something so powerful about giving thanks even in the midst of our trials. It takes our mind off of our present situation. Give Gratitude. There is something so powerful about giving thanks even in the midst of our trials. It takes our mind off of our present situation. It shifts our current space in life. Our souls were created to give thanks to God, so it only makes sense that if we allow ourselves to

speak words of gratitude that we can find our spirit in a more positive space. Praise God for what you have, maybe it’s not the job you want, but thank him for allowing you to have a job!

Music.

Many times during our trials, it can be difficult to find the words to pray or open our Bible for words of encouragement. When I could not find the words to speak to God, I turned to praise and worship music which helped bring me closer to God. Try it for yourself and see how your mood instantly changes!

Stay Close.

This soul-care routine only works if we continue to apply it on a daily basis. We have to stay close to God. Attend a Bible study and church services. If you can’t attend in person, go online. There are so many local and national virtual Bible Studies, church services and videos available for us to build up our faith and stay close to God.

Remember, God is faithful to us even in the midst of our trials. He sees you. He loves you and He wants to see you through this time.

Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs

CPHHE COVID-19 PROJECT

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You Can Renew

YOUR MIND By Apostle Dr. Edna Perkins

On a cloudy day, it is hard to remember that the sun is standing tall and steady behind the clouds. But the sun still stands, as it always has and always will. So what are we to do in times like these? Times in which we know in our hearts that brighter days are ahead, but feel in our thoughts excruciating loneliness and devastation that such days may be so far off as to render them inaccessible?

Take time out of your busy schedule to renew your thinking. Although staying at home can be challenging for your creativity, you can fight your lack of enthusiasm and weariness. Avoid putting too much pressure on yourself. Creating unattainable expectations or burning yourself out can add to your stress.

Here are a few suggestions: Work On A Project - Spend time doing what you have been longing to do. It may be reading, writing, knitting, decluttering, painting — whatever you enjoy. Cooking - It can be an opportunity to meal plan some healthy dishes using what you have available at home. Taking Time To Move Around - There are exercise programs that are free online. Many programs have apps that can be downloaded onto your devices. Check with your doctor for approval before starting any exercise program. Meditating – Meditation and breathing exercises can help slow your heart rate down and clear your mind. When done regularly, it can shield the mind from the effects of stress. It can also help support your immune system. Just five minutes of meditation each day can help you reset your mind and your perspective. Being Grateful - Take a minute every day to be grateful for something. It helps to renew our mind when we think about what we have, instead of our losses. Showing Kindness To Others - During this time of unprecedented uncertainties, you can do small things like picking up groceries; donating food to someone in need; sending an encouraging text, card, or letter to someone to let them know you are thinking of them. Taking A Brain Break - Give your mind a break by not posting your self-care routines on social media. Taking advantage of the freedom from these outlets can be empowering. Mind renewal is a means in which our lives can be transformed. It can be accomplished.

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THE BENEFITS OF

SLEEP AND MEDITATION

Many of us have found ourselves doing work, school and other activities from home. It is important now more than ever that we make a conscious effort to stay healthy. When we think of staying healthy, we think of a proper diet of eating more fruits and vegetables and staying active. While these actions are essential in our overall health, it is just as important that we include getting an adequate amount of sleep. We know that sleep is crucial for the body to rest and heal. Sharing the

same space for work and rest can often lead to disruption in our sleep pattern. The Mayo Clinic recommends that adults strive to get eight to nine hours of sleep per day. One way to help promote sleep is through meditation. Meditation not only helps us to better cope with anxiety and stress, it’s also linked to promoting better sleep. It helps to slow down or shut down thoughts and the busyness of the day. Try to find a quiet space and take five minutes to reset.

Meditation for the Soul The Center for Holistic Development has a mediation video written and read by Felicia Webster. The piece is called Mediation For The Soul. Visit their Facebook page at: facebook.com/CHDOmaha. Find a quiet place where you can focus and relax while you watch the video.

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Restoring

THE

FAMILY

Making The Most of Family Time Although COVID-19 has caused a disruption in most of our daily lives, there are some positive things that have come from the pandemic. For one, it has caused us all to slow down, and in the case of family that means more time together. Most of us have put together many puzzles and played a ton of board games, and are looking for new ideas to incorporate in our family time. We have compiled some possible ideas to add to your family time list. Take a virtual tour of local or national museums. Take a virtual tour and create a discussion around the tour. The Great Plains Black History Museum in Omaha offers virtual tours. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and many national museums and aquariums also have virtual tours. Cook meals together. Pick a theme and spend time cooking or baking

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together. Invite family members that are not in the household to participate in cooking or baking sessions virtually.

Family Home Movies. Make a home family movie or video with scripts, costumes and props.

Take a virtual family fitness class together. Find a class on YouTube or go for a walk together.

New Hobbies. Take up a new craft or DIY art or home project. Learn a new language or even sign language.

Indoor Picnic. Move the picnic inside if the weather doesn’t permit an outside meal. Put down your favorite blanket and spread out your picnic food. Both kids and adults will love the change of scenery for the meal.

For many households, this time of togetherness will soon be filled with our busy schedules, practices, games and separate outings. Put the phones and tablets away during these moments and make the most of this time of togetherness.

Out of town Family Time. Use Zoom or facetime to eat a dinner with extended family who are not in your household.

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FINDING

Your Purpose During This Season By Viv Ewing, Ph.D.

Talking about purpose right now can sound daunting for some individuals. Especially when so many are facing unprecedented, multiple hardships due to the global pandemic. The Bible tells us, that this too shall pass. Even in the face of major challenges we still have a purpose. How can we work toward that purpose and take care of our self when so much is going on? Here are a few strategies: Connect With Others. Call or text family, friends, colleagues, and particularly with those who are alone. This is an opportunity to reconnect, renew, mend relationships, and offer comfort to those in need. At the same time, you will feel better too. Surround Yourself With Positive People. Think about the people you choose to spend time with outside of work and outside of family functions. The people you surround yourself with say something about you. If you are surrounded by people who are making positive change, you might draw from their inspiration. On the other hand, if the people around you are negative individuals who drag you down, you might want to make some changes.

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Volunteer. Help others by reaching out to community organizations to offer assistance. The benefits of volunteer service are powerful, both for beneficiaries and for volunteers themselves who often realize enhanced physical, mental and emotional well-being related to their service. Volunteering can reveal aspects of your purpose.

A sense of gratitude is associated with purpose. It can also lead us to extend acts of kindness to others. Consider Learning Something New. Learning new information can foster a sense of purpose. For example, reading. It connects us to new people, places, and ideas. Online courses and podcasts expose us to fresh perspectives. Virtual museum tours such as the Great Plains Black History Museum in Omaha, NE, on-line music lessons and performances, poetry readings and cooking classes are all available to expand your knowledge and spark your passion.

Begin Or Renew An Interest In Writing. Writing challenges us to organize and express our thoughts. Begin a journal. We are living history today, and this is our opportunity to record it. Writing can lead to fulfilling a purpose of writing a book. Explore Your Interests. Is there a topic that you are regularly talking about in a Facebook status update or in a Tweet? Are you regularly sharing articles about politics or current events? Think about the conversations you enjoy holding with people. The things you like to talk about and the things you enjoy sharing on social media may reveal the things that give you purpose in life. Take time to explore those topics that you enjoy talking about. Remember Your Blessings. Realizing that despite everything going on, we are still blessed. A sense of gratitude is associated with purpose. It can also lead us to extend acts of kindness to others. All of us are likely to have good days and bad as the pandemic plays out. But each of us can choose to adopt positive attitudes and make time to understand our purpose.

REPRIORITIZE YOUR FINANCES By Earl Johnson Wealth Manager - EverGreen Capital Management

Call it historic and unprecedented, but the events of the last several months have offered some critically valuable experiences that challenge the wisdom, or lack thereof concerning our financial decisions. Decisions such as preparing a budget, saving for a rainy day, or even the employer we choose to work for, all have made its way to the forefront of our own family crisis in the midst of a lethal pandemic. While the health and safety of you and your family are the number one priority as this pandemic continues to leave little regard to whom it impacts, we will make it to the other side. Now is the time to not only reflect on your past financial decisions, but to begin to build a protection plan for the future. As extraordinary as the times are right now, it is up to you to get armed with the right financial guidance to carry you through disruptive times like we

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are experiencing. Beginning with a budget, not because you are expected to follow a budget to the letter each month, but more to get a grip on where your money is going. Once you know where it goes, you can make prudent decisions on continuing to spend in these areas. Once you get a grasp on where your money is currently going, make a new budget. The new budget should be built with your new priorities in mind and always start with paying yourself first. This means allocating a line item in your budget to set aside money for you to build reserves for the next unexpected event in your life. If we have learned anything from Covid-19, it’s that the impact of a crisis can be far-reaching, making it critical to not wait until you’re in the midst of it to get your financial life in order. Living check to check, is not a term for people who live near the poverty line.

This is a way of life for many, no matter how much money they make and it is usually where people who do not have a proper allocation of their paychecks that reflect their personal goals end up. And there are a great many that have faced even more dire consequences of job loss, job disruption, or the ominous feeling of hunger and hopelessness. These feelings have everything and nothing to do with money all at the same time. Preparation could have helped, but that is no consolation when in need. The economic impact of Covid-19 revealed in glowing fashion just how fragile financial security is to us. The act of reprioritizing your finances and creating a strategy to make it through uncertain times, along with a great bit of optimism, may be the start of your own history lesson on the time a pandemic rebuilt your finances. Here’s to planning and progress.

