Grow Omaha
Non-Profit News

The Durham Museum will open its new traveling exhibit, the Negro Motorist Green Book, on February 7. The exhibit will explore how the annual guide served as an indispensable resource for many African Americans in the United States. Visitors will interact with historic footage, images and firsthand accounts offering an immersive look at the reality of travel for African Americans in mid-century America.

The Rod Rhoden Foundation has pledged an initial $1 million to Metropolitan Community College for a scholarship that will continue Rod Rhoden’s legacy of supporting opportunities in Nebraska’s automotive industry. The pledge will establish the Rod’s Auto Tech Team Scholarship, which is available to students of all ages pursuing automotive technology certificate or associate degree programs, including MCC Career Academy completers. The scholarship is expected to impact an estimated 45-plus students per year.

Creighton University announced a donor-funded program aimed at promoting the mental and spiritual well-being, resiliency and life skills of students in every school and college on campus. The Fritz Family Office of Cura Personalis Services — established with a $3 million gift from Lance, HON’23, and Julie Fritz — is a mission-driven initiative providing additional support, resources and programming for students. The gift also establishes the Fritz Family Endowed Director of Cura Personalis Services. The director will lead a cross-divisional team of case managers. Cura personalis, which translates as “care for the whole person,” is one of Creighton’s core Jesuit values.

The Josh Place, a nonprofit aiming to create permanent housing for locals with chronic mental illness, is fundraising by hosting a raffle for a brand-new home valued at $455,000. A Kickoff Event will be held on March 30 to introduce the mission, housing model and community impact. The home will be raffled off at The GreenLight Gala Saturday, August 8.

Habitat Omaha was selected by an anonymous donor to participate in the Pope Leo Village initiative alongside 15 other cities nationwide. The program, launched in Chicago, will invite at least 600 new Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help build 20 homes over 20 days. A kickoff event will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, February 26, at the St. John Paul II Newman Center, 1221 South 71st Street. The first volunteer build day will take place in April.

Food Bank for the Heartland is closed while the organization moves into its recently completed 105,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse building on the northeast corner of 84th & L Streets. The food bank will officially open at the location on February 2.

Heartland Bike Share announced its statistics from 2025. The nonprofit bicycle sharing organization saw 71,990 trips on its bikes, totaling 292,371 miles and an estimated 277,317 pounds of carbon offset. HBS’ Reduced Cost Membership Program, which includes the Library Pass Program, provided a new high of 5,500 trips. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge station was the most used in 2025.

Avenue Scholars hosted an Internship Fair today, January 29, at the Salvation Army Kroc Center. More than 200 high school juniors from 13 metro-area high schools met with representatives from 23 local businesses — including Children’s Nebraska, Baxter Auto and Pinnacle Bank — which offer paid internship opportunities. Beginning in high school and extending through career entry, the Omaha nonprofit Avenue Scholars works to place participating Omaha youth in high-wage, high-demand careers.

Canopy South was named the recipient of Front Porch Investments’ 2025 Greenlining Fund grant award. This award will support Canopy South’s efforts to promote homeownership in South Omaha through down payment assistance for homebuyers purchasing newly constructed and rehabilitated single-family homes. The Greenlining Fund is led by a Community Advisory Committee, which is currently accepting applications for new members with lived experience in formerly redlined neighborhoods of north and South Omaha and Council Bluffs/Carter Lake who want to help guide the Greenlining Fund’s priorities, investments, and activities.

An upcoming episode of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild will shine a national spotlight on Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and its decades-long commitment to conserving one of the world’s most endangered amphibians, the Puerto Rican crested toad.

After 25 years of operation, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha is selling both its ReStore locations to a local thrift-store operator. The nonprofit stores sell new and used building materials, home décor and appliances at discounted prices with proceeds helping pay for new affordable houses. The ReStores will remain open, and employees have the opportunity to keep their jobs. The ReStores are located at 10910 Emmet Street and 1003 South 24th Street. Selling the stores allows Habitat to focus solely on Omaha’s growing housing shortage.

This year’s Shine the Light on Hunger Campaign raised a record-breaking $4,949,864 and collected 216,237 pounds of nonperishable food to provide more than 15 million meals for neighbors in need. The annual campaign has invited community members to donate nonperishable food items to orange bins at participating locations around town for the past 19 years. Donations go to Food Back for the Heartland.

The Omaha Community Playhouse is hosting a free Community Resource Fair on Saturday, January 24, from 12 to 3 p.m. at 6915 Cass Street. The event will bring together local organizations to provide housing, legal and family support resources for the community. Hosted in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, the in-person event will feature a Transfer-on-Death Deed (TODD) Clinic, designed to help homeowners learn how to protect their homes and plan for the future.

The Hillside Foundation is hosting its first Gala at The Venue at Highlander on February 27. The nonprofit organization focuses on programs and education that promote and implement the benefits of composting for schools, food growers and people and organizations that may otherwise not be able to afford recycling and composting services. The night will celebrate local climate wins while funding projects that grow Omaha’s circular food system.

Nonprofit Association of the Midlands released a report titled, “Economic Impact of Nonprofits in Nebraska.” Report highlights include some impressive stats, like how 5,483 501(c) organizations operate and filed 2023 IRS Form 990 in Nebraska, or that $23.1 billion in revenue was generated by Nebraska nonprofits in 2023. Read the full report here.