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Nonprofi t
Stephen Center to Feed the Hungry and Homeless Through Gobble 4 Good Initiative Stephen Center invites the Omaha community to "Gobble 4 Good" by donating turkeys and hams to serve those in need. Donations can be brought to the Stephen Center Donation Dock, 2723 Q St. (located off the alley between 27th and 28th Streets), between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Individuals can also visit www.stephencenter.org/ gobble4good to learn more or make a monetary donation.
“Donating a turkey or ham makes a difference in the lives of vulnerable and hungry individuals and families for the holidays, and throughout the year,” Executive Director Michael Wehling said. “Our amazing kitchen staff utilize hundreds of hams and turkeys to provide delicious, high protein meals year-round.”
In 2019, Stephen Center provided over 230,000 meals to individuals overcoming homelessness, addiction, and poverty. Donated turkeys and hams are also shared with local pantries to help meet community needs.
Located in South Omaha, Stephen Center is a sober campus of resources for mental health and addiction services. The campus includes a homeless emergency shelter, inpatient/outpatient co-occurring treatment, and permanent supportive housing for disabled and lowincome individuals. To learn more, go online to www.stephencenter.org or call (402) 715-5442.
Aksarben Foundation Magazine Weighs Effects of COVID on Nebraska’s Future The Aksarben Foundation recently released a 2020 Spirit of Aksarben special-edition magazine, which features interviews with more than 50 leaders from across Nebraska to understand how different industries and communities have been impacted by COVID-19 and are adapting, learning, and overcoming together. The goal is to learn, to fi nd the positives in the chaos, and to change the narrative from one of fear and separation to one of strength and unity. The report notes examples of strength, perseverance, and innovation amid incredible uncertainty.
What becomes clear is that the side effects of the health crisis go beyond the physical. COVID-19 is impacting our economic health and our mental health, as well. Nebraskans are hungry for unity. Many have said that things will never be the same after this, and perhaps they’re right. The Aksarben Foundation’s conclusion is that, as Nebraska emerges from this pandemic and businesses and schools resume more traditional schedules, we must continue to focus on Nebraska’s strengths. There lies another threat to our state’s economy that outweighs even the pandemic, though, and that is the lack of skilled workers, which has created a workforce problem that is stifl ing economic growth. Get the details in the 2020 Spirit of Aksarben at aksarben.org/covid-19-impact/.
For 125 years, the Aksarben Foundation has been working with public, private, civic, and philanthropic leaders across Nebraska to address issues facing the state. Two years ago, Aksarben repositioned its mission to focus its energy on the issue of workforce development for Nebraska. Since that time, extensive research and analysis have been completed to take a holistic approach to addressing these challenges both by industry and by region, resulting in the launch of several workforce development initiatives. For more information, visit aksarben.org or call (402) 554-9600.
30 Strictly Business DECEMBER 2020
Omaha Home for Boys to Host Project Christmas Joy December 15 Omaha Home for Boys (OHB) is holding its annual holiday gift and essentials drive, Project Christmas Joy, and is asking the public to help make the holidays special for area youth, young adults, children, and families. Project Christmas Joy is taking place through December 15 with a goal to provide every client at OHB with both necessities and a special gift at Christmas.
Some of the most critically needed items include hygiene items, cleaning products, laundry supplies, kitchen essentials, diapers and wipes. Some of the “wants” of OHB’s youth include gift cards (Walmart, TJ MAXX, Kohls, McDonald’s, QuikTrip, Burger King, Uber, Auto Zone), body spray, lotion, nail polish, backpacks, wallets, purses, socks, and blankets.
Bailey Perry, self suffi ciency director at OHB, notes just how impactful the public’s support of Project Christmas Joy is: “We try to give every youth in our programs a few gifts at Christmas, and the reality is that for some, it’s the fi rst time they’ve had the opportunity to experience this aspect of the holidays. They are truly grateful for everything they receive.” Support of Omaha Home for Boys' Project Christmas Joy can be offered in a number of ways. Monetary gifts can be given online at OHB.org/joy or items can be purchased via the “Project Christmas Joy” Amazon Wish List and shipped directly to OHB.
