On December 1, 2022 the Salvation Army began its 35th year and Judy Coffey from the Heartland Pioneer started volunteering with the Night Watch program. A few weeks later Judy got a phone call from a friend she knew. The freind told her she taken up knitting again and had made about 54 stocking hats.

She asked Judy if she knew of a place to donate them. Judy told her she knew of a group that would be happy to receive the stocking hats. After making a couple of phone calls Maria at the Salvation Army Disaster Service told Judy they had a current need for stocking hats and would like to have them. Judy stopped by and dropped off 54 stocking hats. .

The Salvation Army of Omaha begins its 35th year of Night Watch

The Salvation Army of Omaha loaded up its trucks and set up in two different locations in Omaha Wednesday night for the 35th year of the Winter Night Watch program.

The program is aimed to help the homeless and near-homeless by handing out food and winter apparel such as hats, coats, gloves and socks.

“It’s just so critical for those who are just trying to literally just survive out there on the streets,” Capt. Kelsie Moreno with The Salvation Army said.

The trucks set up five nights a week and go through the winter. Thomas Miller has volunteered with Night Watch for 12 years and says the gratitude for both volunteers and those being served goes both ways.

“They’re really gracious and really nice about receiving and I feel good about giving, so yeah, it works both ways,” Miller said.

The Salvation Army’s programs, like Night Watch, function in large part to volunteers. Captain Moreno says they are always in need of volunteers to help.

For those who prefer to donate instead of volunteer, The Salvation Army is always in need of winter coats. Those can be donated during regular business hours at any Salvation Army location.

Submitted by Judy Coffey

Thirty-one years ago the Omaha Works Pioneers started TurkeyFest with the Salvation Army. They provided the place to hold TurkeyFest and the Pioneers provided the rest. Things have changed but the Pioneer are still here volunteering and providing some help with the supplies. Below is the coverage by KMTV’s of the 2022 TurkeyFest

Salvation Army’s 31st annual TurkeyFest helping hundreds of Omaha seniors in need
Story by Kalé Searcy

OMAHA, Neb. —Since 1991, the Salvation army’s 31st annual Turkeyfest helping Omaha seniors in need has helped provide dinner on Thanksgiving.

And for almost every year since, Douglas Thoms has been there as a volunteer.

“We had people that actually came into the Salvation Army, and we would feed them as they came through the line,” he said.

Thoms remembers the program providing just a few meals, but now they’re sending out over 1,000 across the metro.

“It’s changed then. Now we put it in a Styrofoam container, and we send it out to each individual’s home, which is different because each year the number of people that need help grows,” Thoms said.

Kevin Newlin has been the Salvation Army’s chef for 14 years, spending the days before Thanksgiving in the kitchen.

“It takes about three and a half, four days. And then on Wednesday night, we start coming in and blanching the green beans, getting the potatoes ready, making the stuffing, and everything’s from scratch here. So, we try to make it as delicious as possible,” Newlin said.

Newlin said since his start, this year came with its own set of challenges when it came to getting everything on his shopping list.

“The supply and demand of turkeys has been a nightmare this year. We had to go back to whole turkeys. I couldn’t find the normal turkey that we use, and then inflation, it just put a price tag on all the items that we had to, you know, purchase with a smart mind,” he said.

But Newlin said the focus was to stay on budget to meet the growing need in the metro. And for almost every year since, Douglas Thoms has been there as a volunteer.

“We had people that actually came into the Salvation Army, and we would feed them as they came through the line,” he said.

Thoms remembers the program providing just a few meals, but now they’re sending out over 1,000 across the metro.

“It’s changed then. Now we put it in a Styrofoam container, and we send it out to each individual’s home, which is different because each year the number of people that need help grows,” Thoms said.

Kevin Newlin has been the Salvation Army’s chef for 14 years, spending the days before Thanksgiving in the kitchen.

Repost from KETV

This fall on September 15, Carolyn delivered 22 baby blankets to Lydia House investing 342 volunteer hours, on September 29 she had 2 scarfs, 8 head bands and 5 scarf/headband set she delivered taking 33 hours to make. Gwen accepted the baby blankets for Lydia house. Then on October 6 she delivered 6 lap robes/shoulder wraps to Heritage Ridge. Carolyn noted that she took 81 hours to make these items. Her volunteer hours totaled 456 for the items she made and donated. Chapter president Bob Wolkins thanked Carolyn for making and delivering these items. The hours were added to the Cozy Wraps total for the current year.

Submitted by Carolyn Wolkins – Photos by Bob Wolkins

Help Omaha Metro Residents Beat the Heat:
Donate to the Annual Fan Drive

Summer’s sizzling temperatures can take a toll on anyone, but the elderly, people with medical conditions and those without air conditioning are especially at risk. That’s why Westlake Ace Hardware’s annual Fan Drive to benefit The Salvation Army has been a vital lifeline to many in Omaha.

This year Westlake Ace and The Salvation Army celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Fan Drive. Stop by one of Westlake Ace Hardware metro-Omaha locations any time between June 1 and June 19 to round up your purchase or donate any amount of your choice. Donations can also be made online here.

Funds will be used to purchase fans for The Salvation Army, and all donations will support people in need in our local community, including low-income seniors, qualified families with children and adults with disabilities.

Donating to the fan drive is an easy way to make a big difference for someone in need. A single box fan can help reduce energy costs by properly circulating air throughout a home or by helping a small window unit air conditioner cool more efficiently.

Since beginning the Fan Drive, more than $57,000 has been raised in the Omaha metro area. That equates to 3,800 fans donated to help people fight the brutal summer heat. Nationally, the partnership – which began at one store in Hutchinson, Kansas, and has grown to 127 stores across the country, including eight stores in the Omaha metro – has helped raise $650,000 in the past decade.

“We are so grateful to every one of the Westlake Ace Hardware customers who contribute to the fan drive,” said Tiffanie McCowin, director of material assistance and seasonal services for The Salvation Army of Omaha. “Something as simple as a fan can make a tremendous difference in the health and comfort of the elderly and others who might struggle during summer’s hottest days.”

The Heartland Pioneers this year purchased 70 box fans from Westlake ACE Hardware for the Salvation Army Annual Fan Drive and donated them in the name of Dick and Cathy Maxwell.

For the past few weeks I have been collecting finished handmade items from Pioneer volunteers. In the last few day we collected 13 baby blankets, 3 bankets with matching cocoons and hats and 3 cocoon and hat sets.

On June 22 we delivered these items to ODM for distribution to Lydia House. They were accepted by the receptionist, Nancy.

Submitted Carolyn Wolkins – Photo by Bob Wolkins

On Saturday evening June 18 one of the Bellevue ladies in the Cozy Wrap group stopped by the Wolkins home and gave Carolyn 4 laps robes and 2 shoulder wraps she had knitted. On Sunday afternoon June 19 Carolyn called the Heritage Ridge and contacted Lenore her contact and she told Carolyn if she wanted to drive and drop them off today she would meet in at the reception desk.

On June 8 Carolyn delivered 14 crocheted baby blanket that one of the groups knitters dropped off to be delivered to Lydia House at the Open Door mission. On June 15 Carolyn and Bob took them over to the Open Door Mission. Bob dropped the bags of baby blankets in the parking lot then parked the car and took them in side. The receptionist Nancy accepted the donation and told Carolyn thank you. Nancy told Carolyn that the baby blankets were very much in need at Lydia House.

Submitted by Carolyn Wolkins – photos by Bob Wolkins