The community showed tremendous generosity to help those in need during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
OMAHA, Neb., Aug. 11, 2020 — Amid the financial and job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Food Bank for the Heartland has seen an estimated 40% increase in need among communities in Nebraska and Iowa over the past five months. But the generosity of Goodwill Omaha shoppers is making it a bit easier for the food bank to provide nutritious foods to those in need. At the end of its two-month “Round It Up for Food Bank for the Heartland” campaign, Goodwill Omaha had accepted approximately $9,800 in donations from customers who had rounded their purchases to the next dollar, and many donated additional sums. Goodwill Omaha topped off the amount to make it an even $10,000.
Representatives from Goodwill delivered the check to Food Bank for the Heartland yesterday.
“COVID-19 has forced thousands of Nebraska and Iowa families into a situation they never imagined, seeking food assistance for the very first time,” said Brian Barks, president and CEO of Food Bank for the Heartland. “The funds raised from Goodwill’s customers will greatly assist us in providing critical meals to children, families and seniors struggling with food insecurity. We are grateful for the support from Goodwill Omaha and supporters across the Heartland.”
From March 15 to June 30, 2020, Food Bank for the Heartland distributed 7,510,900 meals and 11,633,012 meals when including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This is a 61% percent increase over the average number of meals distributed during the same period in 2018 and 2019.
The current instability of the economy and job market continues to leave families feeling like their futures are in limbo.
“What we’re starting to see happen now is that some people who were laid off with the expectation of returning to their jobs are finding out that their jobs are permanently eliminated because companies haven’t rebounded as they’d hoped they would,” said Tobi Mathouser, president and CEO at Goodwill Omaha. “We’ve also seen many restaurants, bars and other small businesses that were closed for so long they can’t afford to reopen. The situation is serious for so many people in our communities.
Mathouser said that Goodwill’s Employment Solutions program is designed to help people with disabilities and other disadvantages get the job training, skills, certification, placement and retention services they need to find independence and success through work. She pointed out that Employment Solutions participants don’t need to be disabled or disadvantaged; the program is available to anyone in the community.
To learn more about the program, job seekers just have to complete the Employment Solutions application on the Goodwill Omaha website or visit Goodwill Omaha’s headquarters at 4805 N. 72nd Street in Omaha and ask to speak with someone from the Employment Solutions team.
About Food Bank for the Heartland (A Member of Feeding America)
Food Bank for the Heartland is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Omaha, Nebraska that acts as a central clearinghouse distributing food to nearly 600 network partners across 77 counties in Nebraska and 16 counties in western Iowa. Food Bank for the Heartland distributed more than 28 million meals in FY 2020, helping thousands of children, families, seniors, veterans and others in need. For more information, visit www.FoodBankHeartland.org.
About Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Many people know Goodwill Industries, Inc., Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, as a place to donate used clothing and household items or find great bargains. But you might not know the mission at the heart of our organization: We provide job training and placement services to people with disabilities and other disadvantages.
The sale of donated items sold in Goodwill retail stores supports our mission programs. Here’s how: People in the community donate gently used items to Goodwill. We sell those donated items in Goodwill retail stores. The proceeds from those sales subsidize our mission programs, giving thousands of individuals in the Omaha area the chance to earn a living, discover independence and succeed in life.
Goodwill provides opportunities through a variety of employment programs, including YouthBuild AmeriCorps, Employment Solutions and Work Experience. We also are affiliated with the federal AbilityOne program, which provides jobs at federal facilities to people with severe disabilities.
Goodwill is a private, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agency governed by a local board of trustees. We are a member agency of Goodwill Industries International of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
For more information about Goodwill’s programs and our 18 convenient locations in Omaha, Bellevue, Papillion, Fremont, Blair, Gretna and Council Bluffs, please visit GoodwillOmaha.org.