Educate Uganda was started 18 years ago after a mission trip to Uganda became a larger ministry of which so many of you have already become a part of. Educate Uganda was established to help orphaned children in Uganda obtain an education. When Educate Uganda began in 2006, the Ugandan government had a program which provided government assistance towards primary students’ education. Over the past several years, the amount the government provides per student has dramatically decreased. Because of these changes our Primary School Sponsorship Program increased the annual sponsorship to $150/student. This is a big increase from last year but the gift for these vulnerable children to receive an education, a school uniform, and a meal each school day is incredibly important!

Inflation in Uganda has caused severe price increases in food costs over the past several years. To ensure the children receive meals at school, Educate Uganda has supported a school gardening program. Our primary schools began growing food in school gardens with the support of donations such as yours! Through this effort the children are provided a wider variety of fresh food at school.

Ten years ago, we added a Secondary School Sponsorship Program which currently supports 322 students, we are celebrating our sixth graduating class of students from vocational schools and waiting for our fifth group of students to enter university programs! Our students that have completed vocational training are working as electricians, teachers, construction workers and nurses just to name a few. God has been the architect for our programs and has generously provided donors to help us improve the learning environment at many of the Educate Uganda partner schools. To date we have constructed 61 classrooms for our partner schools. We have also constructed staff housing units that provide shelter for 72 of the teachers working at some of our partner schools, seven dormitories housing hundreds of students, 8 school kitchens, a school infirmary, 36 latrines and 36 water gathering systems. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of textbooks and school supplies have been provided to our 27 partner schools.

A point we love to stress is that 100% of all donations go directly to Uganda. Our organization works completely on a volunteer basis and the board members have committed to cover all expenses associated with operating our non-profit organization.

When you sponsor a child, you give them the most beautiful gift and even though you may never meet them, they will surely feel your love in their hearts. Education is a gift that no one can take away from these students!

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Contact: Karen Van Dyke | karen@educateuganda.org | (402) 334-6923

Donations received in the February's Charity of the Month envelope will be divided between the Holy Family Door Ministry and the Blessed Family Street Ministry.

Located at 1715 Izard Street, the Holy Family Door Ministry can be described as a small, welcoming, participatory community devoted to serving the poor. The Door Ministry, the Food Re-Distribution Program and the Lunch Program are ministries of Holy Family parish.

The Door Ministry helps to serve many in need of clothing, food, rent, and utilities. The Food Re-Distribution program picks up unsold food from participating groceries and bakeries and delivers them to various locations around the city six days a week.The Lunch Ministry invites volunteers to make sandwiches, which are then distributed throughout downtown. Last October alone, 9,970 sandwiches were distributed. They have a crew of volunteers, who do this 5 days a week.

To Volunteer: Contact, Deacon Al Aulner, Parish Coordinator | (402) 345-1062 | holyfamily.oma@archomaha.org

Donations will go to IXIM: Spirit of Solidarity. IXIM, pronounced “ee-sheem”, is the Mayan word for corn, a staple of Guatemala and a livelihood of Nebraska. IXIM: Spirit of Solidarity is an organization within the Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha. It began in 2003 to foster a relationship between the people of Omaha and the Mayan people of the Diocese of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, through the sharing of our humanity, faith and resources.

Your donations support their water project and eye glasses project. Donations will also go to support Sr. Patricia Nicolas Francisco Diego, a Disciple of the Good Shepherd in Guatemala, who has consecrated her life to service to the women in the Diocese of Huehuetenango. She is a wonderful young woman who, with your help, is doing the work of our Lord.

Have you ever considered doing a short term mission project in a foreign country? Have you felt the call from God to share faith with people from other lands but never knew how to make it happen? You could work side by side with the people there to improve the conditions and grow in faith.

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Questions or to join a mission trip: Contact Mark Zimmer | (402) 452-4980

The mission of Hope Connecting Hearts Nigeria is to reduce the circle of poverty by reaching out to poor children in the rural and remote regions of Nigeria. We help build schools, educate young people, provide clean water to sustain hope for a better future. Please join us to fulfill our commitment to help the increasing number of unschooled rural poor children attain at least a high school education, as we strive to provide adequate classrooms and begin the construction of a greatly needed secondary school for them to transition into. 

​We are working to build an infrastructure so children in rural and remote areas of Nigeria may learn. Nigeria is a poor country, with 70% of the people living on less than $1.25 (U.S. currency equivalent) per day. Poverty is especially severe in rural areas, where up to 80% of the population lives below the poverty line and social services infrastructure is limited.

The poorest groups manage to support themselves through subsistence living. Often they go short on food, particularly during the pre-harvest period. Most families eat from a plant that grows wild in Nigeria, and is the only thing available to feed hungry children during this time of the year. Mothers will dig up and feed the roots to their children. It fills their hungry bellies, but provides little nutrition.

Nigeria provides free, government-supported education, but attendance is not required. According to UNICEF, forty percent of Nigerian children aged 6-11 do not attend school, with the Northern region recording the lowest attendance rate in the country, particularly for girls. It’s estimated that 4.7 million children of primary school age are not in school.

When children are able to go to school, learning is stretched. It’s not rare to see one teacher working with 100 kids, or students going to school under a tree because of the lack of classrooms.

By supporting this monthly charity you will help these children escape poverty through education. Every donation makes a difference and is so greatly appreciated. God bless you!

2018 Mission Trip Video

The Stephen Center partners with the community, families and individuals to overcome homelessness, addiction and poverty. The Center has served homeless and low-income men, women and children in Omaha since 1984. The organization was founded by Sharon and Dick McNeil, who determined a distinct need to focus on those living in poverty in south Omaha. Stephen Center serves individuals and families through the four distinct programs below.

• The Hero Program

• Thrift STore

• Pettigrew Emergency Shelter

• Permanent Supportive Housing Apartments

To Volunteer: Visit our website

Contact: (402) 715-5440

Founded in 1975, the Siena Francis House’s ultimate goal is to end homelessness by helping those experiencing homelessness achieve permanent, stable housing out in the community. In support of this effort, Siena Francis House provides shelter, food, clothing and other emergency services to individuals experiencing homelessness – 24/7, 365 days a year. Siena Francis House also provides on-site, Permanent Supportive Housing for formerly homeless, disabled persons, as well as residential addiction recovery services.

Siena Francis House is Nebraska’s largest provider of services to individuals experiencing homelessness, and is located in six facilities at 17th & Nicholas Streets in downtown Omaha. The Siena Francis House also provides facility space for partnering organizations that provide housing resources, medical and mental healthcare and other services that our clients may need. Exercising a policy of unconditional acceptance, Siena Francis House provides low barrier services to those experiencing homelessness with the respect and dignity they deserve, including those often viewed as “most difficult to serve”— the chronically addicted and mentally ill homeless persons who may not currently be in treatment or taking medication.

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