Give Back Archives - Family Fun in Omaha

Charity of the Month: Heart Ministry Center

January 4, 2013

Through the Holiday season and beyond, many of us donate clothes and food, volunteer our time, and help in numerous other ways with local organizations. We are blessed with many wonderful charities and non-profits in Omaha that are doing amazing work.

I am very excited to begin the series with The Heart Ministry Center. I personally met John, the director, last year, and have been inspired by his passion, vision, and desire to help others. When visiting the Center, there is an excitement there, not only through helping others’ physical needs, but truly reaching out and saying hello to everyone who walks through their doors, making them feel welcome. Additionally, a large number of the Center’s clients are their most consistent volunteers. Because they cannot afford to make a donation, volunteering is their way of giving back.

Let’s get to know this special place:

1. What is the mission of the Heart Ministry Center?

The Heart Ministry Center provides basic necessities, educational opportunities, health outreach events and support to individuals and families in north Omaha and surrounding areas.

2. What is your greatest need?

Dedicated and caring volunteers that are able to show empathy and compassion for others.

3. How can we help support the awesome work you are doing?

Volunteer your time and spread the word about the work we are doing at the Center.

4. What makes the Heart Ministry Center special or unique? What do you love most about working there?

We truly believe in the dignity of all and want to make sure each person visiting the center not only leaves with having their needs met but also feeling good about themselves.

Please contact The Heart Ministry Center for more information. You can find their logo in the sidebar here all month.

Giving Tuesday – Give Back in Omaha

November 27, 2012

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are all focused on Holiday Shopping. This year, we have a new day to help encourage and celebrate Holiday Giving and Service.

“We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals….Wouldn’t it be great to have a day for giving back?” Giving Tuesday was created to encourage and inspire giving throughout the Holiday Season.

Many individuals and families already make volunteering a part of their Holiday tradition including participating in an Angel Tree program through work, Adopting-A-Family through Church, delivering Thanksgiving meals, or ringing bells for Salvation Army. I am always inspired by those who work in non-profit agencies – they truly love their work and give so much more than the material items they might provide. Thank you for giving of yourself to help others. Let your service brighten the Holidays for many, and inspire others to do the same.

There are many wonderful organizations in and around Omaha whose mission is to help others. Here are a few that I have had the privilege to work with:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands – “Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.”

Completely KIDS – “Completely KIDS is an Omaha nonprofit whose mission is to develop youth and their families through out-of-school time and family strengthening programs in communities where they live.”

Heartland Hope Mission – “Our mission is to provide food, clothing and promote self sufficiency for people in need.”

Hope Center for Kids – “Hope Center for Kids strives to faithfully inspire hope in youth and children in the inner city through education, employability, collaboration and faith.”

Ted E. Bear Hollow – “Ted E. Bear Hollow is the community resource where our grieving children and teens come to heal.”

United Way Omaha – “To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities.”

Desiring to volunteer over the Holidays or throughout the year? Search the United Way’s online database for Adult & Youth Volunteer Opportunities at dozens of local nonprofit organizations. Give the gift of joy and time this Holiday Season. Together, we can all make a difference!

CC image courtesy of Gisela Giardino

Do you have a favorite organization that you volunteer with? Please share in the comments below!

Give With Target – Schools Receive $25 Target Giftcards for Every 25 Votes!

August 13, 2012

UPDATE: From the Give With Target Facebook Page: “We beat the deadline! Our campaign is closed early.Thanks to an incredible response, we’ve given $2.5 million in support to schools and reached our goal before September 8. Thanks for your help!”

Have you voted yet for your favorite school for the Give with Target program? For every 25 votes, a school will receive $25 in Target giftcards!

Head over to Give With Target Facebook Page, and vote for your favorite school. My favorite already has 65 votes and only needs 10 more to receive $75 in giftcards. You can vote once per week through September 8, 2012.

From Target:

You can help us give up to $2.5 million in support to schools through Give With Target®.

Simply choose a K-12 school in our list of eligible schools and vote for it weekly through September 8 or when $2.5 million in Target GiftCards® have been awarded, whichever occurs first. A school will receive a $25 Target GiftCard for every 25 votes received during the Promotion Period; up to a maximum of $10,000 in gift cards. For example, schools that receive less than 25 votes will not receive any gift cards, while schools that receive 25-49 votes receive a $25 Target GiftCard and schools that receive 50-74 votes receive $50 in gift cards. If the school you chose is not on our list, please choose another school.

