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THE TWIG is a publication of :
The Omaha Home for Boys
4343 North 52nd Street
Omaha, NE 68104
The Omaha Home for Boys is a member of the National Fellowship of Child Care Executives and the National Association of Homes and Services for Children.
Founded in 1920, The Omaha Home for Boys is licensed by the State of Nebraska and is governed by 70 Trustees and our Board of Directors of 30 who serve as volunteers without financial remuneration. Annual operating and financial statements are prepared by certified public accountants and filed as public information with the Nebraska Department of Social Services.
The Omaha Home for Boys 75th Anniversary History Books are available. To receive your copy contact Marsha Cussen at 1-800-408-4663 today! To read the Home's complete history, click on the history book to your right. Also available is the Home's new video -- "A Vision of Caring".
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOME? If you have a question about the Home, would like to receive our financial statements, or we can help in any way, call us at our new toll free number 1-800-408-4663.
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The OHB Video - "A Vision of Caring" |
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The Home's video, "A vision of Caring," is avaialable for viewing in your home of presenting before clubs or groups. If you would like to borrow a copy please let us know at 800/408/4663 and we will make sure you receive the tape. |
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Mentors: Counselors, Teachers, and Friend
Mentors . . . According to Webster, a mentor is “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” That describes the mentors involved in the Mentoring Program at The Omaha Home for Boys.
The mentoring program began in 1994. Presently there are 29 mentoring relationships through this program, with several more youth on a waiting list.
The youth being mentored are living at the Home, involved in the Transitional Living Program, or have left the Home after completing their stay with us.
This is just a glimpse at the remarkable commitment these adults have made to the youth they mentor, as well as the incredible bond that the young men have with the adults they call their friend.
A Perfect Opportunity
Delightful . . . that’s how Tom, a mentor, describes youth today. “I find youth are delightful, brighter, but with a lot of baggage.”
Tom was seeking opportunities to volunteer when he found a perfect fit at the Home. He appreciates the rules and the structure the program provides.
Tom is retired, has three sons of his own, and is a grandfather. He finds that mentoring helps him fill his time with meaning and increases his understanding of an intergenerational community. When he was growing up, he had at least half a dozen people who made a significant impact on his life. “But some of these kids have never had somebody who had time for them,” Tom says.
Tom is pretty much starting over with the youth he mentors: developing styles of communication, learning together, creating an atmosphere of trust.
Listening to this quiet-mannered grandfather, you can understand why his mentees love him. Not only is Tom a mentor, but he is a mentor times three. Tom mentors Jake, Brett, and T.J.
Even in retirement that’s a lot of extra time. How does Tom do it? He believes that being a mentor is a choice. “Everybody has to decide what they will do with their time. I believe we need to return in full measure what others have done for us.”
Jake, Brett, and T.J. are sure glad he puts this into practice.
Jake, a 10th grader who has been at the Home for 13 months, describes himself as pretty set in his ways. His mentor, Tom, sees it from a different angle. “Jake is very capable and is very good at making decisions.”
When Jake heard about the Mentoring Pro-gram, he thought it was probably “just another counselor” but decided he’d give it a try.
Jake has some advice for parents raising children his age. “Don’t give up and don’t freak out.” Jake, who enjoys football, says it’s great to have a mentor like Tom. “Tom gets me out, takes me to movies, lets me hang out at his house, and even shops with me at the mall.” Most important, Jake says, “Tom cares about me.”
Brett, a high school junior who loves sports and music, can’t say enough about how the mentoring experience has affected him.
Brett has been at the Home 17 months, and when he first came he thought it was going to be like a lockdown. His perception is much different now. “If I could talk to kids my age I’d tell them to get their act together. It’s not going to help you in the long run if you don’t help yourself or get the help you need.”
Brett says that with Tom as his mentor “you don’t get bored!” “Tom has been there, pushing me to do stuff. He has been a great help going through school and encouraging me to go to college.”
Brett says that when he came to the Home, his relationship with his parents was not good. Now, they talk and do things together. He smiles as he relates the fun times they have as a family.
This baseball player and aspiring singer describes the relationship he has with Tom. “Tom pushes me to do my part and then I do my part. We do things together. He helps me want to be successful in life.”
Brett is scheduled to finish his stay at the Home in May. Thanks to his relationship with Tom, he now has a firmer grasp on what it takes to succeed.
Deep Admiration
Marcel smiles easily, but that hasn't always been the case. When Marcel first came to the Home, all he wanted to do was leave. He did leave but realized that if he wanted to succeed in life he needed the Home’s guidance, so he returned. “That was hard, but I’m glad I did,” he says.
Marcel’s smile broadens as he describes Tony, his mentor. Marcel’s admiration for what Tony has done runs deep.
Marcel describes Tony as “great!” “One of the best things he ever did for me was to take me to his house and let me meet his family.”
