Celebrate Black History Month in the Greater Omaha Metro!
The national Black History Month theme for 2025, "African Americans and Labor," reflects on the role that the hard work of African Americans has played in shaping our country’s history.
Did you know you can use SHARE Omaha to find and support local Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits?
Learn more about local Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits:
100 Black Men of Omaha
Christopher A. McCroy of 100 Black Men of Omaha shares, "Donating to nonprofits that are Black-led, Black-benefiting is vital because our organizations are uniquely positioned to uplift, empower, and advocate for Black youth and families because we live the experiences, understand the challenges, and are deeply committed to creating lasting change. By supporting, your gifts, talents, and treasures fuel mentorship, education, and opportunity, ensuring that the next generation can thrive and carry forward the legacy of Black excellence. Furthermore, our organizations are structured to specifically combat the longstanding, systemic barriers that face members of our community."
100 Black Men of Omaha is building a stronger Omaha by providing culturally sensitive mentorship that empowers Black youth to see their value, embrace their potential, and invest in their community. Through professional development, tutoring, financial literacy tools, and positive engagement opportunities, 100 Black Men of Omaha helps mentees develop the skills and confidence to thrive. By fostering a sense of belonging and purpose, they’re inspiring the next generation to not only succeed but to lead and uplift the city they call home.
"In addition to dedicated mentors, we need our community to boldly use their voices to stand against legislative bills and structural barriers that threaten the progress of Black youth. Our young people deserve equal access to the resources, opportunities, and support systems that will help them grow into the leaders of tomorrow. Together, we must do all we can to ensure they are not just seen, but fully empowered to thrive," says Christopher.
Donate to 100 Black Men of Omaha
Abide
Abide exists to be a resource to the community, while also building up leaders in North Omaha to "reach their God-given potential". They do this by providing a holistic approach that focuses on developing stronger families, safer neighborhoods, and emerging leaders. Their mission is to revitalize the inner city one neighborhood at a time!
Abide is a faith-based, non-profit focused on building bridges and breaking barriers so that every person has every opportunity to reach their full God-given potential.
They develop world-class, world-changing leaders who live in the community as lighthouse leaders and lead in the community through campus programming.
The more people they can help be On Purpose, the more opportunities they can provide for people in poverty to reach their potential.
Banisters Leadership Academy
Akile Banister of Banister's Leadership Academy shares, "Donating to nonprofits that are Black-led or Black-benefiting is super important because it helps uplift communities that have faced systemic challenges and inequities for so long. It supports grassroots initiatives that truly understand their people's needs and aspirations. It empowers Black voices and fosters economic growth, education, and health in those communities. It’s all about creating a more equitable future for everyone!"
Banister Leadership Academy is doing fantastic work to uplift the metro and beyond. They empower Black and brown youth in Omaha and other communities across Nebraska by focusing on education and leadership development. They're not just teaching the basics but fostering confidence, critical thinking, and community. They're creating a stronger future for everyone, making our neighborhoods more vibrant and connected. Their commitment to inclusivity means everyone has a seat at the table. It's all about building brighter futures together!
"One thing we need from the community at Banisters is some solid partnerships with other organizations. Teaming up can help us amplify our impact and reach more needy youth. We're also always grateful for donations—funds, supplies, or your time. And we want to hear your stories! Sharing the needs and experiences of our youth can help us better understand how to support them. Let’s come together and make a difference!" says Akile.
Donate to Banisters Leadership Academy
Brighten Our Future Early Learning Center
Sonita Buddi, executive director of Brighten Our Future says, "It is important to support Black-led nonprofits as we are able to relate to the inequalities that have collectively worked together to keep us from improving our quality of life and come up with innovative solutions to address these inequalities."
Brighten Our Future Early Learning Center is making the metro better by offering an innovative and unique way to address the benefit cliff that parents find themselves in, thus making high-quality early childhood education obtainable for hard working families.
Center for Holistic Development
Doris Moore of Center for Holistic Development shares, "It is important to donate to Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits because we fulfill a role in service gaps that are not filled by the traditional providers. Behavioral health services are highly stigmatized in the Black community and participants are more likely to utilize services by those with similar life experiences and the need for services continue to grow as evidenced by the growth since the pandemic."
The Center for Holistic Development, Inc. has offered a continuum of behavioral health services and education programs for the past 24 years. They'd had success in diverting youth from the juvenile justice system, assisting parents with skills for nurturing positive relationships with their children, shining a light on suicide prevention in the Black community, offering free opportunities for self-care and behavioral health assessments, working with childcare centers and afterschool programs to improve social and emotional competence, connecting families to community resources, and being a champion for mental wellness.
"The Center for Holistic Development, Inc. could use more consistent financial support as we continue to sound the alarm on the importance of mental health and wellness," says Doris.
Donate to Center for Holistic Development
CUES
Cindi Horning of CUES shares that it is important to donate to nonprofits that are Black-led and Black-benefiting for several reasons:
- Supporting Equitable Representation: By supporting Black-led nonprofits, you're helping to ensure that the voices and perspectives of Black communities are represented and empowered in decision-making processes, both within the organization and in the broader community.
- Addressing Systemic Inequities: Black-led nonprofits often focus on addressing systemic issues that disproportionately affect Black communities, such as racial injustice, economic disparities, healthcare disparities, and educational inequities. By supporting these organizations, you're contributing to efforts to dismantle systemic racism and create a more just and equitable society.