Check out the Give With Target program here and vote today!

Donate to Goodwill and Receive Free Cox Classic Tickets!

July 20, 2012

From now until August 5th, you will receive a voucher good for two Free Tickets to the 2012 Cox Classic at Champions Run Country Club when you bring in a donation to Omaha Goodwill locations! You then take your voucher to the Cox Classic will-call, where you can redeem it for your two entry passes. Vouchers are only available while supplies last, so bring your donation in now!

Organize your closets, get two free tickets to the Cox Classic, and help someone in need – win-win-win for everyone!

Make A Difference Monday: Moms

May 14, 2012

In honor of Mother’s Day, today’s Make A Difference Monday post is a letter of gratitude to all Moms, who make a difference every day in the lives of their children. This is especially for MY MOM, who is very special to me.

Dear Mom,

Thank you for being one of the most influential people in my life.

Thank you for always trying your best, even when you weren’t exactly sure what that was – I know you acted out of love.

Thank you for coming to EVERY soccer game, softball game, dance recital, play, special project at school – if it was something parents could come to, you were ALWAYS there, with a smile, or a hug, or the encouragement and support I needed.

Thank you for taking us to Church every Sunday and teaching us that our faith is essential to our lives.

Thank you for being Girl Scout Cookie Mom, Uniform Exchange Moderator, and volunteering in the community AND taking us with you, showing how important it is to give of yourself and time to help others.

Now that I am a Mom, thank for joining us on our weekly adventures, offering gentle suggestions when I am not sure what to do, and helping me remember to cherish each and every day since it all goes so fast…

And most of all, thank you for telling us every day that you love us very much!

This is part of Make A Difference Monday, highlighting people and agencies who are making a difference in other’s lives, sharing encouraging stories of wonderful acts of kindness, and offering little tidbits that will help support and encourage each of us along the way.

CC image courtesy of Sharon Mollerus

Make A Difference Monday: Charley’s Heart

May 7, 2012

Charley's Heart

Today’s Make A Difference Monday post is a very special one.

Two years ago this May, my husband’s cousin and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Charlotte. One year ago this May, Charlotte earned her angel wings. Her parents created Charley’s Heart to help facilitate the mission of supporting the heart community, fund continued research for congenital heart defects, raise awareness, and above all, to celebrate the life of this special little girl.

One of the special projects created is Books for Charley.

Books for Charley was an idea born out of a family member’s desire to help us celebrate and honor our daughter Charlotte after she earned her wings in May 2011. What started out as an idea to request books in lieu of gifts for a birthday party, quickly turned into a drive that allowed us to donate over 1,200 books to Omaha Children’s Hospital (Omaha, NE) and the Avera Pediatric Specialty Clinic (Sioux Falls, SD). The response that we received from individuals across the country was beyond anything that we could have anticipated and reminded us of just how many people our little girl’s story had touched. The generosity of others has allowed us to “give back” to the facilities that did so much for our family during Charlotte’s short life.

This year, the hope is to expand the reach of our donations to Children’s Hospitals across the country. Each book will be affixed with a special “Charley’s Heart” sticker. Keep in mind, too, that these books are going to sick kiddos in hospital and clinic settings, and so please send NEW books only.

How can you help?

Please consider donating to Charley’s Heart and the Books for Charley program. You are welcome to mail new books, drop them off in Omaha or Sioux Falls, or donate money which will all go towards the purchase of new books! Please visit here for more information on helping out these very special children.

Thank you so much for reading, and please feel free to share with your friends and family using the social icons below.

We love you sweet Charlotte! Very, very much!

Stamp Out Hunger on Saturday, May 12th

May 3, 2012

Are you looking for an easy way to help? Participate in the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive in your community! Collect and bag non-perishable items such as canned fruit and vegetables, canned tuna or chicken, pasta, soup, bottled juice, or cereal and set it out by your mailbox on Saturday, May 12th. All items will be donated to your local food bank or pantry!

Make A Difference Monday: Operation Beautiful

April 30, 2012

Have you heard of Operation Beautiful? I first saw a post-it note on the mirror in a public restroom with the simple message on it, “You are beautiful!!” How simple, yet so profound.