Tony understands the importance of family. He is married with four grown children. Tony looks at the Mentoring Program as an opportunity to learn something from each boy and learn together. Tony never had a father and he is quick to say, “A boy needs a man, and I want to give somebody what I didn’t have.”
Tony looks beyond what a boy has or what his circumstances are and gets to know him. Tony’s advice for parents includes, “Accept your child as he is, remember it takes two for the relationship to work. Don’t allow yourself to get on the child’s level. Be the adult.”
The advice has worked in the relationships Tony has with his mentees. Marcel, a high school senior set to graduate in May, says, “I love Tony like a father. If I could say anything to him it would be, thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Marcel adds to Tony’s advice to parents. He encourages parents to motivate their children to be the best they can be at whatever interests them. “Provide them with opportunities, help them out, show them what is available.”
Father Figure
Antonio truly enjoys the time he spends with his mentor, John. “In one word I would describe John as involved. We go out a lot. I enjoy watching his son play baseball.” When asked what he would tell people who think they might not have time to mentor, he quickly says, “It’s not the time, but what you do to help them out that matters.”
“It’s hard being a teenager,” Antonio continues. “You get a lot of pressure, and the best thing about my mentor is that he isn't ashamed to tell me about the mistakes he made as a kid. We’ve had a lot of the same experiences and hearing advice from him helps me.” Antonio also shares that John is like a father figure to him. “He’s very important to me, and I appreciate him.”
Mentor . . . a wise and trusted counselor or teacher . . . but most important, a friend!
Jamie sat there, looking down at his plate. I had watched as he laughed and joked with his roommate at the dinner table and reached across another boy’s plate for the salt. And I had watched as his House Mother quietly got his attention and pointed out his infraction. Jamie had not been at the Home very long, and he was still learning some of the rules. “Sorry, Gary,” he said. “No problem,” was the response from the older boy sitting beside him.
Teachable moments. We all have them. We all can learn from them … provided there is someone who cares enough about us to teach. More than anything else, that is what a parent does … teaches. And more than anything else, that is what we do here at The Omaha Home For Boys.
As I watched the simple exchange between Jamie and his House Mom, I wondered how many youngsters were making mistakes that night with no one there to teach them the right way. By taking the time to recognize a teachable moment and address it, you and I are shaping the character of youngsters every day.
There is no question it would be easier to just ignore the behavior or shrug off the mistake, but no one ever said parenting was supposed to be easy. I believe it is the toughest job there is … and the longest lasting. My own kids are in their late 20s and early 30s, and I still find myself trying to teach them!
Teachable moments are the building blocks of growth and maturity. Here at the Home, we embrace them and use them to help mold the men our boys are going to become.
Thanks to you, the Home will continue to teach to youngsters when the moment is right. Thank you for your support.
The Omaha AwardIn cities all over the country, small and large, in places just like Omaha, kids are falling prey to the seduction of drugs and alcohol. The natural fears and anxieties of adolescence are finding refuge in the form of a bottle . . . a pill . . . a smoke . . . or an injection. At the same time, there is a significant gap in the services available to young people with substance abuse problems. In the Omaha community, these adolescents are frequently being referred for treatment to services designed for the adult addict or alcoholic — an unsuitable match for youthful and often naïve substance abusers — or being referred to service providers outside of the state.
Partnering with The Omaha Home for Boys, Catholic Charities and the Child Saving Institute developed a proposal: Journeys . . . Recovery Solutions for Today’s Youth. Together they designed a service that combines community education and outreach, residential treatment, out-patient services, and family and community reintegration services.
The proposal was submitted for funding to The Omaha Award. This award, first established in 1998 by the Walter and
Suzanne Scott Foundation, is a $1 million grant to an Omaha-area non-profit agency (or group of agencies) that serves the educational, charitable, philanthropic, human services, health, arts, civic, or environmental enrichment needs in the greater Omaha area.
On Thursday, November 8, 2001, Journeys received the prestigious award. It was a wonderful evening for the Home, Catholic Charities, and the Child Saving Institute . . . but most important, for the youth it will impact!
Parents since 1991, and their children, Danika (age 7) and Dalton (age 3), decided to spread some Christmas cheer.
You’ve got to love young people … and want to make a difference!” That is what Angela Reed said when asked why she took the job as House Parent at The Omaha Home For Boys. Angela and her husband, Chris, had no idea that life would lead them to a place like the Home. But now that they are here, they love it!
Four years ago Angela was living in Denver when she was hired as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Creighton University in Omaha. A basketball player in college at the University of Texas-El Paso, Angela knew she wanted to work with young people, and coaching was a natural bridge.
Chris, also a college athlete — defensive tackle for Iowa Central — was already in Omaha, teaching math and English to special needs students at North High School. He was and is also involved in the community as a minister and the vice president of the Council Bluffs Chapter of Mad Dads.
