Hope Center hopecenterforkids.com
The Hope Center is a safe place for kids and teens to go. An after-school program, it offers daily hot meals, educational support, mentoring, social skills training, Bible studies, job creation, and all sorts of other programs. After the tour, your team skates with the Hope Center Kids. We eat dinner there--pizza party. Siena Francis House sienafrancis.org
Siena Francis is Nebraska's largest shelter, serving homeless men, women, and children. They provide emergency overnight shelter, food through their Meal Provider Program, clothing, and case management outreach services through their day services program. We will serve the residents nachos and hang out with them, providing the residents with a listening ear and a word of encouragement.Soby Ranch sobyranch.com
The mission of Soby Ranch is to assist men, women and children to mature in their sense of self-worth and discover what it means to be a Christian steward of personal and natural resources. Through animal therapy, they work with special needs in the community from trauma and loss issues, physical and emotional disabilities, and social and relationship issues. Animal assisted activities is an innovative intervention in which an animal becomes a crucial and highly effective part of the treatment process.Soby Ranch is a start-up ministry, so groups will do work and clean-up projects around the property. There is a bonfie in the evening, while groups listen to how the ministry got started. inCommon incommoncd.org
inCommon's goal is to unite and strengthen vulnerable neighborhoods. They believe neighborhoods provide an extraordinary opportunity to alleviate poverty at the root level. Through a variety of community-based initiatives, residents are finding ways to rebuild their neighborhoods together, as well as setting a new course away from poverty and toward sustainable futures for themselves and their families. Release Ministries releaseministries.org
Next, it's off to jaill--to the Douglas County Youth Detention Center where we’ll take a tour and hear all about Release Ministries. Our participants won’t actually have any contact with the youth, but the experience will really open up their eyes. We hope this will be your first and last time in jail!Revealed Word Ministries revealedwordministriesinc.org
The vision of Chaplain Ron Smith, Revealed Word Ministries began in 2011, with the goal of seeing the hearts and lives of at-risk youth transformed by the power of God's Word--through worship and bible studies within their own community environment. Being the hands and feet of Christ, they physically bring God's presence into the homes of the youth, with the hope of powerfully impacting their entire household. Revealed Word is a church without walls, as they go into communities and become the support system troubled youth need to succeed. Open Door Mission opendoormission.org
The team serves the homeless lunch or works in the distribution center. This is a shelter which helps the homeless get back on their feet through job training, counseling services, Bible studies, food, etc. After serving, our team will eat lunch here, as well. We encourage our teams to not sit with their friends, but to eat lunch while getting to know one of the homeless folks.Heartland Hope Mission heartlandhopemission.org
It is a food pantry in south Omaha. Our team packs food boxes, sorts and hands out clothes, etc. This ministry is located in the Latino section of town--many of the recipients don’t speak English. After serving, we’ll hear we'll hear the story of how Heartland Hope Mission began.Golden LivingCenter goldenlivingcenters.com/omaha
Golden Living is a multi-purpose medical facility for patients needing rehab, nursing care, hospice, or assisted living. Their mission is "To share our passion for improving quality of life through innovative healthcare -- one person, one family and one community at a time." As residents often don't receive many vistors, your smile and encouraging words can be very contagious and impactful. Groups will spend time visiting with the residents, brining them a sense of belonging, hope, comfort, and purpose. Sequels Thrift Store hopenetministries.org/Sequels.html
Sequels is part of Hope Net Ministries--a non-profit, faith-based organization providing families and individuals in the community with the tools and resources they need to break the cycle of addiction and poverty. Sequels provides clean, quality clothing and small household goods. They turn donated items into valuable resources for those in need. Help out in the store by sorting clothes, pricing items, and greeting customers.
Prayer Walk
Prayer is a foundational component of Christ For the City International (CFCI) and the Urban Plunge. Before any neighborhood outreach is initiated, we spend up to 6 months in organized Prayer-Walking. In Omaha, we’ve mapped the ten highest crime areas in the city and are organizing churches to pray in those neighborhoods. In conjunction with leaders in the African American community, we have developed a team known as “First Responders.” These dedicated intercessors gather at every murder site within 24 hours and Prayer-Walk the neighborhood. As a result, homicides in Omaha have decreased nearly 50% during 2009, and violent areas are experiencing more peace. We’ll go on a 20 minute Prayer-Walk through the Park Avenue Neighborhood, unlike the neighborhoods in which you live. As we debrief, we’ll challenge each Plunger to consider Prayer-Walking with a friend through their school or neighborhood.Compassion In Action compassioninactioninc.com
Compassion In Action (CIA) Inc., is a faith based organization that works with women incarcerated, their children and the caregivers of their children. CIA provides pre-Release Education and Reentry Preparation for both men and women prior to their release from prison. CIA implements a strong spiritual component to validate each person with the understanding that they are created by God with a specific plan and divine purpose. Abide Network abidenetwork.org
Abide is a Leadership and Missionary Training Base. Ron Dotzler founded this ministry with the desire to raise up leaders in the African American Community of Omaha. They also train and send out missionaries within Omaha and the world. Ron is determined that the most dangerous place to be is outside the will of God! We’ll tour the ministry and hear Ron’s inspiring testimony of giving up his successful career as a chemical engineer and entering the hood. Empty Tomb Church
It is a church that reaches the homeless community. One Sunday a month, we’ll pack grocery bags to give to those that attended the service. We also will mingle and talk with those who attended the service.Bridge Church bridgeomaha.org
Bridge Church is a multi-ethnic church who's mission is to help people become radical world changers who gather, grow, and go so that people and places all over the world are impacted by the radical love of Jesus Christ. Church attenders can expect a casual atmosphere, celebratory music, and thought-provoking, inspirational, and practical messages based on the Bible.Salem Baptist salembc.org
A traditional African American church service, it is the friendliest and liveliest church you’ve ever attended. The day ends at about 2:00 pm. On your way home, you may want to stop for lunch.Turning Point turningpointomaha.org
Although we do not spend much time here, this is where we’ll be sleeping. The campus is the location of the former Omaha School for the Deaf. The ministry is a base for multiple ministries: Apollos Prep School, Goodwill Industries, International Day Care Center, Omaha Street School, Omaha Urban Young Life, Release Ministries, and Sudanese Programs, just to name a few. Your team arrives at about 4:30 pm and drops off bags. Your facilitator will meet you there, do introductions, and then hop in your car and direct you to our next destination.
