Stories

Last week's effort to engage volunteers during Do Good Days was a big success!

During National Volunteer Week and SHARE Omaha and SHARE Iowa highlighted the critical need for volunteers in the metro area. Over 1,700 individuals signed up to volunteer during Do Good Days and beyond! See photos and videos from Do Good Days 2023, here. 

Teresa Mardesen, executive director of SHARE Omaha says, “Volunteerism is philanthropy, and the recent pandemic interrupted the flow of volunteers to local organizations. The national value of a volunteer hour is $29.95 so volunteers provide a very valuable service, enhance a nonprofit’s bottom line, and allow them to stay focused on their mission.” 

A big thank you to our Do Good Days champions: Omaha Steaks - champion for hunger, Metropolitan Utilities District - champion for housing and Lincoln Financial Group - champion for education!

These are just a few of the ways Do Good Days volunteers made a difference in our community last week:

• Volunteers for MasterSingers Omaha prepared music for their next concert
• Volunteers for MICAH House prepped and served dinner meals to about 80 people
• Volunteers for Made New Makerspace cleared out the mobile makerspace, which is now ready to prep for the summer
• Volunteers for Wildlife Rescue Team transported and rehabbed animals
• Volunteers for Hands Hearts and Paws showed 12 dogs at a fundraiser event
• Volunteers for CASA for Douglas County filled 50 Project Hope Packs and hauled away 2,200 pounds of furniture
• Volunteers for Angels Among Us packed 25 bags
• Volunteers for The Kim Foundation wrote over 200 positive messages for 10 school mental health awareness boards
• Volunteer for Down Syndrome Alliance provided 10 hours of peer-to-peer support during programming, planted two flower pots, cleared two parking lots and entry ways of trash, turned 650 square feet of green space into an outdoor exploration space.
• Volunteers for Kids Can read to infants, toddlers and preschoolers
• Volunteers for Youth Emergency Services organized the donation closet, cleaned the Street Outreach, detailed the vans, and connected with local youth and young adults
• Volunteers for Omaha Permaculture picked up windblown trash on 4 vacant lots and their 8 acre headquarters, filling a 16 foot dump trailer
• Volunteers for Nebraska Diaper Bank wrapped 33,920 diapers, which will serve 565 babies
• Volunteers for The Durham Museum created 60 thank you bags for attendees of their volunteer appreciation dinner, helped serve special donut/coffee treats for year-round museum volunteers and sorted several hundred LEGO in preparation of summer camps
• Volunteers for Prospect Hill Historic Cemetery provided guided tours as well as a demonstration of gravesite repair and reconstruction
• Volunteers for Release, Inc sorted and put away clothing; this was the first time in a long time that they were caught up with clothing organization
• Volunteers for Omaha Home for Boys prepared 269 beef and bean burritos and 265 breakfast burritos and distributed to OHB clients; assembled 4 picnic tables, 6 rocking chairs and one glider bench; organized a hygiene storage area and a storage area for bedding, dishes, housewares, clothing, etc
• Volunteers for No More Empty Pots packed around 100 CSA produce boxes
• Volunteers for QLI helped residents create over 30 garden paver stones, and put down over 50 yards of mulch
• Volunteers for Siena Francis House cooked dinner for 400 people and helped serve almost 3,000 meals
• Volunteers for New Visions Homeless Services weeded the garden, laid landscape fabric and mulch, painted artwork, prepared and served meals, and sorted and clothing and donations

Information about local nonprofit financial needs, wish lists, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities is available here 365 days a year at SHAREomaha.org. Every day is a great day to do good!

Find your next volunteer opportunity, now.