The two met by “accident.” Angela, new to the area, was visiting a distant relative, who was also a relative of Chris. As he was leaving she was just dropping in. “She came up to me first,” laughs Chris. “Only because you were blocking the front door!" responds Angela. They met again at church and things just seemed to click.
After getting married and starting a family, the Reeds were concerned that Angela’s job kept her away from home too much. “I don’t know how Chris did it,” she says. “He was working a full-time job, taking night classes, and was mommy and daddy to our little girl when I was traveling. Both of us knew we had to make a change.”
A Career Change
That is when the Reeds learned that Larkin and Racine Birdow were living in Omaha. The Birdows, both big basketball fans, had known Angela while she was in college. Angela calls them her surrogate parents. They also happen to be House Parents for The Omaha Home For Boys. It was fate … or perhaps more … that they were in Omaha at the time the Reeds were considering a career change.
“I asked Racine her opinion of my changing careers,” says Angela, “and she suggested we both come and visit the Home. That’s all it took. The next thing we knew, we were joining The Omaha Home For Boys as House Parents!” House Parents are the most important and influential staff members at The Omaha Home for Boys. They are in charge of implementing the Home’s treatment program and providing a family environment to meet each boy’s daily physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
On top of serving as House Parents, Chris and Angela have a special challenge: raising their growing family while living at the Boys’ Home. “It’s really not that difficult,” says Chris. “Christina loves the boys. She stands by the door waiting for them to get home from school. And Christopher, who’s only two months old, likes being around them as well.”
The Reeds both had experience working with youth, and Chris worked with some of the toughest youth cases in special education. In addition, they have had great trainers and mentors here at the Home.
Bob and Dianna Rugg were the Reeds’ primary trainers. They worked with them as Chris and Angela adjusted to the Home’s approach to parenting, and they continue to give them important feedback. “The Ruggs have small children in their cottage too,” says Chris, “so we’ve been able to gain some important insights thanks to their experiences.”
Then there are the Birdows, the House Parents who initially suggested the job to the Reeds, and whom the Reeds work with directly in one cottage. According to Angela, “Larkin and Racine make it easy. We discuss issues and plans for specific youth, and they’re not afraid to give us constructive feedback either.”
Influence for a Lifetime
The reason the Reeds work at the Home is to make a difference. Chris says that “being a role model, making a difference to these kids, that’s what really matters to me.”
The Reeds hope the differences they make will last a lifetime. And some boys tell them it will. Angela tells of the time Dustin came back for a visit, after completing the program and going home, and told the Reeds that when he is married and has children, he wants his family to have the same kind of relationship the Reeds have. “Dustin didn’t know how much what he said meant to Chris and me,” Angela says. “But when you hear one of these boys say something like that, Wow! … what a wonderful testament to your efforts!”
The Omaha Home For Boys is lucky to have the Reeds for House Parents. Thank you, Angela and Chris, for wanting to make a difference for youngsters today. And thank you, little Christina and Christopher, for letting them!
Like all youngsters, the boys here at the Home are “works of art in progress.” They are constantly learning, and we try to teach them every time the moment is right. Throughout our lives we all have teachable moments … times when we can learn so much.
For me, my teachable moments come when I speak to friends and donors. Every time I do, I learn something.
Giving to the Home is very personal. Even so, every one of our donors has one thing in common: they (you) all care deeply about children and youth. The stories I hear about why people give make me proud and humble to be a part of The Omaha Home For Boys. Stories like “I was never able to have children” or, “I was abandoned as a child” or, “I lost my son in a farm accident” … they all bring forth a surge of pride for the Home.
Thank you for teaching me the true reason you care enough to share with children and youth. And thank you for your gifts of kindness, love, and financial support.
R. Todd Simpson, CFRE
Director of Development
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Whether it is at donor receptions, while visiting with donors in their homes, or as he gives tours of our campus to our friends, Director of Development Todd Simpson loves to share the Home's story. Todd says he is on a mission to meet and thank as many donors as possible. So don't be surprised if Todd calls and says, "Thank you for caring enough to share."
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GIFT ANNUITY RATE CHART
The following chart is based on a gift of $5,000:
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Age |
Annual Return |
Charitable Deduction |
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65 |
6.7% - $335 |
$1,514 |
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70 |
7.2% - $360 |
$1,743 |
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75 |
7.9% - $395 |
$1,975 |
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80 |
8.9% - $445 |
$2,222 |
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85 |
10.4% - $520 |
$2,444 |
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90 |
12.0% - $600 |
$2,760 |
American Council Gift Annuity Rates as of July 1, 2001
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOME? If you have questions about the Home, would like to receive our financial statements, or we can help in any way, please call us at our toll free number 1-800-408-HOME.
