HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES COHORT (CAC)

WHAT IS THE HEALTH CARE CAC?

Nebraska Appleseed’s Health Care Community Advocates Cohort (CAC) is a 9-month advocacy training program composed of impacted community members who meet at least once a month to participate in advocacy trainings and actions.

Cohort members are Nebraska community members who have personally experienced challenges accessing health care and are passionate about making positive changes in our state. This health care cohort started in 2023 to engage and prepare impacted community members to be long-term health advocates and is now in its 4th year!

A new cohort launched in September of 2026. Cohort members are given a monthly stipend to compensate them for their time learning advocacy skills.

Nebraska Appleseed Health Care CAC — The Health Care CAC is not just a training program – it is a **catalyst for change**! Together, we **strengthen advocacy and community engagement skills while also building long-term relationships** with community members across our state. By joining the CAC, you can be part of a movement that is making a real difference in our community!

Through the CAC Experience, Cohort Members Learn:

The power of storytelling. Your experience is powerful. We’ll learn how to communicate what has called you to advocate and how to share your story to empower others to act.
How to engage with the media. We’ll go over ways to work with reporters to advocate for the issues you care about.
How to make change. You will learn about the systems of power in our state and how to engage federal and state policymakers to make positive changes.
The power of voice. Ways to leverage your voice to make real change for Nebraskans and grow the movement.

3 YEARS OF RESULTS!

15 CAC graduates (all who have experienced issues with accessing health care)
31+ in-person or virtual cohort meetings
392 combined hours of sharing, learning, and advocacy
$7,290 in community compensation & expenses reimbursed
2 trips with cohort alumni to Washington, DC
11 positive state policies influenced or passed
50+ direct outreaches to elected officials
1 graduate successfully advocated to city officials to improve sidewalk
1 graduate self-published a book on wellness
A sense of belonging, community-building, and relationship building

CAC Member Marshawn meeting with Nebraska Congressional Representative Don Bacon

HCAP Cohort Member Benny and Freedom HCAP Organizer at the Nebraska State Capital

The CAC focuses on four core capacities that are essential for creating change: practical advocacy and storytelling, strategic communication and public speaking, community leadership development, and policy knowledge and influence.

Health Care CAC — The CAC provides a close-knit community for those who have both experienced health care access issues and want to build advocacy skills to address health care access in Nebraska.

About our cohort members:

The 2023-2026 cohort members come from across the state, each with personal experiences of navigating health care access issues. These individuals are deeply committed to using their voices to effect change. Throughout the program, they have actively participated in advocacy training, policy discussions, and public speaking opportunities. Their dedication has driven them to engage with policymakers, share their stories with the media, and lead community efforts to address health care accessibility.

Many members of this cohort have taken on leadership roles within their communities, leveraging the skills and knowledge gained through the CAC to mentor others and build local networks focused on health care access issues. Despite the challenges they have faced, including ongoing barriers to health care access and other systemic barriers, these graduates have emerged as powerful advocates for change.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:

“Hearing everyone’s different perspectives, experiences, and ideas made each meeting meaningful and reminded me that advocacy is both personal and collective.”
Benny

“I was also happy that I was able to find power in my story and how it can impact positive change.”
Carmilla

“I’ve used it to request sidewalk repairs (successfully!), to petition for a new MOBY stop at Lauritzen Gardens (also successful). I remember from that lesson that my story matters, that I can tell it in a way that isn’t generic but is still concise, and that I can connect it to requests for action. This was incredibly valuable and empowering to me using my voice and my story in this way feels really good.”
Debbie

“The cohort was very supportive of me as I had to get out of my comfort zone to attend and share my story with others. This gave me the opportunity to practice speaking confidently and openly about my own healthcare journey. I was able to utilize these skills when I met with our Federal Representatives to talk about Healthcare policy.”
Susan

INTERESTED IN APPLYING?

We are currently evaluating member applications for the 2026-2027 CAC. Our training will start in early October 2026 and continue through late May 2026.

If you are a non-profit partner interested in learning more about our cohort model, please contact Freedom Thompson to find a time to connect.

THE 2026-27 APPLICATION PERIOD HAS CLOSED

The 2026-27 application period has closed. However, if you have ever struggled with accessing health care, or have any questions about health care access, please reach out to Freedom Thompson at (402) 438-8853 ext 132 or email at fthompson@neappleseed.org