Omaha Together One Community  

Action Teams

OTOC Action Teams Report--  February 13, 2012

·         On Jan 25^th, 40 leaders met with OPD Deputy Chief Schmaderer  at Our Lady of Guadalupe to discuss how immigrants can interact with OPD officers and demonstrate their identity if they lack a state drivers license;

·         On Feb 11^th 12 leaders participated in Interfaith rally to support restoration of prenatal care for all low income women and unborn babies. They are pushing for a vote on LB 599 which would restore services.

·         Meeting with Douglas County Director of Corrections Mark Foxall about detention of immigrants in Feb.

Next Committee Meeting: Wednesday, February 15 at 5:30 p.m. at Urban Abbey

Contact: Kathleen Grant at kathleen.grant2@va.gov   or Jeanne Schuler at jschuler@creighton.edu  

·         Attended January 19^th  Board retreat of Heartland Workforce Solutions(HWS) to learn more about how they see issues and progress in improving job search and job training in Omaha.

·         On Feb 7^th met with Shirley Carlson, HWS Director of Operations to learn more about how HWS measures their success in providing job training and job search support and to discuss challenges.

·         On Tuesday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. will meet with Jan Kauk, Executive Director of HWS at Risen Son Baptist Church to discuss funding, state policies regarding job training and other challenges facing HWS.

Contact: Rita Bianchi at ritab36@juno.com or Rev. Michael Williams at hisgrace48@msn.com  

·         Met with a major mid-town developer and a leader of land lords in January  to discuss strategies that are needed to revitalize housing and older neighborhoods. Continuing to schedule research meetings with business leaders, developers, housing experts to ways to improve housing in older neighborhoods.

·         Next Meeting is on Friday, Feb 17^th at 11:00 a.m. at Augustana Lutheran with Sen Heath Mello to discuss several bills pending in Lincoln that would make it easier for Omaha to get title to abandoned properties and put it in hands of entities that could re-develop the property.

Contact Gloria Austerberry at glauster@yahoo.com  or Susan Grande at sloscutoff@yahoo.com

·         On January 25^th, several OTOC leaders a held training session for 15 refugee leaders on how to organize fundraising events. Next fund raising training for this refugee group is Wednesday, Feb 15 at 5:30 p.m.

·         OTOC is organizing an orientation for Mayor Suttle, City department heads and City Council members about Omaha’s growing refugee communities at the TAC building on Wed. Feb 26 at 5:30 p.m.  We are working with Southern Sudanese Community Association and Lutheran Family Services on this project and to develop a third round of Refugee Leadership Academy training sessions which will begin in April.

Contact Christine Ross at cross@lfsneb.org or Christine Malloy at cbmalloy@hotmail.com

·         Organizing a meeting with Omaha Parks Department to determine how they will move forward on commitments they made to OTOC to improve anti-violence curriculum and literacy components of the Rec’s Kids Summer Enrichment program. Will discuss development of an additional site to serve South O .

·         IPL is starting a Parent Leadership Academy at Fontenelle Elementary Thursday Feb 23^rd at 6:00 p.m.

Contact:  Denise Forrest at forrestd22@gmail.com

Updated: February 15, 2012