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DOUGLAS COUNTY TAKES

HISTORIC

FIRST STEP:

DECLARES RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WITH 22 ACTIONS By Willie D. Barney

Moving beyond the protests, demonstrations and unrest driven by the murder of George Floyd, the Douglas County Board of Health took a bold step on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 and declared racism as a public health crisis. In the midst of a world-wide pandemic and spirited debate regarding police brutality and excessive use of force, Douglas County stepped up to lead the way to begin addressing racism head on. “We see this as a first step, an important, big and bold first step to educate the public, solve some immediate problems, but most importantly Douglas County dismantle a Commissioner structurally racist Chris Rodgers system and build a new anti-racist system,” said Chris Rodgers, Douglas County Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Health. 10 | REVIVE!

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Since the summer of 2020, major corporations have made public statements and some have pledged significant dollars to begin addressing systemic racism in the workplace and in the community. This move by the county shows that public entities are also preparing to fight the battle.

“This provides a foundation to really begin addressing the issues directly.” Over the years, protests have generated headlines and attracted major media coverage; but after the smoke clears, the demands for

change are typically met with small incremental progress or in some cases increased resistance and backlash. There are early signs that this time will be different as more organizations are sustaining their commitments. The county resolution is just one example. Within the resolution, twenty two specific actions are identified. In order to make a real impact, each of the elements must be fully implemented. “This provides a foundation to really begin addressing the issues directly,” said Rodgers. “It provides us a way to assess everything we are doing as it relates to race.”

EQUITY Some of the components of the resolution include: • Establishing and supporting an Office of Health Equity and Racial Justice • Including in any decision making the people most affected by heath and economic challenges • Advocate for relevant health policies to improve health in communities of color • Commit to conduct all human resources, vendor selection and grant management activities with a racial equity lens • Promote racially equitable economic and workforce development practices • Establish alliances and secure adequate resources to successfully accomplish the above objectives In the fall of 2019, the county in partnership with the Council for Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the lynching of Will Brown. It was a memorable show of unity in the city as people of all races and ethnicities remembered the horrible lynching and burning of a Black man during the 1919 race riots, and leaders pledged to never let it happen again. Participants also committed to working together to improve race relations and address long-term social, health and economic issues. As the calendar turned to 2020, within three months the nation and world were dealing with the devastating Read more at reviveomahamagazine.com

COVID-19 pandemic. Through the impact of the Coronavirus, underlying health disparities and economic inequities have been exposed at an unprecedented level.

“We have been tracking the health data since 2002 and there’s been very little progress and some measures are now worse than they were.” Nationally, African-Americans and people of color are once again disproportionately diagnosed with cases and have died at an alarming rate from the disease. After years of research and work to improve health conditions and some targeted efforts to address the social determinants of health, county officials started along the path of officially recognizing what many in the Black community have known forever: racism is having a devastating impact.

77 % of the COVID-19 cases in Douglas County were impacting minority communities. It is time to address the underlying causes, for example the structural and institutional policies that have disadvantaged our minority communities. It’s time we work together.” As the COVID 19 virus has continued to impact the country, the Douglas County resolution and forthcoming actions should make a difference. The work has already started. To be effective, influential and impactful, the group must sustain the effort, reform policies and align investments to directly address the problem. This is a big first step and should be recognized and celebrated. Now the real work begins.

“There is a sense of urgency to finally do something about this.”

“We have been tracking the health data since 2002 and there’s been very little progress and some measures are now worse than they were,” said Dr. Adi Dr. Adi Pour Pour, Director of the Douglas County Health Department.

“There is a sense of urgency to finally do something about this,” said Ben Gray, City Councilman and member of the Douglas County Board of Health. “The city and county have the opportunity to reform and change Councilman Ben Gray these systems and structures. We must get it done this time.”

“Coronavirus has further exposed health disparities, where at one point,

Visit ReviveOmaha.com for the link to the resolution and 22 action steps. REVIVE!

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PASTOR PORTIA CAVITT IS MAKING AN IMPACT: Community Serving Community

By Willie D. Barney

During the pandemic we can get overwhelmed with negative news. In keeping with the mission of Revive! Omaha, we decided to highlight people who are doing great work behind the scenes. Pastor Portia Cavitt, or “Pastor P” as she is known in the community, is a powerhouse. She’s not afraid to voice her strong opinion while representing the community’s needs and concerns. She speaks truth to power and is always ready to develop partnerships to solve an issue. “Pastor P is one of those people we wish we had more of…she talks the talk, and walks the walk in terms of standing up for the community,” said Councilman Ben Gray. She is the Senior Pastor of Clair Memorial United Methodist Church.

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She has lived in Omaha for many years, and hit the ground running to make a measurable impact initially in South Omaha and then moved to Clair to lead that ministry. The community is blessed to have Pastor Cavitt in her position now for 12 years, which is not typical for the UMC or AME denomination. The community takes a deep collective breath and exhales excitedly each time the decision is made for Pastor P to stay in place at Clair.

“She talks the talk, and walks the walk in terms of standing up for the community.”

Jonathan Chapman, Head Coach at Church on Purpose and leader of the Empowerment Network’s Pastors and Faith Leaders Collaborative had this to say: “Pastor Portia is an amazing example of the power of the Church to impact lives when we translate our command to love one another into practical action. She leads by example in a way that makes you want to be a part of it and her intimate knowledge of the obstacles facing those in need in our community positions her perfectly to advocate on their behalf. And every opportunity to do so, she takes full advantage of.” Pastor Cavitt wears many hats. She is what some would describe as a throwback to a previous generation of pastors, with a servant leadership,

community activist and hands-on style. She always makes herself available when called upon by the community. In addition to her frequent engagement with the school district board, city council members and county commissioners, Pastor P is extremely active in the community on a daily basis. She moves with seemingly unbounded energy from one event or meeting to another. Pastor P was recently elected as the president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. She is the first woman elected to hold the position. She continues to play key leadership roles with many organizations, including: the Village Zone Pastor and Faith Leaders Collaborative as a Village Champion; board chair of the North Omaha Area Health (NOAH) clinic; board member of the Great Plains Black History Museum; previous board chairwoman for the North Omaha Continuum of Care; and a member of many other organizations. “Pastor Cavitt is dedicated to making Omaha a great place for everyone to live. She always looks to help everyone reach their full potential,” said Eric Ewing, Executive Director of the Great Plains Black History Museum. She is committed to the health of our community. Much of her work impacts community health from hosting food pantries to encouraging members of her church and community to participate in health walks and healthy behaviors. Pastor P has consistently had some of the highest numbers of participants in health-oriented events and activities in the community. She also has a thriving health ministry in her church and partners with the Big Garden to maintain a community garden every year on the church grounds. She is dedicated to social justice. She co-hosts important community meetings and planning sessions at her church to address youth detention, racism, violence, fighting the expansion of liquor establishments and other critical topics. Read more at reviveomahamagazine.com

“Pastor Cavitt is a tireless advocate for our community. She has a no nonsense, get it done approach that is very effective. She is caring and concerned about those less fortunate and at risk, and is willing to do all she can to improve their plight. This includes health disparities, social justice inequities and economics inequalities. I count it a privilege to work with her,” said Pastor T. Michael Williams of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church.

“Pastor Cavitt is dedicated to making Omaha a great place for everyone to live. She always looks to help everyone reach their full potential.” “You can count on her to be the voice of conscious that does not have an agenda only a sincere desire to help those in need,” said Chris Rodgers, Douglas County Commissioner. She is also devoted to future generations. On a weekly basis pre-COVID, you would see Pastor P at a number of schools leading highly effective and well attended sessions with groups of students. She has been a major player and leader with successful community efforts at Wakonda and Mt. View Elementary, Nathan Hale and other schools. She personally teaches and sponsors groups while recruiting other pastors and leaders to attend as guest speakers and mentors. Lisa Utterback, Executive Director for Omaha Public Schools Office of Community, School and Family Engagement had glowing praise for Cavitt. “Pastor Portia Cavitt has been incredibly dedicated to supporting students and families in the Omaha Public Schools. She serves as a positive mentor and role model, and volunteers countless hours serving others. Pastor P truly embodies servant leadership. It is a blessing to have her as an OPS advocate.”

She accomplishes all of these great things while helping foster children and her talented and impressive godson Kameron. Pastor Portia Cavitt is well deserving of any honors that come her way and she has been recognized with significant awards. Plain and simple, she is doing the work. During the coronavirus pandemic she has expanded Clair Cares food pantry, partnering with other churches and the Empowerment Network to connect with residents of Benson and Crown Towers to help meet the needs of seniors and others. The program grew exponentially in the midst of the pandemic as Cavitt worked to make healthy food available to the community on a weekly basis. She is also the host of NOAH free clinic’s COVID Conversation. And, did we mention she’s a proud and active member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority? Vickie Young, President of the Omaha NAACP captured the essence of Pastor Cavitt: “During the several years that I have known Pastor Cavitt, I’ve always known her to be an advocate for social change. She’s always stood for righteousness and positive change in our community, never wavering from her stance. She has a heart for the youth; serving as a positive role model for young girls and women.” “Fondly known as Pastor P, Pastor Cavitt exudes leadership and goodwill via the diverse relationships established with her congregation, various schools, the court system and community at large. We’re blessed to have this mighty warrior fighting for North Omaha.” Pastor Cavitt is an exceptional example of Community helping Community. A living legend.

