Happy Welcoming Week! It is often said that food is a great connector! The presence of food sets the table for conversation and curiosity — two essential ingredients for building community among people who have different backgrounds and identities. Under the right conditions, food can be a positive entry point for activities and initiatives that unite a community and decrease… Read more →
Local communities must have a say in the decisions being made that affect them. Our vote is our voice and we want all eligible Nebraska voters to participate in the electoral process and vote. This is why we strongly oppose the unnecessary voter restriction amendment introduced last month. A Voter Restriction Amendment has been introduced in Nebraska, placing significant hurdles… Read more →
Fair, nonpartisan, voting district maps are essential to our democracy. Public participation and transparency are an important part of holding elected officials accountable and ensuring our maps facilitate equal representation, by accounting for changes in census data. This is important: The final Congressional and Nebraska Legislature maps will affect how we are represented for the next 10 years! The next… Read more →
Welcoming Week is a chance for neighbors from all backgrounds to come together, get to know one another, and celebrate what unites us as a community. Welcoming Week is here! Events happening near you from September 10th-19th The theme for Welcoming Week this year is “Belonging Begins With Us.” Whether it’s starting a new job, changing schools or neighborhoods, we’ve… Read more →
Schalisha Walker (she/her/hers) joined us this summer as the Program Coordinator with our Child Welfare team! Prior to joining Appleseed, Schalisha served as the Youth Engagement Specialist at Project Everlast Omaha for eight years. She’s worked directly with young people with the foster care and juvenile justice experience to ensure they had the resources and support services they need to… Read more →
Drew Duncan (he/him/his) joined our team as the Development Associate! He will be helping build and strengthen relationships with Appleseed donors and supporters, and help plan our annual fundraising event, the Good Apple Awards. Drew is a board member of Out Nebraska and UNL Friends of Opera. He joins Appleseed with tremendous experience from his previous positions as a Development… Read more →
We have some exciting news to share. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that they will be updating the basic formula they use to calculate SNAP benefits, called the Thrifty Food Plan! This means there will be a 21% increase in SNAP benefits across the nation. The average benefit will rise from about $4.25 per person per… Read more →
This is a guest blog post by Morgan Gurwell, Appleseed’s Food and Nutrition Access Youth Ambassador. What is SNAP? The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, is the largest federal food assistance program. It supports individuals and families across the country in putting food on the table. There are 42 million people utilizing SNAP benefits nationwide… Read more →
We know that understanding our country’s racial history is a vital step toward ensuring our state is committed to building strong, inclusive communities for all Nebraskans. Which is why we sent a letter in opposition to resolution Addendum VII-1 to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. For years, we have worked closely with community partners and educators across the… Read more →
This morning, Nebraska Appleseed and a broad coalition of community partners announced the launch of Raise the Wage Nebraska: a ballot initiative campaign to raise our state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026. As a state, we take pride in shared prosperity and caring for our neighbors. We have a responsibility to ensure that every Nebraskan is paid… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Monday, August 9, 2021 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119 C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org “Raise the Wage Nebraska” Files Minimum Wage Ballot Initiative Lincoln, NE — Today, a coalition of Nebraska community members, advocates, and supporters announced the launch of Raise the Wage Nebraska to raise our state’s minimum wage to… Read more →
Keeping everyone in our communities healthy Answering your frequently asked questions about accessing the COVID-19 Vaccine Vaccines are an important part of how the world will fight COVID-19, and getting vaccinated is a vital step we can take to protect our families, friends, coworkers, and communities. Thankfully, COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available in the United States and can be… Read more →
Every fall, Nebraska Appleseed brings our supporters together at our annual Good Apple Awards fundraiser to celebrate community advocates who are building a more just society in Nebraska. Last year, out of an abundance of caution, we canceled our in-person event to protect the health and safety of our supporters. Given uncertainties around COVID-19 and the delta variant, we decided… Read more →
Now is the time to start planning your Welcoming Week event, and we can help! Welcoming Week is September 10th-19th and we’re ready to help you plan how you want to celebrate your community as a welcoming place! Each year, Welcoming Week is a chance for neighbors from all backgrounds to come together, get to know one another, and celebrate… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Wednesday, July 21, 2021 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119 C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org More Nebraskans can Apply for SNAP with New Eligibility Criteria Nebraska now processing applications with benefits to be disbursed at the end of July Lincoln, NE — In May, the Unicameral passed Legislative Bill (LB) 108 to… Read more →
Last Friday, Judge Andrew Hanen of Texas ordered the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to be partially ended. While the ruling is subject to appeal, it is a stark reminder that Congress must act now. Only permanent protections will end the fear and uncertainty DACAmented friends, family, and whole communities have been living with for years. Nebraska DREAMers… Read more →
Nebraska’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has changed for the better! Now more people qualify for support buying groceries, even as they take raises at work. On May 26, 2021, Nebraska passed a law that increased the income limit for SNAP from 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 165% (see chart below). The net income limit remains 100%… Read more →
Your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits go further with the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Program! This program lets folks on SNAP get twice the fresh produce for your money. This means when you spend up to $20 of SNAP on fresh fruits and vegetables, you can get up to $40 worth of food! How does it work? Visit… Read more →
How do summer meals play a role in making sure kids of all backgrounds get fed during the summer? This is a guest blog post by Morgan Gurwell, Nebraska Appleseed’s Youth Ambassador. The last day of school doesn’t have to mean the last day of community meal service for kids in Nebraska. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) invites kids… Read more →
…With Liberty and Justice for All This is a guest blog post by Zeke Rouse, Appleseed’s Immigrants and Communities Welcoming Intern. Across America, thousands of communities celebrate today in big and small ways, with local and larger events, holiday fare, parades, music, and readings of the Declaration of Independence. Some of us may not get past the hot dogs and… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed’s Response to the Community regarding the Termination of Unemployment Benefits Over the past few days, we’ve received your calls and messages regarding the termination of unemployment benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the stark realities that many Nebraskans face when navigating our complex systems. This is why we have continued to work diligently with community members and at… Read more →
Welcome, I’m glad you’re here. The thing about brewing a good cup of tea is you can’t rush the process. You have to put the tea leaves in and pour the water slowly so as to not make a mess. Then you have to wait a couple of minutes to allow that tea to steep, because boiling would burn the… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Friday, June 25, 2021 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119 C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org Nebraska families and children to Receive Child Care P-EBT through SNAP Approximately $13.6 million in benefits to be provided to 27,500 SNAP-enrolled children Lincoln, NE — On Wednesday, Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced… Read more →
The American Rescue Plan: What Nebraska can do for our health The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) helps health care be more accessible and affordable by lowering the cost of coverage for many Nebraskans and provides states additional opportunities to improve the health of its communities. ARPA offers states millions of dollars in federal funding to tackle COVID-19 and promotes… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Thursday, June 24, 2021 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119 C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org Thousands of Nebraskans left in limbo awaiting SNAP benefits Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services delays implementation of LB 108 Lincoln, NE — On May 26, 2021, the Unicameral passed Legislative Bill (LB) 108, expanding eligibility… Read more →