- Promoting Economic Empowerment: Supporting Black-led nonprofits can also help to empower Black entrepreneurs, leaders, and professionals, fostering economic development and wealth-building within Black communities.
- Cultural Competency and Trust: Nonprofits that are Black-led often have a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances, challenges, and strengths within Black communities. This cultural competency can lead to more effective and culturally relevant programming, as well as stronger relationships built on trust within the community.
"Our mission revolves around the importance of education, values, and faith. The CUES School System is a bold educational initiative providing centralized leadership and governance to three elementary schools in Omaha, NE serving a majority of low-income students and families. We combine innovative instructional methods with comprehensive student and family support in a faith-based environment to create and sustain excellent and measurable outcomes that not only impact the students we serve but also the entire community. Through our mission at CUES, 100% of our 2023 graduates plan to attend high school. 94% of CUES alumni graduated from high school," says Katie.
Great Plains Black History Museum
Eric Ewing of Great Plains Black History Museum shares that it is important to support Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits like GPBHM "to ensure that we can continue to be an educational resource for all guests from the Omaha community and guests outside of the Metro."
Great Plains Black History Museum values being an educational resource. "We shine the light on a part of American history that is often forgotten," says Eric.
By donating to the Great Plains Black History Museum it will ensure that they can continue to be a resource of American History told through the lens of African Americans. As the only museum in the state of Nebraska focused on African American History, they can provide historical information that may not otherwise be available.
Eric invites you and your family to visit and learn about the rich history and the contributions that African Americans have provided to America.
Donate to Great Plains Black History Museum
MAC Foundation
Karine Sokpoh of MAC Foundation shares, "Supporting (Black-led, Black-benefiting) nonprofits ensures resources directly reach communities facing systemic barriers, fostering economic growth and sustainable opportunities."
The Midlands African Chamber (MAC) empowers Black entrepreneurs and professionals through initiatives like Pitch Black, MAC-Xcelerator, Suit Up, and Rising CEOs, providing funding, mentorship, and career development.
"(We need) greater community engagement and financial support help expand our programs, creating jobs, uplifting Black business owners, and fostering long-term economic equity," says Karine.
NorthStar Foundation
Valerie Pope of NorthStar Foundation shares, "Donating to Black-led, Black-benefitting nonprofits is important because those organizations are uniquely positioned to address systemic inequities affecting Black communities. Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits offer community-centered solutions, build long-term equity and have a direct impact on the people served. Supporting these organizations is an investment in long-term systematic change."
NorthStar’s mission is to change young men’s lives through programming that supports, challenges, inspires, and instills a life rooted in education, self-discipline, and service to the community through our three areas of program focus: Academics, Adventure, & Athletics. They believe, through this mission, the young men they serve will become contributing members of society, especially within the Omaha metro.
"To continue and expand this impactful work, one significant need from the community is volunteer support. Volunteers play a crucial role in various capacities, including after-school tutoring, coaching sports teams like basketball, lacrosse, and soccer, and assisting with grounds maintenance. By contributing time and skills, volunteers help NorthStar provide personalized attention and mentorship to its students, fostering their educational and personal growth. This community involvement not only enhances the quality of programs offered but also strengthens the bond between NorthStar and the Omaha community, creating a supportive environment for the young men it serves," says Valerie.
Donate to NorthStar Foundation
Pear Tree Performing Arts
Pear Tree Performing Arts makes our community a better place by ensuring all youth have a safe space to be creative and explore the arts. "Black-led organizations make Omaha vibrant, support excellence, and encourage change," says Dr. Natasha Partridge-Butler.
Donate to Pear Tree Performing Arts
The Union for Contemporary Art
Jon Day, The Union for Contemporary Art's development director, says, "Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits have long been underfunded compared to their white-led and white-serving counterparts -- in the arts world, these fundraising difficulties mean there are fewer opportunities for Black artists to grow and develop their craft."
The Union for Contemporary Art's mission is to use the arts as a vehicle for social change. As a social justice organization, they recognize how racism and redlining have affected the community of North Omaha. The Union believes that the arts have a unique power to bring people together, generating conversations around difficult social issues and engaging citizens in working toward a more equitable society. To that end, they are committed to increasing access to arts experiences and artmaking equipment and to uplifting artists who represent our community in its full diversity.
"We want you to stop by The Union," says Jon. "Many individuals in our community do not know the resources and programs we offer, and we would like to change that. From all our programs Performing Arts, Youth Engagement, Co-Op Studios, Abundance Garden, Exhibition, Fellowships and Artists-In-Studio. Please stop by and check out all the amazing opportunities to experience and make art at The Union." Email at jon@u-ca.org to set up a private tour of our space!
Donate to The Union for Contemporary Art
World Speaks
Leah Whitney Chavez of World Speaks says that it is important to give to Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits because it is an opportunity to give to a group of people who have a unique set of lived experience and have a deeper understanding of what the community needs. "BIPOC led organizations in general receive less philanthropic dollars yearly, when you give it is helping those organizations be able to thrive and serve those who are in most need," says Leah.
World Speaks provides folks with equal access to vital and critical resources, information, and events no matter what language they speak.
Leah asks that we all keep language access in mind when we are planning events and offering services. "If it's only in English you are leaving out an important part of our Omaha community," says Leah.