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Original art: Reggie LeFlore. Mask Concept: CharDale Barnes and Step-Up Omaha Interns

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION TO ADDRESS COVID-19 AND ACCELERATE PROGRESS

It is often said and repeated Public Schools, Omaha WorldHerald and other media, highlighted that Black leaders cannot measurable improvements. work together. Differences of COVID-19 had a major impact on those positive trends. There was opinion, political fights and an instant and dramatic increase in disagreements tend to get unemployment claims, and 2020 more press than the positive saw a major spike in gun violence following four years of record lows. work and outcomes that Hundreds of lives have been lost to the result when they collaborate pandemic and thousands more have been severely impacted by symptoms and align their efforts. during and after having the virus. Omaha in 2020 was a great example of what is possible. “Hundreds of organizations and African-American leaders who are part of the Empowerment Network have been working together for over 15 years to help address long-term issues that have impacted the Black community and North Omaha for decades. Pre-COVID, the collective results as reported from many sources, including the University of Nebraska Omaha, Creighton University, Omaha Police Department, Omaha

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thousands of residents worked together to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “ The Black community didn’t wait for others to respond when COVID-19 was just beginning. Kimara Snipes, OPS Board Member, was one of the first to sound the alarm. She reached out to a number of leaders and held a zoom call to discuss the pending

issue, and asked for leaders to come together to make sure the North and South Omaha communities were not left behind. Kimara called Willie Barney, President and Founder of the Empowerment Network, and recommended that rather than starting from scratch, the community should use the Empowerment Network’s village strategy which had been launched and implemented in North Omaha for over a decade. Barney responded right away and welcomed the opportunity to help expand a monthly meeting with Black leaders to a larger group. After the call from Barney and Snipes, the response from other Black leaders was immediate. The number of participants on the weekly call reached as many as 80, with over 200 organizations, churches, neighborhoods, small businesses and others from every sector gathering virtually together. The format of the meeting was adjusted to address the COVID-19 crisis first and then cover other strategic issues. ©2020 Revive! Omaha Magazine

County Commissioner Chris Rodgers, Board Chair of the Douglas County Health Department, would start the meetings with an update on Coronavirus cases. State Senator Justin Wayne provided a state perspective regarding the legislature’s potential role and pointed to the Governor as the key person because funding of initiatives would be determined with the use of federal funds. City Councilman Ben Gray shared information regarding the City of Omaha’s efforts to help address the virus and also played a leadership role with getting a mask mandate put in place. Senator Wayne also played a pivotal role later in the year when he researched and provided guidance for other cities to also implement mask mandates. It’s difficult to imagine what the impact would have been had the City of Omaha and other cities across the state not implemented the mandates. Dr. Cheryl Logan, Superintendent of Omaha Public Schools, was one of the first leaders to see the potential impact of COVID. Logan worked with her teams early in March to develop a comprehensive plan anticipating that the district would need to go to full remote learning. Logan, the first African-American and female superintendent of OPS, was far ahead of most leaders. In addition to the roles played by elected and appointed officials, Charles Drew CEO Kenny McMorris, provided a weekly update specifically related to the work implemented by his team at Charles Drew and other health providers. Initially, the data showed that Omaha was headed in the same direction as other cities, as people of color were more severely and significantly impacted by COVID-19. Early data suggested that the Latino, Black and Asian communities were representing well over 70% of the cases. National media stories were highlighting that Blacks were being infected and dying at a

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disproportionate rate in major cities across the country. As these stories were hitting the press, Preston Love, Jr. recommended having a meeting with Governor Pete Ricketts to make sure North Omaha and AfricanAmericans would not be overlooked when resources were made available. Gov. Ricketts was receptive and agreed to meet again after reviewing the recommendations and meeting with his team. He also agreed that in addition to working together to address COVID-19, he would assign members of his staff to work on longer term economic and health issues that were in existence long before the virus struck Omaha, the State of Nebraska and U.S.

“National media stories were highlighting that Blacks were being infected and dying at a disproportionate rate in major cities across the country.”

University created a marketing and outreach campaign to help educate the community about COVID-19.

Churches

Doris Lassiter also worked with Brown and Kosoko-Lasaki by connecting churches to the strategy, and planning and hosting well attended testing events. Well over 1,500 residents were tested during these events.

North Omaha Media Collaborative

In addition to the media campaign created by Creighton University, the Empowerment Network brought together other African-American media platforms to form the Black Media and North Omaha Media Collaborative. The group included three radio stations, 95.7 the Boss, 101.3 Mind and Soul and 100.3 Gospel Radio Omaha; the Omaha Star Newspaper; Revive Omaha Magazine; and NOISE. White Rhino Productions facilitated street outreach and cable communications. Tim Clark worked with Commissioner Rodgers, Dr. Adi Pour and others to gain support for the campaign.

Healthy Village Collaborative

After a few weeks of meetings and exchanges of emails, the 10 Point Plan was officially adopted by Governor Ricketts and work was initiated right away. The strategy ranged from testing, making masks available, supporting health organizations, reporting data by race and ethnicity, increasing allocations of funds to North and South Omaha organizations, addressing unemployment, preventing the spread of COVID in state prisons, and developing a long-term plan for health and economics in these communities. Progress was made on all fronts with active engagement with state department leaders.

North Omaha COVID-19 Task Force

Other African-American health professionals were also major players with what would become the AfricanAmerican and North Omaha COVID-19 Task Force. Dr. Richard Brown and Dr. Sade Kosoko-Lasaki of Creighton

Beyond the media campaign, the leaders worked jointly to pull together a comprehensive effort called the Healthy Village Collaborative (HVC). The Network facilitated a grant application with the State of Nebraska which included: four health organizations, Charles Drew Health Center, North Omaha Area Health Clinic, Center for Holistic Development, One World Health Center; Omaha Economic Development Corporation’s Fair Deal Village Marketplace for food purchasing and distribution; and 12 different churches and neighborhood groups. UNMC, CHI Health and Test Nebraska were also deeply engaged in support efforts in North Omaha. Sharlon Rodgers and Jonathan Chapman provided leadership to the HVC.

Food Distribution

Churches also played critical roles beyond the campaign and Healthy REVIVE!

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COLLABORATION Village Collaborative. Over 100 ministries were active with serving the community at an expanded level during COVID-19. Churches were gathering and delivering food. Some participated as distribution sites along with Omaha Public Schools. Others enlarged their food pantries to meet the expanded need. Churches also partnered to help provide needed supplies to the Omaha Housing Authority towers and other senior living facilities. In the area of food, the collaboration was extensive. Nancy Williams, CEO of No More Empty Pots, facilitated the delivery of over 50,000 meals during 2020. She helped to coordinate efforts with OPS, farmers, restaurants, Whispering Roots and her own team to deliver healthy meals throughout the community.

Housing

Housing continues to be another critical area. Teresa Hunter, CEO of Family Housing, Sal Issaka and Shawntal Smith gave weekly updates on the status of evictions and resources available to address housing concerns. MACCH and others also worked to support the community with funding provided by the Omaha Community Foundation and Douglas County.

Employment

Regarding employment, the Urban League, Heartland Workforce Solutions and Metropolitan Community College secured grants and additional funding to assist residents with receiving unemployment benefits and also

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offered access to training for new positions and connections to jobs. For youth, the Empowerment Network’s Step-Up Omaha program had to be adjusted to meet health guidelines and directives. Moniki Cannon led efforts with partners to convert the program into a virtual and in-person curriculum and program.

Businesses

Small businesses, churches and non-profits were convened by the Empowerment Network, Nebraska Enterprise Fund, Carver Legacy Center, American National Bank and Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce to make them aware of the grants and resources available. Over 100 of these organizations participated on zoom calls to learn about and access opportunities, including the PPP loans.

Arts and Culture

Felicia Webster and Stable Gray facilitated the production of creative pieces from influencers including visual and performing artists to support the North Omaha COVID-19 campaign. The Empowerment Network worked with Webster, Great Plains Black History Museum, Revive Center, Fair Deal and 30 plus businesses, organizations and artists to launch First Fridays Omaha.

Jail and Prison System

Another key area was addressing the concerns about COVID-19 in the jails and prison system. Preston Love and Jasmine Harris, community activists, convened a group to meet consistently

with Douglas County Jail Director Mike Meyers and State Corrections Director Scott Frakes. Overall, the jail and prison system were able to contain COVID and prevented large scale spreading and deaths.

