The past few months have been difficult for many individuals around the world, as we’ve seen communities and governments work to contain the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. While many restrictions are loosening this month, there are still plenty of people in need.
Unsurprisingly, a number of incredible organizations and nonprofits in the Omaha area have teamed up to help locals through this unprecedented time, working tirelessly to provide food, housing assistance and other types of support to our community. Many of our agents and staff members here at NP Dodge joined in the efforts, from financial contribution to volunteer work, and other creative ideas, like mask sewing and hat knitting.
Learn more about the incredible efforts NP Dodge family members are involved in. And if you’re looking to get involved, we’ve provided links to different ways you can help out these organizations with their efforts.
Organizations Supported by NP Dodge Agents & Staff Members
Food Bank for the Heartland
Supported by: Pat Skwarek, Jackie Williams, Amy Eurich, Ryan Gibson, Kristen Wehner Jacobsen and Mary Sindelar
Even when the world isn’t in the midst of a global pandemic, Food Bank for the Heartland is helping serve our community. This program distributes food to over 600 non-profit organizations in Nebraska and western Iowa such as pantries, schools, emergency shelters and other meal providers. Right now, Food Bank for the Heartland is continuing to do what they have always done: feed individuals in need.
Many of our amazing agents and staff have been supporting Food Bank for the Heartland during this difficult time by donating money and non-perishable food.
How You Can Help: Food Bank for the Heartland is always accepting donations and applications for volunteers. Click here to learn more.
Nebraska Community Blood Bank
Supported by: Lisa Jansen Bartholow & Chris O’Brien
Nebraska Community Blood Bank is one of the only contracted blood sources for many local hospitals—including UNMC and Children’s Hospital. They are closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and continuing to carry out their life-saving mission in our communities. Right now, they are urging individuals who feel healthy and well to make an appointment to give blood, platelets and plasma. As a safety precaution, they are now requiring donation appointments.
The whole Jansen Team—including Lisa Jansen Bartholow & Chris O’Brien—is holding a blood donation drive for the Nebraska Community Blood Bank.
How You Can Help: If you are not showing symptoms and have not been in contact with someone diagnosed with or is suspected of having COVID-19, you can make an appointment to donate. Click here to get started.
Omaha Community Foundation
Supported by: Deanne Fairfield & Ryan Gibson
Together with several other local foundations, the Omaha Community Foundation has launched the COVID-19 Response Fund. This fund will provide flexible resources to the organizations in the metro area working with communities that are disproportionately impacted by the virus and the economic consequences of the outbreak. Those communities include residents without health insurance or access to sick days, people with limited English language proficiency, healthcare and low-wage workers, and communities of color, among others.
Deanne Fairfield has been supporting the Omaha Community Foundation’s efforts by donating financially.
“Pay it Forward, Everyone. In the scheme of this traumatic time, it’s the way we are going to get through this. And, if social distancing is what you can do, do it.” — Deanne Fairfield.
How You Can Help: You can donate to the fund online, here.
The Red Cross
Supported by: Mike Riedmann
The American Red Cross is always there to help in the worst of times, providing emergency assistance, disaster relief and disaster preparedness education in the United States. During the pandemic, they are working just as hard to help get much-needed blood to hospitals and healthcare professionals.
Mike Riedmann is a 10+ gallon blood donor and continues to provide financial support to The Red Cross so that they can help those in need during any disaster.
How You Can Help: Healthy individuals can sign up to donate blood. If you’d rather donate financially, you can do so here.
CCCC: Caring Chicks Conquering Corona
Supported by: Cindy Carnes
CCCC: Caring Chicks Conquering Corona, an organization started to help create free facial masks for the community and healthcare organizations, has made over 500 masks to date and donated them to people in need.
Our very own Cindy Carnes has helped them by donating fabric, elastic, thread, shipping materials and even money to keep them going.
“As an ex-healthcare professional, I think it is important to get the masks in the hands of everyone that needs one. This makes them affordable. They also mail them to people, they ask for donations so they can ship them for free.” — Cindy Carnes
How You Can Help: Contact Cindy to learn how you can help CCCC.
Country Bible Church
Supported by: Julie Hayes
Country Bible Church, a local religious organization based in Blair, has been working daily to provide lunches to those in need throughout the Omaha community. As of the beginning of May, they have donated close to 10,000 lunches.
Julie Hayes has been helping support the church during the pandemic financially.
How You Can Help: The church is currently accepting financial donations to help them continue making lunches. You can donate here.
Methodist Hospital Foundation
Supported by: Maria Andrade
For decades, the Methodist Hospital Foundation has helped make Omaha a better place for families to live. They support our community by raising, protecting and distributing funds that improve health for you, your family and your friends.
Right now, they have set up a Crisis Response Fund to help healthcare employees, students, patients and more during the pandemic.
Maria Andrade has been helping to support the Methodist Hospital Foundation and their efforts during the pandemic by donating financially.
How You Can Help: You can donate to the Crisis Response Fund here.
The Siena Francis House
Supported by: Kristen Wehner Jacobsen & Ryan Gibson
The Siena Francis House helps individuals experiencing homelessness by providing emergency shelter, food, and clothing.
Kristen Wehner Jacobsen has been making face masks with her mother-in-law and donating $5 from every mask sold to both the Siena Francis House and the Food Bank for the Heartland. To date, they have donated $500 to each organization. They have also made masks for the VNA, so their volunteers can sit with the elderly in care facilities.
Ryan Gibson has been giving financially, to help support the organization during this difficult time.
How You Can Help: The Siena Francis House is always looking for volunteers and donations. You can learn more about both here.
Miscellaneous Efforts
Making Hats for the Homeless
Supported by: Julie Fleming
Julie Fleming has been using her extra time at home to knit hats for the homeless population in Omaha. Her average is one hat a day and is hoping that it will help benefit the community in the long run.
Donating to Child Education in Omaha
Supported by: Ryan Gibson
Local programs like Fontenelle Forest and the Durham Museum are invaluable when it comes to providing both education and fun to local children. Ryan Gibson has donated financially during the pandemic to help support them as they deal with closures and class cancellations over the next few months.
Helping Provide Lunch For Those in Need
Supported by: Greg Kraemer
Greg Kraemer has teamed up with several local churches, including Restore Community Church, Christ Community Church and Mission Church, to provide meals to underserved families in the Millard area as well as North Omaha.
Donating to Local Church Food Pantries
Supported by: Duane Safarik
Beautiful Saviour Lutheran Church has been working around the clock to help the community with meal and grocery delivery, medication pickup and other needs through their food pantry. Our very own Duane has been helping to support them and their efforts during the pandemic by donating financially.
Scooters for Heroes
Supported by: Bill Black
Photo courtesy of Bill Black
After hearing from his daughter, a healthcare professional a hospital in North Platte, about the life and death decisions healthcare workers are making every day, Bill Black wanted to do something to show support and love for them. So in April, Bill worked directly with Scooters Coffee to organize a giveaway of 38,300 eight-ounce cans of cold-brewed coffee to 28 different hospitals across Nebraska, from Omaha to North Platte.
“We can all do something, just look around and get involved.” — Bill Black
Ordering Food From Local Restaurants
Supported by: Too many to name.
Most, if not all, of our agents and staff have been working hard to help support our local businesses.
As many restaurants around the Omaha area are still only open for curbside pickup and delivery, ordering food is one of the best things you can do to help support local businesses!
We Are Stronger Together
These are just a few of the amazing things our NP Dodge family has been doing to support the community because we truly believe that we’re stronger together.