Nebraska Assistance Programs for Those in Need

Many emergency and low-income programs are available in Heartland. Whether it is food or emergency housing, assistance can be found through both state and local non-profit organizations.

Food Assistance

Food Bank for the Heartland is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska and strives to eliminate hunger in Nebraska and western Iowa. They partner with over 300 food pantries, after school programs, senior housing sites and rehabilitation centers. Covering over 93 counties, Food Bank for the Heartland is the largest food bank in Nebraska and Iowa. Contact their partner, the United Way, at 2-1-1 for locations of nearby assistance. You can also find a list of free children's summer meal programs on their website, http://www.omahafoodbank.org.

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit organization that provides financial and food assistance in communities across the U.S. They provide boxes of pre-designed menus and food items that will last about one week for a family of four, or one month for a senior citizen. Each medium-sized box costs about $30 with a food value of around $60. Boxes are distributed by local church hosts monthly. Information about Angel Food Ministries can be found at https://www.angelfoodministries.com/.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, assists low-income households to buy food. Individuals or families must qualify for the program. Applications can be filled out online or printed for mailing at http://accessnebraska.ne.gov/. If you have questions about applying, contact your local DHHS office or Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services at (402) 471-3121.

Senior & Disabled Assistance

In addition to the above programs, Nebraska offers food programs strictly with seniors in mind. Meals-on-Wheels will deliver meals to the homes of elderly, disabled, home-bound or at-risk individuals. Senior Farmer's Market Program allows low-income, aging Nebraskans to enjoy locally grown produce during the growing season. Information on both programs can be obtained through your local Area Agency on Aging, or by contact Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services at 1-800-942-7830.

The Salvation Army runs a Fan Program each summer in Nebraska. Over 1,000 fans are given away to the Omaha community each year. Fans are available free of charge to those in need, though priority is given to those over 50 or with disabilities. Contact the Salvation Army at (402) 898-5860 for more information.

Domestic Violence

The website aardvarc provides a listing of Nebraska domestic violence resources broken down by county at http://www.aardvarc.org/dv/states/nedv.shtml. Their list provides contact information for local organizations including phone numbers and available websites.

Lydia House for Women & Families, a program of Open Door Mission, provides emergency assistance to women and families in need of food, shelter, clothing, etc. They also offer programs that address the reasons for homelessness and ways to overcome them. In addition to Lydia House, they have a men's program, Garland Thompson Men's Center, that offers similar assistance. Contact Open Door Mission at: 402-422-1111.

There are numerous other programs available in Nebraska to those in need. Contact Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services at (402) 471-3121, or your DHHS local branch, for additional information on available behavioral health, family & children services, disability and veteran programs.