There is no doubt that the collective work of these hundreds of leaders and organizations has had a positive impact. To date, the African-American communities in Omaha and North Omaha neighborhoods have not been as severely impacted by COVID as other Black communities and urban areas across the country. There is no doubt that the collective work of these hundreds of leaders and organizations has had a positive impact. At the end of 2019, the midpoint for the Transformation 2025 Plan, the teams were meeting or exceeding goals in most of the categories measured. With the health pandemic, economic recession and the unrest generated by the murder of George Floyd followed by demonstrations, Omaha is at an important juncture. The strategies and recommendations are being updated by the community. Executives from community-based agencies, elected and appointed officials, pastors, neighborhood leaders, CEOs and others are working together. They are working together to collaborate, align efforts and secure larger investments to accelerate the work of addressing systemic racism and closing long-standing gaps in education, employment, health, entrepreneurship and housing. There is great work ahead in every sector and the pandemic is still impacting Omaha and the region. There is hope that lessons learned through fifteen years of collaboration and a united front to address COVID show progress is possible with collective efforts. Collective works has always been the hallmark of the Black community. ©2020 Revive! Omaha Magazine

THE MORE

YOU KNOW THE MORE THEY GROW Learning Styles of Your Child The virtual world and learning situation that has evolved as a result of the pandemic puts parents in a more engaged role in their child’s education. The younger the child, the greater the impact of the parent or caregiver’s engagement. Well beyond, “How was school today? What did you learn?”, parents have a more vital function and view of the formal teaching and learning process for their individual child. An opportunity that can arise out of this situation is for parents to be able to identify the “learning style or styles” of their child. Learning styles speak to the understanding that everyone learns differently. By recognizing and understanding their child’s learning styles, parents along with the instructor can work together on strategies and techniques to improve the speed and quality of mastery of a skill or content. Once mastery of a skill or content is reached, the child can move on to the next level of learning and understanding.

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By Elaine Adams

Success breeds success

Real chances to combine the creativity of the parent and the instructor exist. Add to that the environmental assets of the home setting along with the parents’ genuine knowledge of their child’s previous understandings. This makes for authentic chances for students to grasp and master new learning and content. Because parents are with their child one on one so many more hours of the day than formal educators, the probability for reinforcing through teachable moments is well beyond the classroom time. An added bonus is the parent’s opportunity to see the learning objective of a single virtual lesson and again, make reference to it throughout the day or week.

Win-Win

Teachers are well informed that each child has different learning styles that work best for him or her. By observing the learning style, parents are able to see not only that their child is learning more, but are able to determine how their child learns best. It is a win-win for the child as the parent collaborates

with the teacher for strategies so their child comprehends better, makes connections, is able to apply the skill in differing settings and situations. This breeds the confidence needed for moving on to the next new skill.

Five Dominant Learning Styles

Auditory – Hearing the information needed Visual – Taking in information through visual cues Read-Write – Putting information down on paper Kinesthetic – Hands-on understanding, mostly when they do it themselves Multimodal – Take on the traits of the other four, depending on the situation As we all navigate “doing things differently” in this new environment, continue to search for the good and make more than the most of it. Stay healthy and have fun as your child’s first and most lifelong teacher and advocate.

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COMMUNITY HELPING COMMUNITY

Charles Moore

Jasmine Harris

Myron Pierce

Brittany Henry

Nebraska Enterprise Fund

Charles Drew Health Center

Community Advocate

Mission Church and Shift Omaha

Charles Drew Health Center

Dawaune Hayes

Candice Price

Johnny McCain

Cynthia Hume

Clinton Skanes

Home Team Auto Sales

Charles Drew Health Center

Fair Deal Village Market Place

Charles Drew Health Center

BC Clark

NOISE

Dawn Butler Charles Drew Health Center

William King

Jonathan Chapman

Precious McKesson

Martha Hayes

Justin Wayne

Empowerment Network

NONA

Charles Drew Health Center

State Senator

95.7 The Boss

Sharlon Rodgers

Nancy Chapman

Teresa Hunter

Tim Clark

Empowerment Network

Fair Deal Village Market Place

Family Housing Advisory Services

Moving People to Action

Nancy Williams

Pastor Demetrius Watson

Doris Lassiter

Kimara Snipes

Maurtice Ivy

No More Empty Pots

New Fellowship Christian Church

Center for Healthy Families

OPS Board/ Nebraska Civic Engagement Table

Charles Drew Health Center

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Everyone has a role to play. These are some of the individuals that have worked to keep the Village safe during the pandemic. Many others are included throughout this edition and online at ReviveOmaha.com.

Healthy Village Collaborative and Empowerment Network’s Christmas in the Village-OEDC’s Fair Deal Village Food Drive

Clair Cares Food Pantry in Collaboration with Village Zone 7 & 8

Fair Deal Village Grocery Store and the Healthy Village Collaborative

Dumpster Days, NONA, Habitat, Pastors and Faith Leaders Read more at reviveomahamagazine.com

NONA, YBI, Omaha United for Youth and Woman 2 Woman Food Drive Up REVIVE!

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Photo taken Pre-COVID

KENNY MCMORRIS AND CHARLES DREW HEALTH CENTER

PLAYING LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH COVID-19 A place where people can come and know they will receive great care.” McMorris and his staff at Charles Drew Health Center (CDHC) have led the way with the community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenny McMorris, CEO

Living his early years in the Hilltop Projects near 30th and Lake gave McMorris a real life experience of what it means to be born and raised in North Omaha. As the CEO of the Charles Drew Health Center, located across the street from his childhood home, McMorris is committed to the health of the community. “There is not a decision I make that isn’t informed by my upbringing and being able to see it because I lived it firsthand. As we continue through this pandemic we will stay at the forefront. 20 | REVIVE!

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Charles Drew is one of the longest running test sites which has facilitated over 11,000 tests since COVID-19 started impacting the state of Nebraska. McMorris has consistently pushed to increase the number of tests, masks, health services and to make other resources more available in the community. CDHC has partnered with Federally Qualified Health Centers across the state and country to make sure urban and rural communities have the quality health care they need during this time. Charles Drew is serving an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse population of AfricanAmericans, Latinos, Asian, Sudanese, Somalian, Native Americans and others in North Omaha. Charles Drew offers a full range of comprehensive primary health services

including: medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy. The team also facilitates community services, including enrollment for health insurance and Medicaid, improving access to healthy foods, and other supports that address the social determinants of health. Across the country, African-Americans and people of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, partly because of conditions and disparities that existed well before the pandemic started to wreak havoc. Research shows those with pre-existing conditions and morbidity issues have greater risks of serious illness or death because of the Coronavirus. African-Americans suffer from elevated levels of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and other diseases that make them prone to the severe impacts of COVID-19. While there are debates about what causes AfricanAmericans to have higher incidents of these diseases, national reports show that poverty, systemic racism and longstanding economic issues have

served as a major driver of these health inequities. The pandemic has shined the light on the fact that African-Americans still live in heavily segregated, under resourced neighborhoods which have higher rates of unemployment, poverty, underfunded and poorer performing schools, dilapidated and unhealthy homes, and areas considered to be food deserts when it comes to healthy foods. McMorris has consistently championed the need for residents to have a primary health home. “We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for everyone in our community to have a primary health home, a primary medical doctor,” said McMorris. “The conditions in which people live, learn and work contribute to their health. These conditions, over time, lead to different levels of health risks, needs and outcomes among some racial and ethnic groups. In a public health emergency such as COVID-19, these conditions can also isolate people from the resources they need to prepare for and respond to an outbreak.” “Charles Drew continues to serve with distinction and dedication. Kenny McMorris has really been on top of getting the community the latest information. In these very difficult days, this community stalwart has stood tall,” said Ben Gray, City Councilman. McMorris consistently reminds leaders and elected officials that the community cannot just host events and serve people in the ER or urgent care. “We need to know what caused them to get there and we need to provide services to help prevent the cycle from being repeated,” said McMorris. “We need to address the underlying issues by being proactive.”

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As the community continues with COVID-19 testing, Charles Drew is also in a leadership position with helping to administer the vaccine. Charles Drew is coordinating with Douglas County and the state of Nebraska to expand locations to make the vaccine more available as the different phases are announced and implemented. McMorris has worked directly with Dr. Adi Pour, Douglas County Health Director, and Dannette Smith, CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, to keep the needs of North Omaha residents at the forefront. He’s also actively participated in meetings with Councilman Ben Gray, Commissioner Chris Rodgers, State Senator Justin Wayne, Governor Pete Ricketts and other elected officials to present strategies and solutions to help prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19. “Charles Drew plays an important role as the Health Care compass for North Omaha and the underserved at large. Kenny’s leadership during the pandemic cannot be underestimated. He is an authentic voice with North Omaha roots that the community can trust,” said Douglas County Commissioner Chris Rodgers, who is also the Chair of the Board of Health. McMorris and Larry Duncan, Director of Behavioral Health Services at Charles Drew, have partnered with the Empowerment Network and dozens of other community organizations on the Healthy Village Collaborative funded by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services through CARES funding. The collaborative has helped to connect residents in North Omaha with food, health services, job training, and housing during the pandemic. McMorris and other team members, Aja Anderson and Maurtice Ivy, are active members of the North Omaha COVID-19 Task Force. Anderson has

helped to lead efforts with testing and distribution of masks while Ivy has served a leading role with getting residents enrolled in the expanded Medicaid program. Charles Drew team members have also served on numerous committees across the region and state, playing a critical role with meeting the needs of clients and the community. Dr. Cheryl Logan, superintendent of Omaha Public Schools, has counted on Charles Drew in many ways before and during the pandemic. “Kenny and his team have gone above and beyond to assist OPS, our children and families with testing and quality health services throughout this crisis,” said Logan. Charles Drew is dedicated to providing quality comprehensive health care in a manner that acknowledges the dignity of the individual, the strength of the family, and the supportive network of the community. “As board chairman for Charles Drew Health Center Board of Directors, I’m extremely proud of the leadership of Mr. Kenny McMorris and the service provided by the members of the organization,” said John Ewing, Jr., Douglas County Treasurer. “This amazing team provided accurate health information to the community, became a major provider of testing and partnered with the Omaha Public Schools for testing to keep the staff and students healthy. They will be a leader in the vaccination process as well. They are a trusted source of healthcare in our community.” To connect with Charles Drew, please go to their website at charlesdrew.com or call 402-451-3553. Charles Drew Health Center is also a partner with the Healthy Village Collaborative.

