We have added this weekly email update to keep you informed as changes can be daily and we want to make sure you are aware of how we can help. People may not need us today, but they might in the future or you could refer someone else in need to us. We also want to share how far your gifts go to take care of our community! So thanks for your patience and not unsubscribing. We will slow down communication when the world changes slow down as well.
PANTRY
Our Logistics Magician, Pat was able to work with La Casa to acquire much needed pasta that was packaged for distribution at the pantry. 400 lbs of pasta bagged and tagged ..... 400 lbs more on the way! Thank you to everyone who made this possible!

Special thanks to all the donors this week! Because of your generosity, we were able to add home deliveries through Support Your NEighbor COVID-19 . Ryan Jespersen and Sunny Massa are picking up food boxes from our pantry and delivering them to vulnerable people who should not be out of the house.


Food banks and their shortages are on many people's minds this week. The New York Times had an insightful article that featured Omaha's Food Bank for the Heartland, one of our major suppliers, which is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in added food purchasing costs.

The food pantry is still seeing around 150 households per day, which is nearly double our typical day before the virus. The Food Bank is extremely low on food right now. Cash donations offer the most flexibility but food donations can be brought to the pantry at 2101 Leavenworth St. on Mondays or Wednesdays between 8:00 - 10:00 am or food can be dropped off inside garage other times.

Distribution days are still Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00am - 12:30pm. Though it is drive through style, you may have to exit your car and pick up a box from a table if you don't have a trunk available.

We can only handle 10 volunteers per day, so anyone interested in volunteering, please contact our volunteer email address:  volunteers@svdpomaha.com to be scheduled to help.

We are so grateful for your continued support during this difficult time.

STORES
Our thrift stores remain open, but call first as this is a daily decision. If the store is open they are still accepting donations.
We are also still picking up donations at your home. Call 402-341-1688 Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00 to schedule a pickup.

To volunteer in our stores, email  volunteers@svdpomaha.com   and we’ll contact you about available dates. 

SVdP Thrift Stores
Northwest Store: 5505 N. 90th St | Mon-Sat 9a-8p, Sun 12-5p | 402-502-7837
Downtown Store: 2101 Leavenworth St | Mon-Sat: 9a-6p | 402-341-4942
Papillion Store: 807 Tara Pl | Mon-Sat 9a-6p | 402-593-4055
South Omaha Store: 5037 S. 24th St | Mon-Sat 9a-6p | 402-733-3500
GARDENS
We built 5 new gardening boxes to add to our existing 15. Lumber was provided by Big Garden who will also deliver soil and compost next week to fill our boxes and two 900 sq ft plots. We are expecting 20-25 gardeners to tend the boxes, with one group growing and donating to our pantry. The two big plots will be farmed by groups of refugees. We can't wait to get into the dirt!
HOLY FAMILY
As we take over Holy Family Ministries, the Sack Lunch program is still making and handing out lunches every weekday. With many daily adjustments, a lovely new group of volunteers, and the guidance of our Garden Guru Bruce Noble, we have been able to safely provide lunch at our door and in the community for over 350 people each week.
CONFERENCES
Each of our 30 parish based conferences has their own capacity to help their neighbors in different ways. From phone calls with neighbors needing emergency funds to food pantry collections, they are doing a great job supporting the whole Omaha District.
Thank you to St. Stanislaus (and others who offered) for use of their freezers for meat to go to the pantry.
Thank you also to all the Conferences and Parishes for offering donations and support, and especially Archbishop Lucas, who called attention to our needs in a Holy Week email! 
Chris Egan takes a load of clothing from Holy Family to the SVDP warehouse as we share the mission.
ALL UPCOMING IN PERSON EVENTS ARE POSTPONED
Watch for these online or other options
May 9 : Stamp Out Hunger by National Association of Letter Carriers - POSTPONED!
May 20: Omaha GIVES!