Angels Among Us Sets Out to Fill Funding Gap During Holiday Season, Sets Goal of $40K Due to the increasing need in the community, Angels Among Us needs help as there is a funding gap to be fi lled this holiday season. A goal of $40,000 has been set to be raised to help bridge the gap for families extra needs this year. Often times, one parent/caregiver has to leave their job when their child is diagnosed and, due to COVID-19, families have experienced additional income loss. Angels Among Us is fortunate to be able to continue to walk alongside their families during a very diffi cult time but community support is needed more than ever.
Amid a global pandemic, Angels Among Us has been able to provide a record amount of critical fi nancial support to a record number of pediatric cancer families. Due to COVID-19, pediatric cancer families have experienced additional income loss and additional fi nancial strain so in addition to normal budgeted support emergency funding has been used this year. Over $500,000 has been given to over 120 families to help pay rent, mortgage, utilities, auto payments, medical bills, and more. On average, 83% of families whose children have cancer experience fi nancial hardship and, in 2020, that number has grown.
Angels Among Us is a Nebraska nonprofi t that provides fi nancial and emotional support to families whose children are battling pediatric cancer. Any family living-in or being treated in Nebraska is eligible to apply for fi nancial support with mortgages, rent, and other expenses. For more information about ways to make an impact, please contact Aly Theilen at alyssa@myangelsamongus.org. Please consider giving at www.myangelsamongus.org and clicking the donate button or mail in a check to 3858 Jones St., STE A, Omaha, NE 68105. Every dollar matters.
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Banisters Leadership Academy Introduces New Program, Family University Banisters Leadership Academy is excited to introduce a new program, Family University. This program provides telehealth therapy with a licensed therapist (there is an option for in-person counseling by request, COVID-19 levels permitting) to students in grades K-12 who need coping strategies to deal with emotional and circumstantial changes due to the pandemic. Therapy through Family University is provided at no cost to the student or their families. Therapists are available Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Banisters Leadership Academy is a nonprofi t with a mission to Strengthen Youth and Families through Leadership. Striving to foster and develop leadership within the youth and families in our communities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, its primary outreach is through the organization's Night LIFE program, which operates in the evening in the following counties: Douglas on Friday and Saturday, Sarpy on Thursday, and Scotts Bluff on Friday. Families interested in Banisters Leadership Academy's Family University can call (402) 571-4293, ext. 1 or email enroll@ banistersacademy.org. More information can be found online at www.banistersacademy.org.
United Way of the Midlands Awards $70K Karnett Trust Grant to Goodwill Industries Goodwill Industries, Inc., Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, (Goodwill Omaha) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the $70,000 Karnett Family Trust Grant by United Way of the Midlands Karnett Trust. The Karnett Family Trust Grant is administered by the United Way of the Midlands and is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofi t organizations in Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie counties to fund programs that are focused on the care, education, and training of children with intellectual/developmental disabilities in the Omaha metropolitan area. The grant will provide vital funding for Goodwill Omaha’s Work Experience program, which gives developmentally disabled high school students opportunities to gain exposure to work situations in supportive environments.
Goodwill’s Work Experience program has provided training services to developmentally disabled high school students since 1965. As Goodwill’s oldest program, Work Experience has professionals who work with local school districts in eight retail and community-based locations in the metropolitan community.
COVID-19 has presented many challenges for students at schools that haven’t yet returned to in-person learning, parents’ reluctance to allow children to return to a classroom, or whose underlying health concerns make returning to a classroom undesirable or unsafe. Goodwill Omaha is adapting its service delivery with a fl exible online training system designed to help bridge the gap until schools and students can return to more normal learning environments.
Many people know Goodwill Industries, Inc., Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, as a place to donate used clothing and household items or fi nd great bargains, but you might not know the mission at the heart of the organization: provide job training and placement services to people with disabilities and other disadvantages. To learn more, please visit GoodwillOmaha.org.
