Stories from Omaha
IVC Omaha Member Profile: Spotlight on Nancy Miller at Refugee Women Rising
Solidarity is built into every aspect of the work done at Refugee Women Rising (RWR) but it is not without challenge. RWR’s programs flex to accommodate women born in 25 different countries speaking 30 different languages. “Our work is welcoming, relational and as unique as our collaborators,” as stated in Refugee Women Rising’s Impact Report for 2024.
“Holy boldness” common ground for RISE and IVC
Bridging Communities Inside and Out, a tagline found on the webpage for RISE Reentry Program explains in a phrase the short version of what they do. The long version of the mission is complex, yet simple–to break the cycle of incarceration and provide reentry support to help people build a new life after experiencing a prison sentence for people across the state of Nebraska. A recent visit to sit in and observe a single session of the Leadership Academy demonstrates the passion of the Executive Director, Jeremy Bouman for serving this population of individuals and is just one example of support in the process of building a new life after being system-impacted.
Omaha Celebrates Second Annual Evening of Gratitude
This year’s Madonna Della Strada Award recipients were Fr. Greg Carlson, SJ, and Fr. Larry Gillick, SJ, Creighton University’s Jesuit Community members. The afternoon program was held at Creighton Preparatory High School in the Sullivan Commons.
Omaha IVC “tips their hat” to Fr. Kevin Schneider, SJ
Priests in general, but especially Jesuits wear many hats. They are called to serve in many roles: public speaker, spiritual leader or director, leadership
developer, community outreach person, ministry coordinator, and of course perhaps the greatest of these, teacher. Fr. Kevin Schneider, SJ has worn all of these hats and more during his time in Omaha.
“Miss Ginger Day” at Dual Language Academy! – IVC Omaha Volunteer Honored at Local School
Everyone loves Miss Ginger—and to prove it, they created a celebration to honor their favorite IVC volunteer Ginger Goomis at Dual Language Academy this past spring. Preparation for this day had begun weeks before but the excitement was difficult to contain on...
Omaha IVC partners with Heart Ministry Center at FRESH Floral
The Heart Ministry Center’s former Executive Director, Mark Dahir had a favorite phrase he shared with many “Become part of the Heart!” This is exactly what has transpired between the Ignatian Volunteer Corps and new Service Corps Member Celann LaGreca. Celann’s...
IVC Omaha Members Become Family
It is easy to see why service corps members Gene and Kathy Schwarting are a valued part of the Saint Peter and Paul School community. Former principal, Andrew Bauer, who is now serving as the Executive Director for the Omaha Consortium Schools shares this about his...
Walking with the Excluded
So how does IVC do all the wonderful work they do? How do we walk with the excluded, the poor; with youth in crisis, the disabled, the trafficked, the forgotten? How do we do it? We walk hand-in-hand with our amazing service partner agencies—large and...
For when I was hungry…
In the midst of the civic unrest and anxiety about the coronavirus, we can lose sight of the ongoing crisis of food insecurity. Defined as “the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of lack of money and other resources,” Katie Fitzgerald, Chief...
Standing Shoulder-to-Shoulder with the Mission of Habitat for Humanity
At a time of high unemployment, rising costs of housing, food, and other necessities, more and more families across the United States struggle to find and maintain adequate, safe, and affordable housing. Families live on the brink of personal housing crises and risk...