December 01, 2009
The holiday season is a traditional time of giving. This year, why not think about giving to the community you call home?
Below are some ideas from Omaha by Design to get you started.
- Volunteer your time with a local charity or organization that shares your interests or point of view. The Nonprofit Directory, maintained by the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands, may be a good place to start.
- Shop locally and support the businesses down the street or around the corner from where you live and work. Visit www.buyitlocalomaha.org for more information.
- Become a member of your neighborhood association or think about starting a new association if you live in an area of the city that’s not currently served by one. If you need help, the Neighborhood Center is only a phone call or email away.
- Adopt a city park or organize a one-time clean up activity. Keep Omaha Beautiful will supply the necessary bags, equipment or gloves.
- Invest in one of the city’s alliances. The Benson-Ames Alliance, the first city-sponsored alliance, is managed by Omaha by Design. Three additional alliances – Destination Midtown, the North Omaha Development Project and the South Omaha Development Project – are managed by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
- Start living a more sustainable life. The Environment Omaha team has partnered with Metro Area Transit, Quality Pork International Inc. and Mint Design Group to provide Omahans with a set of tips for living a more sustainable life at home, at work and at play. The tips, posted on www.environmentomaha.com, come in two forms – “taking it slow” and “we’re talking commitment.” If you’ve got a tip to add to the list, submit it via the web site.
- Investigate the possibility of starting a community garden in your sector of the city if it’s not currently served by one. In Omaha, City Sprouts and the BIG Garden are bringing fresh foods to neighborhoods throughout the metro.
- Support the work of local artists. The Blue Pomegranate Art Gallery in Benson, 6570 Maple St., is one of many venues that sells and promotes local works. Call 402.502.9901 for holiday hours. The Kent Bellows Studio & Center for Visual Arts is helping train the next generation of local artists.
- Donate to a project from the Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy, a compendium of strategic giving opportunities that focus on the city’s natural and built environments. The Omaha Catalogue was published by Omaha by Design and the Omaha Community Foundation in December 2007. The projects range from establishing a parks and landscape conservancy to renovating Gene Leahy Mall. For more information, contact Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010 or info@omahabydesign.org.