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Emily Gilli R.N. Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach Emily@revealandheal.coach | www.revealandheal.coach
Midlands Community Foundation Awards Grants Totaling Over $135K Midlands Community Foundation (MCF) has awarded grants totaling $135,019 to 25 nonprofi t organizations serving Sarpy and Cass counties, including:
• American Legion, Frisbee-Eidenmiller-
McCaig Post 247, Elmwood - $3,643 • Assistance League of Omaha - $5,000 • Bellevue University - $5,000 • Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands - $1,500 • Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands - $2,000 • College Possible - $2,500 • Fontenelle Forest - $1,320 • Food Bank for the Heartland - $25,000 ($12,500 MCF/$12,500
Facebook match) • Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska - $3,000 • Greater Omaha Attendance & Learning Services Center - $3,000 • Habitat for Humanity - $5,000 • Happy Paws - $3,500 • Heartland Family Service - $5,520 • Hospice House - $8,900 • Kids Can Community Center - $3,000 • Latino Center of the Midlands - $3,000 • MilkWorks - $3,325 • Ollie Webb Center, Inc. - $2,000 • Omaha Equestrian Foundation - $2,500 • Omaha Performing Arts - $5,000 • OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc. - $8,317 • Papillion Area Historical Society - $3,745 • Plattsmouth Rural Fire Protection Department - $15,000 • Radio Talking Book Service - $2,500 • Springfi eld Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. - $11,749
In partnership with MCF, Facebook is generously matching MCF’s $12,500 grant to Food Bank for the Heartland for its BackPack program which will ensure children in Sarpy and Cass counties stay fed, healthy, and happy.
This is the fi rst of two grant distributions for Midlands Community Foundation’s fi scal year. The next grant deadline will be February 1, 2021, with funds distributed in April. Through its grants program, MCF places an emphasis on prevention and education. The Foundation has a strong commitment toward programs benefi ting health, art, culture, community, economic development, education, and human services. To learn more, visit www.midlandscommunity.org.
DECEMBER 2020 Strictly Business 31
Open Door Asks Businesses, Families, Groups to Collect Toys for Project Santa Open Door Mission is asking businesses, families, and groups in the Omaha region to consider hosting toy drives to help provide gifts for their 2020 Project Santa toy drive, or shop their Amazon Wish List. The Mission also needs volunteers to hand out toys at the associated drivethru events on December 5, 12, and 19. Open Door Mission’s Project Santa provides toys to needy boys and girls so that everyone gets gifts for Christmas.
Suggested items for Project Santa include toddler toys, small and medium Lego sets, art sets, dolls, Barbies, Matchbox and Hotwheels fi ve-car packs, Play-Doh sets, board games, and puzzles. Due to COVID, the toys will be distributed via a drive-thru event on the Open Door Mission campus on the three Saturdays in December that are prior to Christmas. Volunteers for the distribution events must fi ll out applications and COVID waivers prior to serving.
Open Door Mission is a Gospel Rescue Mission that meets the needs of individuals and families while inspiring HOPE for lasting change. Each day, the Open Door Mission campus offers 917 safe shelter beds to homeless men, women, and children, serves about 4,750 nutritious meals, and provides preventive measures to more than 1,000 people living in poverty. For more information or to inquire about volunteering for Project Santa, visit opendoormission.org or contact Kristen Dineen at (402) 829-1538 / kdineen@opendoormission.org.
