06/30/2026
Halfway through 2026 update....
We received our 501(3)(c) non-profit status in January.
Welcomed new Community Partners this year:
Omaha Public Schools (working with the Social Workers and School Counselors)
The MICAH House (Monthly party starting August)
Christian Heritage Foster Care (branching out to the Lincoln area)
Child Savings Institute (Providing for our younger Kiddos)
If you have a connection to an organization we can partner with, please let me know. We are always seeking ways to reach children facing hardships.
We continued to provide JOYFUL celebrations for:
Open Door Mission
Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha
Salvation Army Shelter
EduCare Omaha
We have joyfully celebrated 70 birthday kiddos since the beginning of the year! Ten received Birthday Kits, one had a special Birthday Wish granted, and 59 joined in the fun at one of our monthly Birthday Parties. In May, we hosted our very first Gold Star Party, helping a single mom celebrate her daughter’s graduation in style.
Through our partnership with the American University of Nigeria, we funded the school fees for children from Wuro Modibbo village, just outside Yola, Nigeria, allowing them to attend school.
The Simon Says Live a Better Life Scholarship, through the Omaha Public Schools Foundation, was put on hold this year due to a lack of funds. In the coming months, we’ll be working to raise the $2,000 given to a graduating senior who, despite personal challenges, has made a real difference through volunteer work or by positively impacting their community or family, all while keeping academics a top priority. Watch for upcoming opportunities to support the scholarship.
We were grateful to receive ongoing support from our Community Sponsors—Physicians Mutual and Oriental Trading Company—through The Birthday Party Project and Cake4Kids. In March, we were also blessed with a grant from our beloved church, Olive Crest United Methodist, after it closed.
We’re inviting groups, organizations, clubs, businesses, and individuals to join in the fun. I’m happy to visit and share Simon’s message, along with what Simon Says JOY offers to the community and our partners. To schedule a presentation or for more details, email [email protected].
A big thank you to our incredible donors, volunteers and board members who have trusted us and helped throughout this first half of the year. We’re excited to see what the rest of 2026 has in store. If you’d like to join us on this journey, send me a message to learn how to get involved or check out our website www.simonsaysjoy.org