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20 Years

OF BRINGING HOLISTIC MENTAL HEALTH TO THE COMMUNITY Photo taken Pre-COVID

Doris Moore, Founder and CEO

When Doris Moore decided to enter the behavioral health field, she wanted to answer one question, “Why do people feel the way they do?” With no mental health background, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology, she returned to school 14 years later and received her Master’s degree in Community Counseling. Moore is the founder and CEO of Center for Holistic Development (CHD), a non-profit focused on providing mental and behavioral health counseling and prevention programs in North Omaha. The CHD offers programs that provide a culturally competent approach to address the behavioral health care needs of the Black community. Eighty percent of the clientele the organization serves is African American. Moore is passionate about the work she gets to do on a daily basis. She refers to the work as “a calling” and she feels it is her mission to help others

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recognize how important their mental and emotional state is for living a productive life. Moore says, “There is a counseling term called stinky thinking. That is how your life will be; if you think you can’t, then you can’t. If you think of the positive possibilities, than you can.” She also recognizes there are some individuals that have severe mental illness due to traumas, negative influence, racism, abuse, and micro aggressions. All these things impact our ability to be our authentic self and how we move forward.

Emotional/Economic – Ability to understand, recognize, and manage personal emotions. Also developing an approach for economic stability resulting in adequate finances to meet one’s obligations.

“I recognize when people are struggling with depression or anxiety, and I want to know what is behind that. What is the thing that makes you feel life is becoming a challenge and question if living is worth it?,” says Moore.

Associations (Social) – Developing and maintaining a social support system that encourages and enhances the positive self.

She opened the doors to CHD in 2001 with the goal of providing a holistic approach to behavioral health care services to her community. Moore developed a model that focuses on the balance and well-being of individuals. She created the acronym S.P.E.C.I.A.L.™ which focuses on specific areas that she and her team practice within the CHD. Spiritual – Acknowledging and valuing the presence of a higher power that influences your life’s purpose to create inner peace. Physical – Adhering to standards that promote appropriate diet, weight, exercise, and rest.

Cultural – Recognition and appreciation of your cultural and ethnic heritage as a positive influence on self-concept. Intellectual - Promoting and participating in a personal philosophy of lifelong learning.

Love for Self and Others – Recognition and appreciation for self. Valuing the gift of interconnectedness to all individuals. CHD provides intervention, prevention, education and community outreach services. The goal is to help perspective clients understand what mental health is, and what is defined as mental illness. CHD also strives to provide information to dispel the stigma and increase utilization rates through a staff of diverse mental health professionals.

Services Provided by CHD:

Center for Holistic Development is focused on four key areas which are related to bring mental and behavioral health:

CHD has seen an increase in the demand for counseling since the beginning of the pandemic. Due to COVID-19, the center offers socially distance or virtual counseling services for individuals, groups, youth and adults. Most people haven’t recognized all the feelings that can be triggered from COVID. Emotions can range from anxiety and guilt, to grief and depression.

Betty Nelum, Pastor Kenneth Allen and Doris Moore

• Prevention. These programs are designed to interrupt potential negative influences that challenge mental health. • Education. Become an advocate for your own mental health and your self-care. Recognize the connection between mental health and total health care. • Community education. CHD offers free behavioral stress screenings on their website, chdomaha.org. • Intervention: CHD has professional mental health counselors that provide individual or family counseling, and substance abuse counseling. CHD Prevention Programs are offered for 0 to 99 years of age. Many of the programs have made adjustments due to COVID restrictions. KidSquad. The program works with

Photo taken Pre-COVID

teachers, staff, and parents at childcare centers to help children who have challenging behaviors. Real Talk. A program within four Omaha Public middle schools that is now offered virtually due to COVID. The program is geared toward building social and emotional competence in middle school age students. Urban Youth BOLT (Building Our Leaders Today) The program provides early intervention and prevention, and works with youth referred from the families, agencies, and the Juvenile Assessment Center. Family Engagement and Resource connection. Provides parents with evidence-based techniques to enhance nurturing and parent engagement within all levels of parenting. GrandFriends for Grassroots change. A mentoring program for young adults ages 19-30 to be matched up with seasoned adults.

Moore says, “There is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety about the virus, and the volumes of information regarding the testing, vaccines, etc. There is guilt with the fact of screening positive and unknowingly infecting friends and family. It is important to find a balance and manage the myriad of emotions associated with this challenging time. While some people struggle with mild mental or emotional symptoms, and others are challenged with more severe concerns. When life gets to be too much, contact a behavioral health specialist. Just as with other medical conditions, treatment can be paid for through your insurance.” “While there is a more heightened level of stress and loss of control and grief, it is important to stop and take care of yourself. “ The Center for Holistic Development offers a free anonymous online mental health screening for individuals on their website, and offers a free meditation video on their Facebook page: Facebook/CHDOmaha. For more information about their programs, visit chdomaha.org or call 402-502-9788.

B.J. Nelum Lighthouse Award

Betty Nelum was the Center for Holistic Development’s first contract therapist. Nelum had a long history in the community of providing behavioral health care and substance abuse services. She also assisted with the fundraising for the organization. Moore considers Nelum instrumental in getting the company to where it is today. Since her passing in 2014, the CHD honors her legacy by presenting the BJ Nelum Lighthouse award to a recipient at their annual fundraising luncheon. As the Center for Holistic Development, Inc. celebrates 20 years of service to the community, they are deeply indebted to those who have helped them reach this momentous milestone.

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Photo taken Pre-COVID

IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY No doubt about it, Ira Combs is a blessing to the community. After a long career working as a nurse at UNMC and other social and health organizations, Combs felt a strong calling to do more to positively impact his community. Over the years, he could see the gaps in healthcare that were creating issues and leaving thousands of people un-served. Lower rates of health insurance. Poverty. Unemployment. Lack of transportation. Lack of awareness and information. Lack of access. He decided to do something about it and stepped out in faith to form the North Omaha Area Free Clinic (NOAH). His story is one of perseverance, faith, passion, hard work and commitment.

“We want to make North Omaha the healthiest place in the state.” Not one to seek personal attention, Combs just does the work. He is focused on making sure his community has what it needs, and if possible he wants to provide it at no charge. He has been quoted as saying, “We want to make North Omaha the

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healthiest place in the state.” The work to make that happen is daunting, but he keeps plugging along with the assistance from his team and many others in the community working to improve conditions in North Omaha and for African-Americans and people of color. He is also incredibly committed to reaching the youth. Combs has consistently created innovative and creative ways to get messages into the minds of children and teens. He has a “whatever it takes” mentality when it comes to making sure children understand healthy behaviors.

He is also incredibly committed to reaching the youth.

Ira Combs, Founder and Director

Whether it’s creating attention grabbing marketing materials, bus benches, radio spots, jingles or billboards, Combs and his team are dedicated to the cause. He’s even created superheroes and other characters to get the message across.

hiring younger staff members from the community. Another key need that Combs identified over the years is the limited number of African-Americans and people of color in the health industry. Rather than complain, Combs did what he always does, he did something about it.

Knowing kids usually relate to people closer to their age and speak their language, Combs is dedicated to

He launched Youth Expressions of Health (YEOH), one of the best youth training programs in the city. Every

year, the program recruits youth and exposes them to career options available in the health field. Shomari Huggins works with Combs to facilitate the highly impactful and successful initiative. A number of the graduates have entered the health field, attending and completing college in pursuit of their goals.

Through his efforts, Combs is lifting up the health of North Omaha Through his efforts, Combs is lifting up the health of North Omaha. Though he does not

seek attention, his work has brought him plenty of it. He was recognized by the White House under President Barack Obama’s administration. Personally, Combs has lived through his own challenges, but always seems to have a positive and comforting spirit at all times. He has his own health obstacles and has cared for his loving wife, Victoria, who is confined to a wheelchair, for many years. Their love is as strong as ever as they continue to pursue this faith filled journey. North Omaha is blessed to have Ira Combs and his team in place before, during and after this pandemic passes. To connect with NOAH visit: noahclinic.org or call 402-933-0737.

Shomari Huggins, YOEH Director

NOAH Clinic is a beacon of light in the community, by ministering to the hearts, body and minds of families and individuals in North Omaha. The clinic provides care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Their primary value is “the needs of the patient come first.” Services provided: • Drive Thru COVID-19 Testing • Physical exams for men, women and children • Family Planning • Health Education • Medical Referrals • Mental Health Screening • Cholesterol Personal Health Screening for: • Diabetes, High Blood Pressure • Anonymous HIV and Hep-C testing and risk counseling • Anonymous STD testing and treatment • Daycare worker and camp physicals Health Classes and Support Groups: • Smoking Cessation • Weight Loss • Diabetes Support • Hypertension Support • Grief Support • Sickle Cell Support Group Watch NOAH’s weekly show, COVID Conversations on Facebook at: facebook.com/NoahFreeClinic. The live show is hosted by Pastor Portia Cavitt and features guest panelists who discuss topics related to COVID-19. Noahclinic.org 402-933-0737 Read more at reviveomahamagazine.com

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HOW TO NAVIGATE

MENTAL HEALTH During the COVID-19 Pandemic Mental Health Concerns Amplified during COVID-19 Crisis During a tumultuous year in 2020, the citizens of Black America had to combat a pandemic along with racial unrest leading to the amplification of a number of systemic issues facing this historically resilient community. In addition to this, it was a Presidential election year causing more intensified dialogues about the stability and survival of this nation as a whole. With these heightened topics arising at the dinner tables, Facebook groups and zoom circles, an influx of awareness arises on the sometimes stigmatic topic of mental wellness. Collectively, it is now seen as imperative for the Black community to prepare themselves for this effort towards having a more balanced heart and mind in order to make it out of the COVID-19 crisis in one piece. We’ve gathered some expert advice for those interested in improving and withstanding the aftermath of this nationwide struggle

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to eradicate the virus and sustain their overall wellbeing.