The First Responders Foundation Opens New Wellness Facility The First Responders Foundation opened a new Wellness Facility at 10605 Burt Circle in Omaha. The new Wellness Facility houses administration offi ces, behavioral health services through the FRST Program (First Responders Support Team), a Service Dog Program called JAVELAN and a new Physical Health/Fitness Department called Free Weights and Freedom, all exclusively for fi rst responders, veterans, and their families. The Physical Health/Fitness Department is facilitated by Director Adam Tripp. The goal of the department is to provide a holistic group fi tness and wellness program specifi cally designed to help members recognize, address, and overcome issues related to their physical and emotional well-being due to occupational stress. Programs and classes include an open gym membership, Respond Stronger exercise class, Respond Stronger for Spouses Only class, yoga classes, an exercise class followed by a devotional called Rock Solid for Jesus, and more. Nutritional coaching is available along with a free monthly nutrition class. All classes and programs follow the goal of the Foundation to help produce fi rst responders who are: Emotionally Strong, Physically Fit, Financially Secure, and Spiritually Sound.
The mission of the First Responders Foundation is to serve and honor all fi rst responders and their families, build appreciation and respect for their work, and enhance public safety. The programs and services of the First Responders Foundation are available for both paid and non-paid fi rst responders and their families. To schedule an appointment or talk with Adam about the Physical Health/Fitness Department, call (402) 788-1574 or email adam@ fi rstrespondersfoundation.org. For more information about the organization, email contact@fi rstrespondersfoundation.org or visit fi rstrespondersfoundation.org.
32 Strictly Business DECEMBER 2020
CenterPointe Requests Donations for Annual Coats of Hope Coat Drive this Holiday Season CenterPointe is asking for donations of new or gently used winter gear to those who have none this holiday season during their Annual Coats of Hope Coat Drive! Through December, CenterPointe will be taking donations of adult-sized winter coats, gloves, hats, and scarves at their offi ce located at 1490 N 16th St. in Omaha during offi ce hours. By giving these gifts, you’re helping neighbors, friends, and family in your community stay healthy and warm during the winter months. CenterPointe is a nonprofi t that has been offering Omaha and Lincoln a broad continuum of care for the disadvantaged, individuals facing homelessness, and those with mental health challenges since 1973. Today, CenterPointe offers more than 35 programs in the areas of crisis response, treatment, rehabilitation, housing, and peer support. These programs have helped countless men, women, teens, and veterans fi nd their footing again and make strides towards living a healthier and more fulfi lling life. By treating the whole person, CenterPointe has proven that mental health, physical health, and addiction can be addressed together in real time and provide a lasting recovery. CenterPointe’s mission is to help those they serve get better, sooner, for longer. To learn more about CenterPointe or to donate, contact (402) 475-8717 / development@centerpointe.org or visit centerpointe.org.
Youth Emergency Services Releases 2020 Holiday Wish List Youth Emergency Services (YES) recently released its 2020 Holiday Wish List of gifts and items of need for youth in the community who are experiencing homelessness or near-homelessness. Due to COVID-19 restrictions/concerns, YES is accepting only the items listed below. The greatest need is for gift cards/monetary donations. YES is unable to host its annual Santa’s Workshop event/gathering this year, so gift cards will be dispersed to youth instead. The goal is to give each young person store gift cards as well as fast food gift cards. The list has become an annual event where youth describe their wishes for the holiday season, and members of the community—churches, businesses, individuals, etc.—respond by donating items on the list as a gesture of goodwill and holiday spirit. This year’s list includes: • Gas cards and bus passes (adult w/transfer, 30 day pass) • Gift cards (Walmart, Walgreens, Target, grocery stores, Menards,
Home Depot, fast food—$10 and $20 increments) • Headphones • Apple and Android chargers • Footballs & Basketballs • Razors/Electric Shavers/Clippers • Men’s Coats (M-XXXL) • Women’s Coats (S-XXXL) • Gloves/Hats • Hand warmers • Fleece blankets Monetary donations also allow Youth Emergency Services to continue providing a full continuum of care to ensure all youth receive the support they need, no matter their situation. This includes a Street Outreach Center, Emergency Shelter, Transitional Living Program, Maternity Home, and Rapid Rehousing program. Online donations can be made at www.yesomaha.org/donate. Items from the list can be delivered to or dropped off at: 2679 Farnam St., STE 205, Omaha, NE 68131. Hours are Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
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Cross Training Center Stars in the Making Program Seeks Help Collecting Supplies The Cross Training Center is seeking help from area residents to host drives that collect hygiene and home products, as part of its Stars in the Making Program. The items will go to the Training Center’s vocational training students, who must be presentable and professional for job interviews and eventually need home products when they are fi nancially successful enough to move into apartments or houses. Some hygiene products needed include shampoo, bar soap, deodorant, feminine products, toothpaste, and the like, while home items include cleaning supplies, shower curtains, towels, silverware, and trash cans.
