By Laura Contreras, Omaha Community Foundation
More than 259,000 Nebraskans are currently food insecure. With recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), households are experiencing disruptions in their food benefits. To help ensure families have continued access to food, the City of Omaha has coordinated a community-wide effort to support local food pantries—an essential resource for many during this time.
The Omaha Community Foundation is partnering with the City to establish the Food Relief Fund, which will provide direct support to local organizations working to keep shelves stocked and families fed. You can contribute to this effort by donating to the Food Relief Fund or any of the organizations below.
“Since 2018, we’ve seen a fourfold increase in the number of households visiting our pantries, and we are on the verge of an ongoing food crisis,” said Tim Williams, Government Affairs and Advocacy Officer at Food Bank for the Heartland. “Just in one year alone, we’ve seen a 6.5% increase in people served alongside an 11% reduction in resources.”
Anyone can make a credit card donation to the relief fund. OCF Fundholders can also make an immediate impact by recommending a grant from their fund to support local food pantries or by contributing directly to the Food Relief Fund in partnership with the City of Omaha.
Below is a list of local organizations helping to meet the community’s food needs.
|
Regional hub that supplies food to 500+ partner pantries, schools, and programs across Nebraska and western Iowa. |
|
|
Large, low-barrier choice pantry offering food and wraparound support. |
|
|
Choice pantry model with flexible access and multiple metro locations. |
|
|
The All People’s Pantry is a culturally inclusive pantry featuring African, Asian, and Latin American staples. |
|
|
Operates food pantry and emergency assistance programs. |
|
|
Food assistance and household stability support. |
|
|
Free food center integrated with basic needs services. |
|
|
Food support and connections to broader stability resources. |
|
|
Weekly, low-barrier pantry welcoming walk-ins. |
|
|
“The Market” is a choice pantry that emphasizes nutritious, culturally relevant foods. |
|
|
Bilingual, church-based pantry serving South Omaha families. |
|
|
Launching November 2, 2025, House of Bah will provide culturally affirming meal distributions for affected households, in partnership with Grammercy Park Collective and Green Line Café. Donations will help cover food and supply costs. |
|
|
Operates a food pantry with a variety of fresh foods, meat, nonperishables, personal care items, diapers, clothing, and home furnishings to families in need. |
|
|
Operates a 26,000-square-foot Community Food Hub to source, store, and distribute emergency food in the Omaha metro, serving over 40 partner organizations and addressing food access gaps not covered by the Food Bank. |
|
|
Rescues and redistributes high-quality perishable foods—such as produce, dairy, and proteins—to nonprofit partners across the Omaha metro, reducing food waste while addressing hunger. |
|
|
This center provides a monthly food pantry, offering canned goods, frozen foods, boxed nonperishables, and fresh produce. |
|
|
City of Omaha – Food Relief Fund |
A fund established through the Omaha Community Foundation to collect donations and ensure local pantries receive support for households facing food insecurity. |
Individuals seeking help can contact 211 for local food resources by calling 211, texting their ZIP code to 898211, or visiting NE211.org.
If you have questions about opening a fund or making a credit card donation, email giving@omahafoundation.org.
