The Big Give anniversary check-in

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Autism Family Network | Camp Sonshine | Capital Humane Society | Catholic Social Services | Center for People | Clinic with a Heart | I’ve Got a Name | Lincoln Pius X Foundation | The White Cane Foundation  | Uplifting Paws

It’s been a little more than a year since we presented $100,000 apiece to 10 worthy local nonprofits through The Big Give, presented by Union Bank & Trust. After all the pomp and circumstance, towers of balloons, and tables of refreshments, those nonprofits rolled up their sleeves and put the money to work for the people of Lincoln and Lancaster County.

Let’s check in with all of them to see what’s transpired in their organizations since receiving their funding from The Big Give.

Autism Family Network

Over the past 12 months, The Autism Family Network has put its money to good use in helping Lincoln’s autism community. One of the biggest boons to their organization was finally having the ability to rent a larger space to better serve the ever-growing population needing their services (they move in soon!). In addition to that major organizational change and applying additional funds for their basic needs grants to assist with budget items like rent and utilities, the funding was used in numerous other ways that benefit those with autism in our community, as well as their families and caregivers.

• Facilitated informational meetings for caregivers on a variety of topics such as financial planning and applying for disability waivers
• Hosted their first Autism Conference at Nebraska Innovation Campus with more than 100 people in attendance
• Offered a variety of free-to-attend recreational activities: putt-putt golf, swim parties, movie nights, a pizza party/game night, art parties in the park, a picnic at Mahoney Park, two fishing clinics, Trunk or Treat, and Halloween parties with pumpkin decorating, s’mores, and hayrack rides
• Expanded their social clubs for children and adults to four nights per month
• Paid for a holiday party at the Lincoln Children’s Museum, hosting more than 200 people in the special needs community
• Offered free swimming lessons for people with disabilities
• Continued to offer Project Lifesaver trackers to vulnerable wanderers
• Advanced their partnership with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, offering free events with Husker athletes throughout the year
• Paid for educational advocates to assist families with IEPs and MDTs in school districts
• Created the first Nebraska specialty license plate for autism
• Ordered new items such as a canopy, logo tablecloth, and retractable banner for events

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Camp Sonshine

Many strides have been made toward a new gym at Camp Sonshine. Construction began shortly after they received their funding, and the gym space was usable for their summer program this past June. With the new space, they were able to use the climbing wall as an additional activity in their programming. The restrooms and changing rooms were able to accommodate camper groups and even host campers during extremely hot and inclement weather. At last count, more than 3,500 campers were able to use the gym during its first summer in operation.

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Capital Humane Society

Funding from The Big Give has made a Pawsitive Impact at Capital Humane Society — quite literally. The funding allowed CHS to launch Pawsitive Impact, a voucher assistance program to help income-qualified individuals with the expense of grooming, canine spaying and neutering, behavior and training programs, and landlord pet deposits. Since implementing the voucher assistance program, 440 vouchers have helped community members with their pet ownership costs. The program has been successful in keeping pets with their people, and vice versa.

“We’re so thankful to live and operate in a community with so much support from other organizations and businesses like UBT,” said CHS Executive Director Matt Madcharo. “Thank you for making all of this possible.”

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Catholic Social Services

For Catholic Social Services Family Support Services, The Big Give meant they were able to provide support to 5,600 local people, a marked increase of 1,100 (or 25% more). The support they were able to provide came in numerous ways:

• Covering utility bills when finances are tight
• Providing food or vouchers for clothing and furniture from their thrift store
• Gas or bus vouchers so clients can get to work

“The common thread woven throughout is the undeniable hope this program and our case managers provide to clients,” they explained in their check-in letter. “What may seem like a small band-aid often provides just what is needed to make all the difference for one family.”

With the funds from The Big Give, they were able to increase the number of families they could assist per week from 1-6 with their prior budget to 10-12 this past year. In July, a client sent a message to CSS; a single mother of a 16-year-old, she’s disabled and unable to work. To add insult to injury, her bank account was wiped out by scammers. CSS had assisted her in paying $262.80 of her $411.35 utility bill.

“Thank y'all so, so very much. I'm very, very appreciative of the help your organization has provided. Any and every amount is a filled chink of my cracked armor and lifts the heaviness of the stress and burden that much more. Thank you and Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska for all you do, for taking a ‘bad things happen to decent people’ situation and giving my son and me a reason to smile today, and continue to hope. God bless.” – V.T.

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Center for People

The Center for People (formerly The Center for People in Need) was able to make a huge difference in numerous lives throughout Lincoln with something as simple as diapers. Simply put, diapers mean a lot to folks in poverty. They keep babies clean and healthy, but the absence of diapers in a household creates a ripple effect that can put job security at risk. When a family runs out of diapers, they can’t supply them to daycare, which means their child can’t attend, forcing a parent to scramble for alternative care or take a day off work — often without pay.

The diaper drive at Center for People has a simple mantra: Diapers shouldn’t be what stands between a family and a paycheck. In the past year, free diapers were instrumental in bringing people in the door, which often leads to a positive ripple effect because of the access to the numerous other services Center for People provides. A single mother might attend a diaper distribution and be led to explore her career options with a Program Navigator, then be found to be eligible to have her tuition covered through a People Obtaining Prosperity scholarship.