“Black communities often feel the ripple effect of societal challenges more severely for a variety of reasons.” Alicia Caldwell is a National Certified Counselor dedicated to the mental fitness of women leaders for the past 16 years through her independent consulting business Live Like HER, LLC. “Black communities often feel the

By JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike

ripple effect of societal challenges more severely for a variety of reasons,” Caldwell said. “Because of this historic trend, shining a light on resources and practical strategies for Black families is greatly needed. What works for the larger society in the area of mental health, may need to be tweaked to speak to the unique needs of Black families experiencing stress and hardship in multiple areas at the same time.” Caldwell outlines how the pandemic can impact all layers of our lives causing stress or anxiety that some may not have experienced before. She warns that individuals should pay attention to how they cope when seeking solutions. “Our mental health needs are important in every season of life, but the pandemic has added additional

layers of stress and uncertainty that most of us weren’t prepared for,” Caldwell said. “Whenever our mental stress goes up, our coping strategies need to rise to meet the occasion. Unfortunately, some of the coping strategies that worked before, may not work when situations are outside of anything we’ve experienced before. That’s what this pandemic has been. A crisis that caught us off guard in so many areas. In times of tremendous mental strain, it is paramount that we call upon mental health and wellness strategies that keep us from getting stuck and feeling defeated.” Caldwell mentions some strategies and tips to consider when adding therapy to a person’s healing routine: • Start by understanding what therapy is and how it can benefit you in your life or relationships. • While educating yourself, know that hesitation is normal, but shouldn’t be a barrier for moving forward. • Don’t be afraid to “interview” potential therapists prior to scheduling an appointment. It’s okay to be picky about who you choose to explore your life with. • A formerly bad experience with a therapist doesn’t mean that therapy isn’t for you. It just means that the therapist wasn’t the right fit. • Contact your insurance provider to find out what your mental health benefits are. And to avoid any financial surprises. • For those without insurance, explore low-cost therapy options like Open Path Collective to explore more budget-friendly options. Doris Moore, founder and CEO of the Center for Holistic Development, Inc. is also passionate about behavioral healthcare and providing preventative care, offering

Read more at reviveomahamagazine.com

services to local residents since 2001. Moore is also a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP). She recognizes the deep impact that a pandemic can have on one’s mental health, especially when it comes to a person’s relationships toward self and their extended community. “The condition of your mental health affects your relationship with yourself, your friends and family, your work, business, and community contacts,” Moore said. “The pandemic has exacerbated the mental challenges specifically faced by communities of color to include, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions of mental illness. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic, issues of racism, social injustice, grief, financial challenges have had a detrimental impact on the sense of safety and security creating stress that not only affects the mind but the body and soul.” Realizing that with all of these concerns, therapy may not entirely cure one’s current mental health status. In addition to the consideration of therapy, Moore further states how one can combat any detrimental behaviors or new habits that might arise through the following, “There are a lot of self-help strategies that can be useful such as meditation, journaling, deep breathing, balance social and new media, spiritual care; and seeking a professional when necessary.” Carmelita Christian has been in practice as a mental health professional since 2010 and owner of an independent practice through Holistic Counseling, LLC. She is a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP) and also a Provisional Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (PLDAC). Christian understands how seeking

out a therapist might seem like a daunting task, especially for the Black community, offering resources to help individuals dig deeper into their personal needs and goals. “Make sure to ask the providers questions about their treatment approach and if they are culturally competent. Seek a therapist who is aware and affirming of your concerns, such as race,” Christian said. “When seeking a therapist, it’s okay to ask for referrals from a trusted source or use the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) through your employer. There are also different websites that can help you find a Black therapist, such as Therapy for Black Girls or Psychology Today.” As a common consequence of many trying to be safe during the pandemic, some may turn to digital devices to keep them entertained. But these activities can also wear on a person psychologically. Christian invites others to consider decluttering their routines from so much screen time and incorporating more exercise and diet changes to stay mentally fit. “It’s important to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Make a schedule and try to stick to it daily,” Christian explains. “Routine is so important in managing your mental and physical health. Exercising and maintaining a healthy diet are also important to managing one’s physical and mental well-being.” REVIVE!

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But what about the youth?

Adults are not the only people struggling during this pandemic. Our youth are also impacted greatly with pressure to stay in school or engaged with their peers. With increased time in isolation or exposure to tension in the home setting, we’ve presented a few tips from two specialists on how to better adapt or adjust to these new circumstances. James Holt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works directly with youth in programs and services held through the Bannister Leadership Academy, the Center for Holistic Development and the North Omaha Area Health Clinic. Specifically, Holt has years of research dedicated to young fathers, family intervention and strengths-based solutions throughout his practice for the past 21 years. “Stress and anxiety are the two top symptoms I come across with patients during this pandemic, and among the young people there is actually an increase in suicide partly because of COVID having to result to in-home schooling or virtual learning,” Holt said. “Our young people sometimes need more one-on-one support within the classroom setting and that puts additional stress on the family in addition to the child. This has also created an increase in domestic violence or child neglect/abuse. Those are the issues that are prevalent with COVID.” Holt offers one solution that caretakers and parents should prioritize like getting youth into activities outside of the home for peer group activities which can still be done with social distancing. Additionally, he recommends that parents consider joining support groups to manage or help coordinate more youth-focused activities outside of school hours.

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Larry Duncan (LIMHP) is a highly credentialed professional and and Licensed Professional Counselor who has dedicated his career to individual care for the past 30 years. Duncan works with youth, adults, and families. He currently serves as Senior Director at Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. He has been residing in Omaha since 1997. He recounts how the pandemic has affected the Black family as a collective and aims to drive home the importance of staying connected during the pandemic. “We are more of a communal people so our heritage reveals that we like to do things together as a group and family,” Duncan said. “This crisis takes us outside of that and we are now discouraged from communal functioning. So this may lead to some of us not feeling as good or likely to be more irritated or antsy because of it. It’s the same thing with kids, where we may see more of these symptoms of depression or anxiety as a result of us trying to comply.” Duncan refers to the common things youth might say as a cue to how they are feeling. They may express feeling extremely bored or seeming to take the situation more acutely than adults might. He states that adults can offer a sense of resolve by creating a more rewarding routine for youth with a schedule after classes that includes being outdoors, creativity, quality time with family and limited time on digital devices. Furthermore, Duncan provides the Five C’s for COVID to help develop a plan for addressing one’s own mental health and wellness. We’ve detailed the steps with each having a conceptual aspect and a practical way to apply them:

• Control - Have control in a global situation that is out of control. Encouragement to not spend mental time on what seems out of control but instead focus on what you do have control over. This includes a routine and how you aim to spend your time. • Commit - Prioritize a project or activity that was once on the backburner of your life and commit to it daily. This is a good tool for youth as well. • Connect - Maintaining a connection with your loved ones or community, and/or additionally building time for a spiritual connection/community. Too much isolation can lead to mental health issues. • Contain - Admit to the things that may be harmful to you and limit those things. This may be the news, or it may be a substance or behavior that may have increased due to the pandemic. This is where it’s important to have a support system to help recognize the presence of harmful behavior. • Continue - Whatever is working for you, aim to continue doing it. Don’t let the crisis disrupt your flow, and continue the successful routines that you may already have. Duncan recommends that if these tips feel too complicated or overwhelming, then it may be time to seek out a therapist. “We have access to a few directions to address our mental health whether that’s psychologically, spiritually or religiously,” Duncan said. “When a person gets to the point when they are suffering without a foundation to go to, this is when I recommend these routes. One of the ways we can be proactive is to decide which one of these routes we can take in order to prioritize our minds, hearts and spirits.”