Operation Beautiful was started by Caitlin, a young lady who is dedicated to ending negative self-talk, and hopes we can all encourage a positive body image in ourselves and others. She began by writing positive messages on sticky notes and leaving them on the mirrors in public restrooms everywhere. Her mission has developed into a blog which has inspired thousands of people everywhere to write anonymous positive messages for others to enjoy.

How can you get involved? Write a motivating note on a post-it note and put it up in a public place– such as on a bathroom mirror, in the gym locker room, or leave one in a grocery cart for the next person to see. If you wish, you can write www.OperationBeautiful.com on the bottom so other people can find the site and pass it on!

It is INSPIRING to me how one person’s simple idea can have such a HUGE impact on others!

Make A Difference Monday: Celebrate Arbor Day!

April 23, 2012

This is part of the series called Make A Difference Monday. I hope to highlight people and agencies who are making a difference in other’s lives, share encouraging stories of wonderful acts of kindness, and provide opportunities to get involved!

National Arbor Day is April 27, 2012, a special holiday to plant and care for trees. It started right here in Nebraska by J. Sterling Morton, and is now celebrated in all 50 states (dates may differ depending on their best tree planting times.) There are many ways to celebrate Arbor Day!

Local Events and Activities

FREE Arbor Day Family Activities at Lauritzen Gardens – 4/27-4/28
- 9am-5pm. Celebrate a fun weekend dedicated to trees. Enjoy tree tours and tree-themed educational activities. The first 100 households each day will receive a FREE tree seedling. Admission and activities are FREE.
Nebraska City’s 140th Arbor Day Celebration – 4/27-4/29
- The annual Arbor Day Celebration begins on the last Friday in April and features children’s educational activities, a parade, craft show, free trees, a 5 & 10 K run/walk, plant sale, all-you-can-eat chili cook-off, commemorative tree plantings, special award ceremonies, and tours of Arbor Lodge, the home of J. Sterling Morton.
Arbor Day Celebration at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure in Nebraska City, NE – 4/28-4/29
- Special Arbor Day events at the Tree Adventure include tree climbing, cross-cut sawing, Arbor Day Farm wine tasting, face painting, hands-on crafts for children, live music, and other fun activities for all ages.
Get involved in Keep Omaha Beautiful and help clean up a park, do yard work for an elderly citizen, or participate in one of their many programs!
Spend time outside at one of the many Omaha Parks or local Recreation Areas such as Lake Zorinsky, Walnut Creek Lake and Recreation Area (Papillion), Chalco Hills Recreation Area, or Standing Bear Lake.

National Events and Activities

Arbor Day Activities including Arbor Day facts and printables
Volunteer with a local tree-planting organization. This is available nationwide.
The Arbor Day Foundation has a great list of many more ways to celebrate Arbor Day here!

Earth Day Events and Activities still going on:

Going Green with the Omaha Public Library – Celebrate Spring with Eco-Friendly Events, April 14-April 29, 2012, at various Omaha Public Libraries. Click on link for event descriptions, dates, and times (Click on Green under Upcoming Events in center of website.)
Earth Week at Mulhall’s (Omaha) – Print this coupon for a Free premium quart 4.5″ herb or vegetable plant. Coupon valid 4/20-4/27/12.
Free Entrance into National Parks April 21st – 29th.
Kellogg’s – You can get a Kellogg’s reusable shopping bag when you purchase any two Kellogg’s cereals or Pop Tarts. This offer expires 9/30/12 or while supplies last.

See these and other fun family events in Upcoming Family Fun Events, Omaha Attractions and in the Event Calendar!

CC image courtesy of Patti Haskins

Make a Difference Monday

April 16, 2012

The mission of The Spirit of Saving is “Lifting Your Spirit. Helping You Save.” I have focused much of my energy in these first three months of blogging on ways to help you save, and I intend to keep doing that. I also hope to focus more on Lifting Your Spirit, and providing inspiration and encouragement to help each of us live fully the lives that we are intended to live.

On Mondays, I am going to begin a series called “Make A Difference Monday.” I hope to highlight people and agencies who are making a difference in other’s lives, share encouraging stories of wonderful acts of kindness, and offer little tidbits that will help support and encourage each of us along the way.

How can we make a difference in someone’s life? Even something that we perceive as small can have a lasting impact on another person. We all know people who have inspired us in some way – to do more, to volunteer more, to give more, to share more of ourselves. We each have amazing gifts that we can share to make other’s lives a little brighter. We cannot do everything, but we can do something to help make the world a little better.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead

CC Image courtesy of Krystal T.