Stories

It’s all about perspective. If you see a carrot with three or four legs at the supermarket, you might “turnip” your nose at it. At a farmer’s market? That organic carrot has personality and it’s worth at least double!   

On a Tuesday evening at the Food Bank for the Heartland, volunteers inspected and sorted pot roast veggies, including carrots with a few extra legs, for distribution to the 93 counties and over 500 agencies the Food Bank serves in Nebraska and Western Iowa.

SHAREomaha.org has been live for six months!  I was about to say “just” six months or “only” – both would be appropriate. “Just six months” meaning that for us on the team it has been an immersive experience so chock full of opportunities for the community that it feels like so much longer. The public and our nonprofit sector have both welcomed SHARE Omaha as a resource with enthusiasm, ideas and open arms. I have often called it the best whirlwind ever.

Peace, healing, joy. Each guest comes to Scatter Joy Acres looking for something different. When they find it, they’re hooked.

“You come one time and that’s all it takes. You’ll be back,” says Kim, a regular Scatter Joy Acres volunteer.

Open Door Mission, who seeks to end the cycle of homelessness and poverty, serves over a million nutritious meals per year. To make that happen, countless vegetables need chopped and sack lunches must be prepared. Walk-in volunteers at the community kitchen are welcome Monday-Friday from 9-11am and 2-4pm and are vital to getting meals out the door.

We’ve told you about Kathy who bakes homemade cookies for The Hope Lodge every Wednesday and Jack who shares stories of his grandfather’s train at The Durham Museum.

“You know who else you should visit? The ‘Tuesday Crew’,” whispered a little birdy.

You’re never too young to give back. And you’re never too old for adventurous volunteering!

Here is a sample of volunteer activities in the Omaha metro that are infused with an extra dose of fun.



 

1. Be a game demo-er at Spielbound

Spread the joy of your favorite board game by teaching others! Be a game demo-er at Spielbound while making new friends. You won’t be “Sorry!”. (Age 13+ or with adult supervision)

The 2019 NCAA Men's College World Series starts in one week! Omaha is proud to be the home of The Greatest Show on Dirt and community support is needed to successfully host a total attendance of over 300,000 people.

Want to join in? Here are four ways to volunteer during the College World Series. 

1. Serve as an Event Ambassador or Fan Fest Volunteer

Photo Credit: Habitat for Humanity

Pool days, zoo visits and summer camps have long been tricks of the trade to keep kids entertained during the summer. After a few weeks though, your young ones are likely looking for a new adventure. Try adding volunteering to your list of kid-friendly activities this summer!

Jack, a Durham Museum volunteer, holds a photo of his grandfather conducting the same train he sits in at the museum.


The Durham Museum is full of treasures. Among the most valuable are the volunteers and the stories they tell. With some volunteers giving more than 400 hours per year, they captivate visitors with tales of Omaha history.

“People don’t want to have somebody read a script. They fall asleep. People want to be entertained,” says Jack, a Durham Museum volunteer.

2019:

Our hearts are heavy as flood waters wreak havoc in Iowa and Nebraska. The destruction to land and homes along with the number of families displaced is overwhelming.

But our community is doing what we do best. We rally and we support one another. 

Immediate disaster response and evacuation were first and foremost for our nonprofit partners. They sprang to action to protect our neighbors. But as the weeks go by and the waters recede, our community will need us all to act.