With a newly revised mission to prevent and break the cycle of poverty for families in the Omaha metropolitan area, the Mutual of Omaha Foundation has announced $365,000 in grants to organizations that address critical issues that families in the area face in relation to poverty.
"In support of our mission to prevent and end poverty in this community, we will focus our support on organizations that share our commitment to improving several critical issues that we believe to be factors in the poverty cycle,” said Christine Johnson, president of the Mutual of Omaha Foundation. “In addition to revising our mission, we have expanded those critical issues to include homeless prevention and workforce development."
The Foundation will consider requests from organizations that address the following critical issues: homeless prevention, emergency shelter, food, literacy/language, workforce development, financial literacy, behavioral health, early childhood education, preparedness for graduation, youth violence and domestic abuse.
The Mutual of Omaha Foundation has provided funding to the following organizations in 2012:
| Organization | Amount | Project/Program |
| Avenue Scholars | $50,000 | Avenue Scholars Program |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters | $15,000 | Community-Based Mentoring |
| Boy Scouts of America, Mid-America Council | $10,000 | Scoutreach Program |
| CASA for Douglas County | $15,000 | Children's Services Project |
| Catholic Charities | $15,000 | General Operating Support |
| Completely Kids | $20,000 | Out of School Time Programs |
| Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Inc. | $50,000 | General Operating Support |
| Heartland Family Service | $25,000 | General Operating Support |
| Heartland Hope Mission | $10,000 | Hunger and Homelessness Prevention Program |
| Hope Center, Inc. | $50,000 | Hope Employment and Learning Center |
| Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska | $5,000 | Grants to American Indians in Nebraska |
| Junior Achievement of the Midlands, Inc. | $5,000 | Elementary School Program |
| The Children's Scholarship Fund | $20,000 | Scholarships |
| The Partnership for Our Kids | $50,000 | Graduation Pathway |
| The Salvation Army Western Division | $25,000 | Food and Material Assistance Programs |
This list along with descriptions of each project can be found on the Foundation's Web site.
Requests for applications for the first quarter of 2013 will be accepted online through Nov. 15. To apply for funding or for more information, including and explanation of each critical issue and funding requirements, organizations may visit the Foundation's Web site.
The Mutual of Omaha Foundation was established in 2005 to continue the company's longstanding tradition of supporting efforts that impact individuals and families throughout the community. Mutual of Omaha is a full-service, multi-line organization providing insurance and financial services products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States. For more information about Mutual of Omaha, visit www.mutualofomaha.com.