The Cross Training Center provides vocational training and careerplanning services to help their students overcome challenging backgrounds and life circumstances, and they equip parents to overcome poverty for themselves and their children by teaching them the skills they need to be successful in the workplace. For more information, visit crosstc.com or to participate in a Stars in the Making drive, contact Director of Training Jeff Loveland at (402) 590-2100 / jeff@crosstc.com. To drop off items, take them to 5030 N 72nd St. Tuesdays-Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
NAM Pulse Poll Shows Signifi cant Impact of COVID-19 on Nonprofi t Organizations The Nonprofi t Association of the Midlands (NAM) recently completed its third Nonprofit Pulse Poll of nonprofit leaders to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the nonprofi t community, and key fi ndings show that the pandemic is already have a signifi cant and alarming fi nancial and programmatic impact on most nonprofi ts in a time when demand for their services is heightened. Conducted October 1-12, the third poll collected responses from 248 nonprofi t organizations and asked them to estimate the current and anticipated level of COVID-19’s impact on their services, programs and operations. The poll concluded that the pandemic has made the mission of nonprofi ts more challenging due to the following economic, health, and social fallout from the need to contain the virus:
• 75% of nonprofi ts report budgetary implications related to strains on the economy, and the combined 248 respondents said they anticipate losing a combined total of $54 million in revenue, up $42 million from their estimates in April. • While demand for nonprofi t services is increasing, nonprofi ts may be restricted in their ability to respond due to the immediate need for supplies, staffi ng, volunteers, and resources from government, philanthropic, and business entities. • 71% of nonprofi ts have canceled or postponed events. With very limited reserves, many nonprofi ts rely on earned income and fundraising events to sustain their missions. • 35% of organizations believe the effects of the pandemic on the fi nancial conditions of their organizations are moderate but will need additional fi nancial supports to overcome diffi culties. The Nonprofi t Association of the Midlands is a state association that represents more than 600 nonprofi t organizations in Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. They strengthen the collective voice, leadership, and capacity of nonprofi ts to enrich the quality of community life. For more information, visit nonprofi tam.org or call (402) 895-2552.
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Omaha Discovery Trust to Build Science Center as part of RiverFront Revitalization Project Omaha Discovery Trust announced its plans to build a science center on Omaha’s Lewis and Clark Landing as part of The RiverFront Revitalization Project. The proposed 82,000-square-foot attraction will be a learning and entertainment destination offering interactive exhibitions and engaging programs focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The center will be a welcoming and inclusive space intended for a diverse audience of all ages and is expected to draw residents, regional visitors, and community partners to its family-friendly destination. The building will refl ect the area’s rich heritage of discovery, design, engineering, and construction and help position Omaha as a must-see city, as well as attract economic development. The privately funded, $101 million project total includes construction costs, exhibit design and fabrication, one year of operating expenses, plus an endowment that will provide for the future sustainability of the project. A planned opening date is set for early 2023.
Partners involved in the project include Omaha Discovery Trust, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofi t created to manage the project; Heritage Services, which initiated a $101 million capital campaign to build the center; HDR, which will serve as lead architect and engineer; and the Exploratorium, a San Francisco-based museum of science, technology and arts that will lead the design of programming and develop hands-on exhibits that refl ect the community’s unique needs. Several Kiewit-affi liated partners generously donated to the project, including the Kiewit Corporation, the Peter Kiewit Foundation, former Kiewit Chairman Walter Scott Jr.’s foundation, and the Grewcock family. As lead donors, the building will include Kiewit in the name.