Last year, Center for People served roughly 2,000 households per week and was able to fund the diaper drive via The Big Give without having to pull from other programs. In addition, they advocated for diaper access across Nebraska by participating in legislative hearings for LB676, a bill for an act to expand diaper access statewide. The following is testimony from Khadeiga Kitier.

I am the proud mother of six children. My children are 16 years, 15 years, 13 years, 8 years, 5 years, and 7 months.

In 2006, I came to the United States from Sudan. When I arrived in America, I was pregnant with my first child. And it wasn’t until 2014 that my husband was able to officially join us in the United States.

In Sudan, my husband was an accountant. When he was finally able to join us in the United States, he was able to transfer 123 credit hours to be applied to his continued education in the United States. As a family of eight, it’s difficult to make ends meet. So for now my husband works to support our family and plans to continue his Masters program at a later date. I also work at the Center for People to help with our family finances.

Our two oldest children are both in the gifted program at Lincoln Public Schools. We work hard for our children and we came to the United States for our family. Our kids know that there are financial sacrifices we have to make, and that everyone understands, and agrees, with the sacrifices we make. We are proud parents and our priority is on our family.

Our youngest child, Abdelrahman, is 7 months old, and we receive supplemental diapers from the Center for People for him each month. And when our 5-year-old, Ahmed, was a baby, the Center was able to help with diapers for him as well.

Our income is not enough for us to have extra diapers without the help from the Center. With this help, we’re able to use our money to take care of other basic needs. We do all that we can for our kids and know that family is the most important thing.

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Clinic with a Heart

Since receiving their Big Give funds, Clinic with a Heart has partnered with Hoppe Development to collaborate on delivering a new clinic space to service more people and provide affordable housing above the clinic. You can follow the journey on their Facebook and Instagram pages or at their website, clinicwithaheart.org.

“We’re so incredibly thankful for The Big Give and what it has provided for the patients of Clinic with a Heart,” said executive director Nancy Montanez Johner. “We’re anxious to share our new space with the community.”

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I’ve Got a Name

In August 2023, I’ve Got a Name hosted Connect to Protect, the first-ever Lincoln conference to specifically address sex trafficking. Through that event, parents, school personnel, businesses, organizations, healthcare providers, and numerous other sectors of the community came together to learn how to better prevent trafficking and protect Lincoln’s youth. The organization brought in a lineup of local experts to cover topics such as social media’s impact on youth vulnerabilities, identifying traffickers’ grooming practices, resources for parents and guardians, and ending the demand. The conference sold out at 300 attendees, creating connections within the community to protect youth from falling victim to trafficking.

In addition to the conference, the funds from The Big Give have given I’ve Got a Name the opportunity to increase awareness by expanding their marketing efforts. They’re currently broadcasting radio ads and are in the process of airing television commercials about the reality of sex trafficking within Nebraska’s capital city. They’re teaming up with Bekka Allick through an NIL partnership to further promote their cause.

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Lincoln Pius X Foundation

Construction began on Pius X’s more secure front entrance, Welcome Center, and Student Health Center in Summer 2023 and is projected for completion in Spring 2024. The $100,000 gift from The Big Give launched the project, along with a $150,000 grant from the from the Dillon Foundation. In addition, funds were raised during BOLT and the Lincoln Catholic Schools Day of Giving, through Pius X family members purchasing custom engraved bricks, and other fundraising efforts.

The new entrance will improve school security and create a one-stop Welcome Center to enhance the experience of students, families, and visitors. The project also includes the school’s first Student Health Center with a nurse’s office, a private restroom for patients, a work area, and a storage room for medications and supplies. It will also feature beds and a seating area for students who are ill or injured.

More information on the project is available at www.piusx.net/welcome.

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The White Cane Foundation

The White Cane Foundation (WCF) has increased the number of Lincoln elementary schools they serve from 7 to 12 in the year since being gifted funds through The Big Give. At the end of school last May, they were able to gift 1,550 Bundle of Joy packages, which give each student two brand new outfits (two tops, two bottoms, tennis shoes, two pairs of socks, underwear, and hygiene items). They anticipate doubling their reach this school year with the new schools they’ve added.

One of the biggest upgrades for WCF is the addition of a mobile unit. In the past, they would visit schools and be moved around to whatever space was available. That setup didn’t provide much privacy to the students who visited them and would require their staff to run in and out of schools to get different sizes. The mobile unit allows them to have an appropriate space and carry extra inventory items.

From White Cane Foundation Executive Director Kelly Lauer:

We’ve been asked why we do what we do. The answer is very simple. Children are our future, and their job now is to discover how they fit into the world. When a child feels good about themselves, they do better in school. They stay in school and the learning environment is enhanced. There’s a transformation that occurs from the moment these kids see their clothes, select their outfits, look in the mirror, and leave with their heads held a little higher. When you continually witness that and see their faces as they walk out the door, there is no greater joy and there is only forward momentum.

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Uplifting Paws

The Big Give made Uplifting Paws a busy place over the past year. The organization that provides service dogs was able to hire a full-time dog trainer, Grayson, who provides expertise and a passion for helping others. Grayson facilitates training with all the assistance dog prospects that Uplifting Paws owns, instructs group training classes, and assists with therapy dog teams. Their boost in funding also allowed them to purchase three dogs for the program: Winston, Ace, and Jax. Other necessities, such as veterinary care, training equipment, outdoor shade, and general expenses were made possible with The Big Give funding.

Thank you to all who participated in The Big Give! We look forward to seeing what else these organizations can accomplish in the future.

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