By Elise Gaines
OMAHA, Neb. As the cost of living continues to rise, more families in North Omaha are turning to local organizations for support. Heart Ministry Center is working to meet that need through a combination of food assistance, health care services and job training programs.
According to Heart Ministry Center’s 2025 impact report, the center distributed more than 3 million pounds of food across 160,000 pantries. Leaders say demand for services remains high, reflecting ongoing challenges many North Omaha residents face when it comes to affordability, access to care and long-term stability.
Heart Ministry Center CEO Damany Rahn said the numbers reflect both trust and need within the community.
“What it tells me is people trust the Heart Ministry Center. We’re a trusted resource in this community,” Rahn said. “But it also tells me that people need access to nutritious food. They need access to opportunity. And so really, the food for the Heart Ministry Center is not just about the food.”
Heart Ministry Center provides multiple services under one roof, including a food pantry, free health care clinic, job training programs and social services.
Its Way Forward programs include the Fresh Start job training program and the Willing Partner program. Fresh Start is a nine-month job training program that partners with Metropolitan Community College and local trade unions to provide internships and employment opportunities. The Willing Partner program offers a collaborative approach to help families and individuals move toward self-sufficiency through classes and case management.
Rahn said while the center is based in North Omaha, its impact extends beyond the neighborhood.
“Heart is really an integral part of this area, but I like to also say it’s not just about North Omaha,” Rahn said. “Our reach is the greater metropolitan area. We’ve served folks as far west as Union, Nebraska. So it’s the greater metropolitan area, but also those rural areas where people come in and get their needs met as well.”
Among the services the center provides is the Monen Healthcare Clinic, which offers free medical, dental, vision and mental health care.
Clinic director Conor Berigan said the clinic provides a unique, comprehensive model of care.
“We’re the only free, interdisciplinary clinic of its kind,” Berigan said. “There are free clinics around Omaha, mainly medical, but we’re one of the only places that has free pediatric services. We’ve got medical, dental, physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health services, chiropractic services and vision services all in one place, so you can get holistic, wraparound care here.”
Heart Ministry Center also operates social enterprises, employing graduates of the Fresh Start program at Fresh Floral and the Fresh Start Laundromat. These programs aim to provide long-term job experience and stability.
The organization plans to expand those efforts. Leaders say Heart Ministry Center is preparing to break ground on a new project in fall 2026 to further support employment opportunities for program graduates.
Leave feedback about this