Project Homeless Connect Omaha

Project Homeless Connect Omaha was a significant annual event that provided essential services to individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the Omaha area. Organized with the support of Creighton University, the event brought together a wide array of community partners to offer a one-stop-shop for various services.

Key Services Provided

Participants had access to numerous services, including:

Healthcare Services: Free medical, dental, and vision care were provided by volunteer professionals.
Housing Assistance: Information and resources to help individuals find stable housing options.
Legal Aid: Assistance with legal issues, including help with outstanding warrants and obtaining identification.
Basic Necessities: Provision of food, clothing, hygiene products, and haircuts.
Transportation: Bus services were offered to ensure attendees could reach the event.
Case Management: Guidance and support to connect individuals with long-term resources and services.

Volunteer and Community Engagement

The success of Project Homeless Connect Omaha was largely due to the involvement of the community. Over its 13-year run, more than 5,000 volunteers contributed their time and efforts to assist attendees and ensure the smooth operation of the event. This collaborative approach fostered a sense of community and demonstrated a collective commitment to addressing homelessness.

Legacy and Impact

Throughout its tenure, Project Homeless Connect Omaha served over 5,000 homeless individuals, connecting them with vital services and resources. The event not only provided immediate assistance but also helped raise awareness about homelessness and the importance of community support in addressing this issue.

It continues to inspire similar initiatives aimed at supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. The model of bringing together diverse service providers and volunteers to offer comprehensive support remains a valuable approach in the ongoing efforts to combat homelessness.

Angels Share has consulted on events in Seattle, Denver, Baltimore, Raleigh-Durham, Kansas City, across Nebraska, and in Illinois.

Summary

Every year about 19,000 young people age out of the U.S. foster care system. By 21, 22% have welcomed a child, 16% have been incarcerated with 27% of convicts being foster youth, 54% are unemployed, 36% become homeless with 50% of the homeless population coming from foster care. Blair Campus/Transformation Hill is now called Dana Village is a place for development of youth aging out of foster care.

Thousands of these youth from 18 – 24 years old can be trained in trades and technology fields. The cost to the State of Nebraska alone approximates $2.7 million, annually.

Angels Share developed a plan that focused on youth aging out of foster care seeking purpose. It is a place where people can grow and contribute through volunteerism and pathways to a brighter future. The campus fosters connection, support, and opportunity through an intergenerational campus that is a thriving community where people from all walks of life come together.

Providing access to amenities that are often reserved for higher-income individuals such as the gymnasium, fine arts building, and student union The Blair Campus/Transformation Hill can become a hub of social capital that will serve to build networks, relationships, and stability.

Intergenerational mentorship strengthens both young and old. Older adults provide steady guidance and companionship, assisting youth in navigating challenges like independent living and career preparation. In return, these relationships give seniors a renewed sense of purpose, reducing loneliness and deepening community ties.

Working with companies in Blair, NE, AS identified over 1000 jobs from transportation to construction to bio-tech to the opening of the new Dollar General Distribution Center that will need 650 employees. AS worked to identify some of the most innovative training programs that incorporate on the job training combined with career pathing, mentoring, life training and wrap-around services to ensure the best chance of success for these youth.

Logistically, Blair offers a compact community and ease of access to a group of companies and the city. There is a high demand for employees and willingness to take unskilled and unqualified youth and willing to work on ways to best keep the youth employed. The Blair Campus/Transformation Hill offers scalability. There is a 300 seat theater, a 35,000 book library, state of the art communications, and 65 acres to grow. Workforce housing and market-rate apartments are being built on land that formerly belonged to the university. In December 2020 the first apartments to house 24 youth will open. In January of 2023, the 63 unit LIHTC dormitory renovation began and opened in 2024.

With self-sustaining annual revenues based on 80 tenants in the program, these residents will provide bench strength in attracting new businesses through a well trained, blue collar workforce. AS will help turn a group of youth, which costs the State money, into tax payers.

The Blair Campus/Transformation Hill is more than a place, it’s a movement toward inclusivity, opportunity, and shared success. By investing in our youth, we create a future where generations uplift one another, fostering a community that thrives together.