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RESILIENCY in the face of a

CRISIS

Hailing from the south side of Chicago, Larry Duncan, Director of Behavioral Health Services at Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. has always had a passion for helping others. “My passion, at first, started off with a drug and alcohol emphasis based on my own experiences and knowledge. As I grew and received more education, mental health became the next umbrella. It rests with my understanding that there are unique issues that affect black and brown people, and people who are marginalized.” Within the first year serving at Charles Drew, Larry faced his biggest challenge yet, leading a team while in the mists of coronavirus. “The number one thing we did quickly was become active.” As COVID-19 began to highlight the care gaps within marginalized communities, the Behavioral Health team at Charles Drew looked to bridge those gaps within the community. “For our population it was a dual threat. On one side of the coin, the crisis becomes an additional stress to a population of people who already live with stress. On the flip side of the coin, the lack of community and social interaction increased depression, anxiety, and a sense of hopelessness.” The message was simple, but practical: Practice the Five Cs–Connection, Commitment, Communion, Contain, and Continue. Looking back, one of the greatest strengths of Charles Drew, in Larry’s eyes, was the ability to remain active. While most were waiting, frozen in their activity, Charles Drew advanced forward. “We got better and better at it. We were doing testing on the front line when testing was just starting. As masks began to be required, we were handing them out to the community members in need. Whatever needed to be done in the face of this virus, we did it.” Read more at reviveomahamagazine.com

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SPONSORED CONTENT

MEETING THE COMMUNITY NEEDS For Aja Anderson, Community Engagement Manager, Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. is a perfect harmony of her passion for health, love for helping people, and giving back to the community she was raised in. “It’s simple, this is my community. There’s not a day that I don’t walk into one of our locations and see a familiar face. These are the people that I care about.” When her team and role became disrupted due to COVID-19, Aja jumped into action to ensure Community Engagement was still on the front lines being a helping hand. “My entire team was displaced.We were able to re-purpose in other areas and departments who needed assistance. From making appointment reminder calls to screening visitors in the buildings. My team was still able to make an impact.” With the main priority of Community Engagement as grass root efforts to ensure all community members have medical homes and access to healthcare, Aja had to rethink their traditional approach. “In July 2020, we were able to resume outreach with COVID-19 protocols in place. Our model transitioned into more street outreach. We worked to meet the people where they were in the community. We went to grocery stories, gas stations, beauty and barber shops to keep serving the people.” “The support of the community has been amazing. From getting over 3,000 handmade masks to helping boost employee morale, the community has stepped up. I have been touched by all of the people that were willing to help out Charles Drew in the heart of North Omaha.” 30 | REVIVE!

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SPONSORED CONTENT

RISING

to meet the

CHALLENGE

Growing up down the street from Charles Drew Health Center, Inc., it was no question for Ted Lampkin to give back to the community that helped raise him. “I’m passionate about public health because I am a product of public health services. Coming up, my family and I used the services at Charles Drew.” As the Associate Director of Behavioral Health Services,Ted has been on the front-line teaching and training team members in new approaches to behavioral health. It’s no surprise that when COVID-19 struck, Ted was front and center. “My role was to help transition the Behavioral Health department from doing face-to-face therapy to telehealth therapy.” While COVID-19 began to escalate, increasing evidence highlighted racial and ethnic minority groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. “We made it easy for the patients, providing traditional face-to-face, telehealth, and when needed telephonic sessions. A lot of patients had anxiety about COVID-19 and being in the middle of a pandemic, in addition to their other stressers.” “The benefit of telehealth is we can continue to provide quality service during a pandemic. You take out the barriers to care with telehealth.”

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SPONSORED CONTENT

PROVIDING QUALITY

HEALTH CARE THROUGH COVID-19 As a North Omaha native, Family Nurse Practitioner, Brenda Avant, understands educating her patients about their healthcare choices is a foundational principle to accessing safe and quality healthcare. When the pandemic shut down Omaha metro schools, Brenda and the team members at Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. School-based Health Centers had to switch gears. While still providing in-person care, the SBHC Medical providers began utilizing telehealth to remain in contact with their patients. “The telehealth program at Charles Drew really grew at that time. As Medical providers, we were able to continue serving our student patients through telehealth. The parents really enjoyed it because they felt even through a pandemic their child’s provider is still in tune with their needs.” As the pandemic surged, the healthcare inequalities within the American health system began to come to the foreground. “It made me proud to see that Charles Drew was a front runner in COVID-19. The community was looking to us to help guide them through.” “Charles Drew made it very easy for the population we serve to continue receiving care. We may be small, but we are mighty”

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African American and North Omaha COVID-19 Task Force

The Empowerment Network leadership advisory team was expanded to include members of the North Omaha COVID-19 Task Force. The groups met weekly to communicate issues and opportunities, as well as coordinate the distribution of resources. They also worked together to connect residence to food, housing, health services, job training, employment and other resources. In addition to those listed, hundreds of others worked to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Elected Officials • City Councilman Ben Gray • Douglas County Commissioner Chris Rodgers • State Senator Justin Wayne • State Senator Terrell McKinney • Kimara Snipes – OPS Board Member • Ricky Smith – OPS Board Member • John Ewing – Douglas County Treasurer • Shavonna Holman – OPS Board President Organizations –Empowerment Network Leaders and Advisors • Kenny McMorris - Charles Drew Health Center • Dr. Cheryl Logan – Omaha Public Schools District • Willie Barney - Empowerment Network • Jasmine Harris – North Omaha Task Force/ Advocacy • Kimara Snipes – Nebraska Civic Engagement Table • Precious McKesson - North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance • Aileen Warren- UNMC • Thomas Warren - Urban League of Nebraska • Teresa Hunter - Family Housing Advisory Services • Teresa Negron - YouTurn • Michael Maroney - Omaha Economic Development Corp. • Ira Combs – North Omaha Area Health • Doris Moore - Center for Holistic Development • Shavonne Washington-Krauth -Children’s Hospital • Ivan Gilreath – Boys and Girls Club • Nancy Williams - No More Empty Pots (NMEP) • Greg Fripp - Whispering Roots • Preston Love, Jr. - Black Votes/North Omaha Matter • Richard Webb- 100 Black Men/Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands • Portia Cavitt - North Omaha Community Care Council • Arvin Frazier - College Possible • Keith Station – City of Omaha • Jamalia Parker – Learning Community/Educare • Doris Lassiter – Center for Healthy Families • Sundiata Menelik – Nationally Certified OSHA Instructor • Dr. Sade Kosoko-Lasaki – Creighton University/ CPHHE • Dr. Richard Brown – Creighton University/ CPHHE • Dr. Sheritta Strong- UNMC • Marcus Bell – 100 Black Men • Gladys Harrison- Big Mama’s Kitchen and Catering • Timothy Christian- Night Fox Entertainment/ Empowerment Network • Cynthia Hume-OEDC/Fair Deal Village Market Place • Greg Johnson- Hayes and Associates • Brenda Council • Aja Anderson- Charles Drew Health Center • Damita Byrd- BCT Partners • Pastor Darryl Brown-Charles Drew Health Center

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• Maurtice Ivy-Charles Drew Health Center • Larry Duncan- Charles Drew Health Center • Barry Thomas- Omaha Public Schools • Lt. Sherie Thomas- Omaha Police Department • Cecil Hicks- UNO • Gerald Kuhn- City of Omaha • Christopher Whitt- Creighton University • Eric Ewing- Great Plains Black History Museum • Nicole Mitchell- Nebraska Enterprise Fund • Carl Christian- NP Dodge • Wayne Brown- Urban League of Nebraska • Jermaine Jones- Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands • Sharlon Rodgers- Empowerment Network • Ricky Smith- Empowerment Network • Aisha Conner-Empowerment Network • Vicki Quaites-Ferris- Empowerment Network • Jonathan Chapman- Empowerment Network • Ernest White- American National Bank • Cammy Watkins- Inclusive Communities • Bridget Hadley-City of Omaha • Karen Watson- K Watson Group • Vickie Young- NAACP • Gibril Mansaray- Family Housing Advisory Services • Sal Issaka – Omaha Housing Authority • Candice Price- Home Team Auto Sales • Michael Young- Technology Solutions • Ron Devers- Home Team Auto Sales • Shawntal Mallory Smith- Omaha Home for Boys • Tim Clark- Metro Community College • Ashley Turner- NorthEnd Teleservices • Leo Louis II- Malcolm X Foundation • Jay Shannon- Thrive Center Omaha • Juanita Johnson- Long School Neighborhood/ North 24th Street Corridor • Wayne Hudson- Douglas County Sheriff • Denise Chapman- Union for Contemporary Art • Karlus Kozart-C3 Kozy-1 Consulting, LLC • Viv Ewing- Children’s Square USA • Rodney Evans- Mays Omaha • Jan Yergan- Children’s Hosptial • Felicia Webster-With Love Felicia • Catrina Dunbar- Blue Cross Blue Shield Nebraska • Jason Fischer- Surreal Media • Jami Kemp- American National Bank • Keyonna King- UNMC • Moniki Gunn-Cannon-CHI Health • Belinda Hooks- Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Development Council

• Pastor Jalaal Wade –Launch Church • Apostle Edna Perkins – Launch Church • Bishop Lance Foster—New Hope Apostolic Temple • Pastor Tony Sanders- Koinonia and Friends of Christ • Pastor Bruce Williams- Hope of Glory • Pastor Pat Williams- Hope of Glory • Pastor K. Jevon Chambers- Mount Calvary Community • Pastor James Patterson- Trinity Hope Four Square • Pastor James Hart- Eagles Nest Worship Center • Pastor Dwayne Hawkins- Antioch Baptist • Pastor Victoria Parker- Bethel African Methodist • Pastor Jeff Booth- Freedom Worship Center • Paul Lanphier – Hope Center • Pastor Joe Julian – City Light Church • Pastor Ralph Lassiter- Mount Moriah Baptist • Pastor Rodney Haynes – Mount Moriah Baptist • Pastor Jamison Horton- City Light Benson • Pastor Bobby Waters – Bethesda Temple SDA • Pastor Carolyn Grice- New Life Presbyterian Church • Pastor Rob Johnson- Bridge Church • Pastor Darnell Jackson- Eagle’s Wings Church • Pastor John Gathje –Trinity Lutheran • Bishop James Hunter- Unconditional Love Worship Center • Bishop John Ford- Second Advent COGIC • Pastor Selwyn Bachus- Salem Baptist

