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Our Mission
Bread for the Journey™ empowers passionate individuals to transform their communities, one micro-grant at a time. By providing the tools and support needed to launch small local, community-focused initiatives, we make it easier for people to drive meaningful change close to home. Together, we can turn small acts of giving into powerful, lasting impacts—one grant, one dream, one community at a time.
Our Stories
ROSS Leaders
ROSS Leaders inspires youth by cultivating community through the means of education, health and wellness, and cultural identity, to become tomorrow's leaders.
ENVY Volleyball
Lady Empire
Eastern Nebraska Volleyball Youth (ENVY) brings athletes together in a safe, fun, inclusive environment and lets them thrive.
Lady Empire is dedicated to building confidence and making a positive impact on the lives of young women, enabling them to reach their full potential.
About Us
Founded in 2012, Bread for the Journey (BFJ) Omaha is built on a unique philosophy: empowering passionate individuals to make a difference in their own communities. Through over $69,000 in micro-grants awarded to more than 53 groups and individuals, we provide direct support to those who know their communities best. We believe that real impact grows from trust and grassroots solutions—without red tape and with no expectation of repayment.
Our micro-grants have empowered a wide range of projects, from helping Sudanese refugees acclimate to life in Omaha and establishing after-school coding clubs for kids, to supporting musical expression for teens, funding mobile medical clinics, and creating programs for young adults with autism. Every grant helps improve the quality of life for Omaha’s most vulnerable residents, making our community stronger, one initiative at a time.
Board
 Delana RauterkusPresident _ |  Marc FergusonVP - Chief Financial Officer _ |  Joe PruchVP - Business Development & Communications |
|---|---|---|
 Tom KieferVP - Business Development & Communications |  Connie MillerVP - Business Development & Communications |
More Stories
True Purpose
Congratulations to Tyrece and Tashiara Wilson who received a BFJ grant! Their organization, Purpose Ministries, provides housing and other services to those in need. Their mission is inspiring others to believe in their potential, discover their gifts and ignite their purpose. They do it through teaching, coaching, empowerment and equipping people to reach their potential through a proven growth process that produces a healthy and sustainable life change.
Project Assist
Adam Barnes' Project Assist nonprofit is still active thanks to BFJ! They are growing daily and couldn't be more excited about where they are headed. Since May, they have been able to donate over 200 book bags, 400 winter coats, and donated more then $2000 worth of goods to the Food Bank. They have helped hundreds of families in a short period of time and can't wait to make that thousands of families and beyond.
Blue Bucket Project
We are excited to announce that BFJ Omaha has given a grant to Cindy Tefft and her Blue Bucket Project! Cindy gives volunteers a ‘Blue Bucket’ kit containing everything necessary for people to pick up trash as a volunteer activity or even during their daily walks outdoors. Cindy is partnering with Keep Omaha Beautiful in this effort.
Change of Omaha
Bread For The Journey is super excited and has provided a grant to Change of Omaha! Change of Omaha is a new organization and is moving full steam ahead with initiatives to bring positive change and equity to the Omaha community. Change of Omaha has three major goals. Community Revitalization, Fighting Systemic Racism, and the Eradication of Food Insecurity.
Thriving Titans
Congratulations to Annie Esterling and her Thriving Titans non- profit. Thriving Titans are families and businesses that want to ensure all students at Lewis Central Community Schools have everything they need to thrive in all areas of life.
Special Spaces
Congratulations to Ronnie Thomas who created an Omaha Chapter of Special Spaces. Special Spaces creates dream bedrooms for children with life-threatening medical illnesses. This is a place that only the child can dream or imagine while addressing their medical needs.This is a place of hope and inspiration, and a special space to find peace and comfort.
Fit Girl, Inc.
The mission of FITGirl, Inc is to empower girls and young women through outdoor, multi-sport adventures to lead healthy, resilient lives. Cheri Dickmeyer, founder of FitGirl, Inc has built the confidence of thousands of young girls since its inception in 2015. She is making a big difference in their lives and our community.
The Rose House
TaRae Peoples has a passion to help others. The Mission of the Rose House is to encourage, empower and prepare... single mothers for life self-sustainability through mentorship and teaching.
Real Meals
Cassondra Trotter-June is passionate, energetic, and is on a mission to cook 'Real Meals' for the elderly in our community! We support her and wish her our best as she supports our community!
Envision Academy
Bread For The Journey provided a grant to Christin Ones of Envision Academy, who is passionate to help children learn. Envision Academy provides alternative schooling for students in North Omaha
Cornerstone Healthcare
Cherisa Meyer-Fletcher is a Physician’s Assistant, who create a mobile health outreach service in Omaha. Her goal is to serve those people in our community who can’t easily get to the doctor (because of transportation or language barriers) and who need to be educated about their health and wellbeing. She comes to them making caregiving much more effective and efficient.
SMILE BAGGS
Desree Coleman from Smile Baggs received a grant recently from Bread for the Journey. Smile Baggs's mission is to equip and empower women with lasting tools to rebuild their lives, create stability for their families, and a brighter future for their children.
Healing Day
Susan Rogert began a healing day program to assist all Omaha first responders and veterans in stress reduction and relaxation. Susan is a Usui Reiki Master and loves helping people on a mind, body, and spirit level with this amazing technique.
Our Gathering Place
Kinesha Roach is making a huge difference in the lives of challenged children, O.U.R. Gathering Place is a mobile monthly community dinner for families with special needs children/teens. They help families by making them aware of various resources to empower their children. They offer a judgement free zone for children to be their authentic selves. Special needs parents have a common bond and this amazing organization provides much support.
Bricklayer
An early grant helped Victor and Jennifer start a girls coding club that evolved into Bricklayer, a software tool that teaches coding.
It has since been adopted by many local school districts as well as UN-Omaha. Individuals have used it worldwide.
Inspire Collaborative Health
Allison Beninato and ICH bridges the gap between medical providers and alternative practitioners to better support overall well-being, preventative measures and short and long term care for individuals.
Destiny Cafe
Joan Allen created the Destiny Cafe for a place that non-neurotypical adults can feel empowered within the Omaha Community. Through restaurant job
training and life skills, intellectual and developmental disabled individuals can unlock their full potential.
Healing Hands of NE
Dr. Demetrio Aguila created The M25 Program within Healing Hands of Nebraska to make patient's dreams come true with surgical procedures paid by their own community service.
Omaha Jitterbugs
This nonprofit organization brings classic swing era dancing to life through instructional classes with a diversity, equity and inclusion focus. All are welcome to enjoy the social interaction and community engagement that has created deep diverse friendships.