Grow Omaha
Non-Profit News

This month, guys around Omaha are growing mustaches and raising money as part of Mustaches 4 Kids Omaha. After shaving clean on May 1, participants have 30 days to grow a mustache while raising funds for local children’s charities. This year, money raised goes to Angels Among Us, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Heart Heroes.

Nebraska Monarchs is hosting its annual Native Plant Giveaway and Environmental Expo Saturday, May 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the South High Gym. The first 250 households to arrive will receive a free, predesigned native perennial garden. The Environmental Expo will feature local community experts and environmental organizations.

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing presented Centerpointe President and CEO Topher Hansen with its Lifetime Achievement Award on May 5 in Washington, DC, to honor his distinguished career with the nonprofit healthcare provider. The National Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals for their tireless efforts and commitment to improving the lives of those living with mental health and substance use challenges. Hansen, who is retiring June 30, started at CenterPointe as a volunteer in 1975 and has been CEO since 2000. CenterPointe will celebrate his legacy with an open house at its Campus for Hope Tuesday, June 10.

Corgis of all types pushed their tiny legs to the limits last Saturday in the 5th Annual Omaha Corgi Races held at River’s Edge Park. The races were reportedly chaotic, but the event raised money for The Grand Champion organization, which benefits local dog rescues.

Preserve Omaha and the Omaha Magical Society are showcasing two historic venues today: the well-known, late-1800s magician David P. Abbott’s house and the former Emmy Gifford Children’s Theater, which now houses the Hispanic Art Center of Omaha. Teller, of famous magician duo Penn & Teller, donated the Abbott house to the Omaha Magical Society, a nonprofit organization, in September 2024. Today’s event features cocktails at the Hispanic Art Center of Omaha and tours of the Abbott house.

A fundraiser led by Warren Buffett and shareholders as part of Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting has raised $1.3 million for The Stephen Center. Buffett signed 20 copies of the new book 60 Years of Berkshire Hathaway, which were auctioned off to the highest bidders. Buffett then matched the final dollar amount raised in the auction. The money will help The Stephen Center fund a new substance abuse treatment center and a housing facility for women and children.

Last week, multiple Omaha nonprofits were notified that federal grants they had won from the National Endowment for the Arts are set to be terminated at the end of May. According to the email notifying affected nonprofits, “The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President.” Among those affected by this funding termination are the Omaha Conservatory of Music, Great Plains Theatre Commons, Anastasis Theatre, Omaha Theatre Company, Benson First Friday and WhyArts.

Partnership 4 Kids is facing a $260,000 annual gap after Department of Government Efficiency reductions impacted AmeriCorps-supported programs. Partnership 4 Kids, which says these cuts threaten its ability to continue serving more than 3,000 students in underserved neighborhoods, is the only non-profit in Nebraska that receives assistance from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.

Dunham House broke ground on Tuesday at a 40-acre site in north Omaha for its first-of-its-kind, transformational housing initiative meant to serve combat-wounded veterans in need of long-term residential-centered care. Dunham House is being developed in collaboration with Omaha-based nonprofit Wounded Warriors Family Support. When it opens in July 2026, Dunham House will be home to 30 veterans who require supportive care yet seek to maintain independence. The single-story complex will span approximately 27,500 sq. ft.

Lauritzen Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale is returning on May 9 and 10. The sale will be held on the festival garden lawn and feature a selection of pollinator packs and plants curated for gardens of the Great Plains as well as orchids, houseplants and succulents from the garden’s collection. Proceeds from the sale will support the garden’s efforts to practice and promote thoughtful, ecologically minded practices.

Nebraska Wildlife Rehab hosted Bats Over Omaha on Monday at The RiverFront’s Heartland of America Park. The yearly event invited spectators to watch Nebraska Wildlife Rehab staff release hundreds of bats which were injured or displaced this winter and turned in for rehabilitation.

On May 5, the AIM Institute is hosting Infotec, a technology conference for business leaders. As the first conference to utilize the full space of the Kiewit Luminarium, Infotec will bring leaders together to talk about topics such as AI & Automation, Cybersecurity & Risk Management, Data & Business Intelligence, Talent & Workforce Development, and Emerging Technologies. The AIM Institute is committed to growing a strong and diverse tech community through education, career development and outreach. Infotec tickets are available the rest of the week on the AIM Institute Eventbrite page.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Thrasher Foundation Repair has launched its largest community giveback initiative to date. The company will donate up to $50,000 in professional repair services in each of its five service areas, totaling up to $250,000 in free services to homeowners and nonprofit organizations in need. Nominations are now open and will be accepted through June 1. Selected projects will be completed during a special “Thrasher Gives Back Day” on July 7.

The Kim Foundation, a nonprofit that serves as a supportive resource and compassionate voice for lives touched by mental illness and suicide, is hosting a free Self-Care Fair at Heartland of America Park Saturday, May 3. The event will feature a sound healing by Joy Brings Light from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., bracelet-making with local Girl Scouts, pet therapy, Plinko with prizes, temporary tattoos, an affirmation station, Frios Gourmet Pops, mental health resources from The Kim Foundation and more. Several organizations will offer self-care activities, including The Kim Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council, the Metro Area LOSS Team and Westside High School’s HOPE Squad.

In partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the City of Omaha, Papio-Missouri River NRD and local businesses, the American Reforestation Initiative officially launched the Replant Omaha Initiative, a 10-year program aimed at restoring Omaha’s tree canopy, which suffered unprecedented losses during storms last summer. The initiative includes the planting of 25,000 high-quality shade trees, educating homeowners on proper tree care, and fostering a sustainable future for the city’s environment and neighborhoods.

On May 7, the Nebraska Catholic Day of Giving aims to inspire generosity that will benefit Catholic parishes, schools, ministries and organizations throughout the state, like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, by matching donations dollar-for-dollar. The event aims to create awareness and help organizations raise critically important funds.