ENCAP Nebraska

May is and today we’re celebrating
one of he hardest working teams around!

In case folks don't know, ENCAP is the ONLY Community Action Agency in the area, responsible for helping folks in Douglas County and Sarpy County get the resources, support, and encouragement they need to reach stability and build a better tomorrow.

Our mission is to provide high-impact programs to help people get ahead, and we pride ourselves on being authentic, intentional, and results-driven at every turn.

Recently we visited The Alley in Bellevue for our annual bowling competition and celebration. Per the usual, we laughed a lot, ate our fill of pizza, and did our best to hit the pins. Lynn (pictured holding up #1) won the day again, besting Aaron for the second year in a row in the last few frames. (No, he did NOT use the assistance ramp during his game!)

We can't say enough good things about this group!

Stay tuned for more updates. We're 61 years strong and keep rolling strikes.

Ira was a force of goodness, grace, and generosity in our community, and his legacy will continue for many, many years to come. We send our thoughts and prayers to Ira's family and the NOAH Free Clinic team.

Every person deserves quality, compassionate healthcare without judgement. ❤️❤️❤️

Today, we pause to honor the courage, sacrifice, and service of our nation’s veterans. Your dedication reminds us that strength comes not only from uniform and duty, but from compassion, community, and the willingness to serve others. THANK YOU for your service!

In observance of Veterans Day, ENCAP is closed today (Tuesday, November 11). We will be open tomorrow (Wednesday, November 12) for regular hours: 8:30AM - 4:30PM.

Community resources (Douglas & Sarpy County) for the upcoming holidays. If you have additional resources to share please share in the comments.

Last Thursday, we celebrated our Matched Savings Program (MSP) participants' completion of Phase 1 of their year-long journey. These 15 individuals dug deep into their relationships with money, set ambitious goals, developed a habit of saving, paid down debt and tackled surprise expenses, and took leaps toward building a more financially secure future. We matched all they saved 2:1--totaling just over $15,000 (no, that's not a typo)--and we will match their savings 3:1 at the conclusion of the program in early 2026.

Each participant received a heartfelt message from our team, and a snippet from one of these messages sums up the energy and joy in the room, with families and friends present:

"You have worked so hard to make it to this halfway point and I hope you are so incredibly proud of yourself for how far you have come. Even when things have gotten tough, you’ve kept showing up and taking small steps forward each week, never giving up. Your dedication to providing for your children more than you were provided for is inspiring, and it shows in the way they love and respect you. I always look forward to our sessions together because I know we’ll laugh and find joy, even when the topic is difficult. Your commitment to yourself and your kids is powerful, and it’s clear you are building a strong future for both yourself and your family."

Shout out to our rock star partners, Cobalt Credit Union and The Bridge Family Resource Connector Network, to Nicky and Alex, ENCAP's MSP leaders, and to Riley Westerholt of the Nebraska Writers Collective for sharing her original poem, The Money Tree.

Riley's closing lines will resonate as the program continues--

Graduates, remember this:
the orchard is in your hand.
May you plant boldly, may you grow wisely,
may you rise together
a community of strength,
a forest of abundance
that never stops reaching for the sun.

***
Community Action >> Authentic, Versatile, Results-Driven. There's nothing like it.

Our seniors BRING IT every week - their creativity, their fire, and their joy - and there are so many MORE seniors who deserve opportunities to get out and connect.

Community Action Agencies like ENCAP, leveraging Community Services Block Grant funding to open doors and grow our resources, put seniors front and center in communities across the country.

Kudos to ALL our peers and partners focused on helping older adults live their best and most meaningful lives. ❤️

Did you know that ENCAP is part of the nation’s largest poverty-fighting network?

Serving both Douglas and Sarpy Counties since 1965, we are one of over 1,000 Community Action Agencies that, collectively:

✅Cover 99% of the nation with high-impact, data-driven programs.
✅Reach over 9 million individuals annually.
✅Evolve and respond as community needs change.

Beyond being essential service providers, we are a network of collaborators, innovators, and systems changers, and funding from the Community Services Block Grant is primary fuel for this critical work.

Stay tuned for more on what we do and why. Community Action works wonders!