Village Zone Pastors and Faith Leaders • Pastor Demetrius Watson – New Fellowship Christian Church • Pastor Myron Pierce- Mission Church • Pastor Jonathan Chapman- Church on Purpose • Pastor Portia Cavitt – Clair Memorial United Methodist • Pastor Stan Rone – North 24th Street Church of God • Pastor Todd Johnson – City Light Church • Pastor Josh Dotzler – Abide Ministries/ Bridge Church • Pastor Edward King – Dayspring Ministries

Pan-hellenic Council Omaha/ Divine 9 • Alpha Phi Alpha • Alpha Kappa Sorority • Kappa Alpha Psi • Omega Psi Phi • Delta Sigma Theta • Phi Beta Sigma • Zeta Phi Beta • Sigma Gamma Rho • Iota Phi Theta

Black Media/North Omaha Media Collaborative • Tim Clark- Moving People 2 Action • Terri Sanders - Omaha Star • Dawaune Hayes – NOISE Omaha • William King - 95.7 The Boss • Lady J - 100.3 Gospel Music Omaha • Paul Allen IV - 1st Sky Omaha • Yolanda Barney – Revive Omaha • Teddy Young- Stable Gray Media • Calvin Williams- White Rhino Productions, LLC Businesses Alliances/Networks • Revive Black Business Network • Carver Legacy Center • B.C. Clark- Nebraska Enterprise Fund • Winsley Durand-Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce

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NORTH OMAHA COMMUNITY RESOURCES

presented by Revive Omaha, Empowerment Network, North Omaha COVID-19 Community Taskforce and Transformation 2025 Partners North Omaha COVID-19 Campaign Supported by Douglas County Health Department Healthy Village Collaborative Supported by Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

The goal of the Healthy Village Collaborative is to connect residents in North and South Omaha with valuable information, resources and opportunities.

Get connected with: • COVID-19 Information • Health Services • Food • Jobs – Youth and Adult • Employment and Job Training • Housing and Home Ownership • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) • Elected Officials • North Omaha Media Collaborative

Health • Charles Drew Health Center • North Omaha Area Health • Center for Holistic Development • One World Health Center • Douglas County Health Department • Creighton University – CPHHE • CHI Health • UNMC • Children’s Hospital

Church • Healthy Village Champions. Visit the empoweromaha.com village map • Creighton University/Church Ambassadors

Marque Snow Omaha Public Schools Board 531-299-0222 marque.snow@ops.org Ricky Smith Omaha Public Schools Board 531-299-0222 ricky.smith@ops.org Kimara Snipes Omaha Public Schools Board kimara.snipes@ops.org Bellevue University bellevue.edu 402-293-2000 Metropolitan Community College mccneb.edu 531-622-2400 University of Nebraska – Lincoln unl.edu 402-472-7211

Food

University of Nebraska – Omaha unomaha.edu 402-554-2800

• Omaha Economic Development • Fair Deal Village Marketplace

Elected Officials

Managing Partner for Healthy Village: Empowerment Network COVID-19 Testing Sites

Charles Drew Health Center charlesdrew.com 402-451-3553

Test Nebraska TestNebraska.com 402-207-9377

Education

Omaha Public Schools district.ops.org 531-299-0220 Dr. Shavonna L. Holman President Omaha Public Schools Board 531-299-0222 shavonna.holman@ops.org

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City Councilman Ben Gray City of Omaha 402-444-5524 ben.gray@cityofomaha.org City Councilman Pete Festersen City of Omaha 402-444-5527 Pete.festersen@cityofomaha.org County Commissioner Chris Rodgers 402-444-7025 crodgers@douglascounty-ne.gov Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing 402-444-7103 Treasurer@dctreasurer.org State Senator Justin Wayne 402-471-2727 jwayne@leg.ne.gov

State Senator Terrell McKinney 402-471-2612 tmckinney@leg.ne.gov Mayor Jean Stothert City of Omaha 402-444-5000 Mayor’s Hotline: 402-444-5555 Hotline@cityofomaha.org

Employment & Job Training

Empowerment Network’s Step-Up Omaha! Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Program stepupomaha.com 402-502-3763 Heartland Workforce Solutions (HWS) hws-ne.org 402-444-4700 Metropolitan Community College (MCC) mccneb.edu 531-622-2400 Urban League of Nebraska (ULN) urbanleagueneb.org 402-453-9730

Entrepreneurship

Carver Legacy Center CarverLegacyCenter.com 402-939-5555 DreamKeepers DreamKeepers.me 531-329-9985 Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Diversity Council mpmsdc.org 402-835-4076 Nebraska Enterprise Fund nebbiz.org 402-685-5500 Omaha Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) Fair Deal Village Marketplace oedc.info 402-346-2300

Reach- Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce omahachamber.org 402-346-5000 Revive Black Business Network reviveomaha.com 402-490-1542 Shift Omaha A Program of Mission Church thisismission.org 402-909-5675 The Start Center for Entrepreneurship startcenteromaha.org 402-287-7282

Food Assistance

No More Empty Pots nmepomaha.org 402-690-0888 Omaha Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) Fair Deal Village Marketplace oedc.info 402-346-2300

Physical, Behavioral and Mental Health

Center for Holistic Development Behavioral and Community Health chdomaha.org 402-502-9788 Charles Drew Health Center Physical, Behavioral and Community Health charlesdrew.com 402-451-3553 CHI Health Bergan Mercy Creighton University chihealth.com 402-398-6060 CHI Health Creighton University Campus chihealth.com 402-717-0380 CHI Health Immanuel Campus chihealth.com 402-572-2121 Children’s Hospital childrensomaha.org 402-955-5400

Whispering Roots whisperingroots.org 402-321-7228

Douglas County Health Department douglascountyhealth.com 402-444-7471

For Church-based and Community-based Food Pantries visit empoweromaha.com

North Omaha Area Health (NOAH) Behavioral and Community Health noahclinic.org 402-933-0737

Housing (Rental Assistance, Foreclosure Prevention, Eviction Prevention) Family Housing Advisory Services (FHAS) fhasinc.org FHAS Renters 402-934-6763 FHAS Homebuyer Education 402-934-6743 FHAS Financial Education & Savings 402-934-6749 FHAS Homeowners (foreclosures) 402-934-6741 FHAS Fair Housing Center 402-934-6669 FHAS Tax Prep 402-250-9781 Omaha 100 (Mortgage Loans) 402-342-3773 Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MACCH) endhomelessnesstoday.org 402-957-1747

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One World Health Center Behavioral and Community Health oneworldomaha.org 402-734-4110 Test Nebraska (for COVID Testing) TestNebraska.com 402-207-9377 UNMC nebraskamed.com 1-800-922-0000

Neighborhood Alliances 24th Street Corridor 24thstreetcorridoralliance.org 402-555-1234

North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance facebook.com/NONA.Omaha 402-378-2034 South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance sonaomaha.org For a complete list of neighborhood associations visit: empoweromaha.com North Omaha Technology, Media & Marketing Support 95.7 The Boss 957fmtheboss.com

100.3 Gospel Music Omaha gospelmusicomaha1003.wordpress.com 402-819-8941 Clark Connections Group, Inc. clarkconnectiongroup.com 402-306-2734 WithloveFelicia Enterprises, LLC withlovefelicia.weebly.com 402-210-3386 Moving People 2 Action MP2ACTION.com 803-235-1300 Night Fox Entertainment nightfoxent.com 402-401-2740 NOISE noiseomaha.com Omaha Star theomahastar.com 402-346-4041 Real Quick Solutions RealQuickSolutions.com 402-819-1019 Revive Omaha Reviveomaha.com 402-490-1542 Stable Gray stablegray.com 402-965-1726 Surreal Media Labs surrealmedialab.com 775- 557-8279 Technology Consulting Solutions technologyconsulting.solutions 531-600-9370 Village Social VillageSocial.biz 402-480-6361 White Rhino Productions, LLC whiterhinoproduction.com 402-686-8316

Utilities and Power Utility Assistance

Metropolitan Utility District (MUD) mudomaha.com/homefund 402-595-1258 Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) dollarenergy.org 800-683-7036

Visit reviveomaha.com for updated vaccine information.

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HOW ARE YOU FEELING? Making Mental Health A Top Priority

COVID-19 has caused most of us to experience a wide range of emotions. During stressful and difficult times our mental health must be a top priority. The Center for Holistic Development is offering a free, anonymous and confidential screening to determine if you or someone you care about should connect with a behavioral health professional. You will see your results immediately following the brief questionnaire, along with recommendations and resources. Visit chdomaha.org to take the anonymous screening and to learn more about the Center for Holistic Development and its programs. Center for Holistic Development is celebrating 20 years of serving the community.

If you need rent or utility assistance, call us at: Fair Housing................................... 402-934-6675 Foreclosure Prevention................... 402-934-6741 Tax Assistance................................. 402-250-9781 Mortgage Lending......................... 402-342-3773 Rent and Utility Assistance............. 402-934-6763 Mortgage Assistance...................... 402-934-6741 Improving Housing Stability and Financial Security

402-934-7921 • FHASinc.org 2401 Lake Street, Omaha NE

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"IN THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY"

FREE HEALTH SERVICES PHYSICAL EXAMS HEALTH EDUCATION MEDICAL REFERRALS FREE CONDOMS MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING CHOLESTEROL FLU SHOTS BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS BLOOD SUGAR CHECKS STD SCREENINGS HIV SCREENINGS

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5620 AMES AVE 402-933-0737 CALL NOW!