RISE Academy to Offer Reentry Mentor Training December 10 RISE Academy will hold a Reentry Mentor training on Thursday, December 10, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This training is intended for approved mentors. RISE Reentry Mentors provide relational support to men and women navigating reentry into society after incarceration. Reentry Specialists work daily with people to attain employment and safe, stable housing, but reentry needs beyond a place to sleep and a job are real and complicated. Mentors attempt to address some of those needs by walking with RISE graduates as they return to the community. The mentoring relationship is consistent two-way communication; think meeting for coffee and conversation.
Being volunteers from the larger Nebraska community, RISE Reentry Mentors directly welcome people returning from incarceration back while challenging longstanding perceptions of people with criminal histories through face to face encounters. The result is practically addressing the varied reentry needs of individuals and slowly building a more welcoming community for people to transition back into. Generally, mentors and RISE graduates will communicate weekly for six-months with regular in-person meetings.
All interested parties are encouraged to apply. There is no skillset one needs to be a great mentor. Showing up and a willingness to accompany RISE graduates as they navigate reentry are the most important ingredients for a fruitful mentoring relationship.
The vision of RISE Academy is that all people fi nd freedom from cycles of incarceration. Contact Jaxson Schneider at 1-(253) 5094905 / jschneider@seeusrise.org with any questions or go online to www.seeusrise.org.
34 Strictly Business DECEMBER 2020
Parkinson's Nebraska to Host Online Support Group Featuring SpeechVive Representative Parkinson's Nebraska's December support group will feature guest speaker John McDonald with SpeechVive. The talk will be held online via zoom on Saturday, December 12, at 2:30 p.m. John will share information about SpeechVive's wearable speech device allowing you to speak louder and more clearly, every time you talk. If you are experiencing Parkinson’s speech symptoms (low volume, slurred speech, and changes to speech rate), you're encouraged to take part in this free virtual learning opportunity. The zoom link and more information about Parkinson's Nebraska can be found online at parkinsonsnebraska.org. Call (402) 715-4707 with questions about additional upcoming groups, classes, and programs.
NAMI Omaha Announces December Affiliate Meeting NAMI Omaha’s next Mental Health NAMI Affiliate meeting will be held virtually through Zoom on Thursday, December 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. The topic will be wellness and dealing with the holidays. Advanced registration must be done through Zoom (Meeting ID: 895 6628 9161).
NAMI Omaha is a nonprofi t organization composed of consumers, family members, professionals, and friends who have come together to share and take comfort in the commonality of their experiences and to educate members of their communities about serious brain disorders. Along with providing education, literature, support, workshops, conferences, and more, NAMI Omaha actively advocates at the local, state, and national levels to improve the services for and the lives of those affected by mental illness and their families. For more information on NAMI Omaha, visit namiomaha.org or call (402) 345-8101 / (877) 463-626. For helpful articles on mental illness, follow NAMI Omaha on Facebook (@NAMIOmaha).
SAC Museum to Offer Winter Camps for Students Grades 1–8 The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum is offering winter camps for students in grades 1–8 for three weeks this month, starting December 13. The camps are one-day or three-day experiences that inspire cooperative learning in students as they work together to discover, learn, and work as a team. There are several camps to choose from with themes in aerospace, drone, game coding, and robotics. All camps run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; before-camp care will be offered from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. for $8 per day. The camp programs include: Game On, a coding camp where campers build their own video game and unleash their creativity by creating a board or card game; Above & Beyond, an aerospace-themed camp that includes a mix of aviation and space activities; Drone Challenge, where campers learn how to fl y a drone through obstacle courses; Robotics, where campers learn about programming a variety of different robots; and others. For questions about the camps or to register, call the museum’s Education Department at (402) 944-3100, ext. 221.
The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum houses an impressive collection of military aircraft and space artifacts, STEM education opportunities for people of all ages, traveling exhibits, and a variety of special events for those interested in space and fl ight. To learn more about the SAC Museum, visit SACMuseum.org.
