We serve and work to be safe people and places for kids at risk. “Kids at risk,” can be understood as children under the legal age that don’t have their day-to-day needs met in a safe environment. They are often both physically and emotionally abused, and – in many cases – cannot live with their legal guardian.

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BECOME A CASA VOLUNTEER

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. At any given time, there are over 1600 children in the foster care system in Douglas County, and over 6,000 in the state of Nebraska. CASA volunteers spend time, one-on-one, with a child in the foster care system for the length of their time in the system, which is typically 24 months. CASA provides resources and trainings for you as the volunteer to know how to properly interact and assist these children, but the overall goal is to be one voluntarily consistent person in their lives while they get spun around the system. As of the beginning of 2022, there are over 100 children waiting to be matched with a CASA volunteer.

For more information and applications click here.

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FOSTER CARE

Foster Care Partnerships

There are 6,231 children in foster care in Nebraska; 913 of these children are waiting for adoptive families. According to the most recent federal data, there are currently more than 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. They range in age from infants to 21 years old (in some states). The average age of a child in foster care is more than 8years old, and there are slightly more boys than girls.

Children and youth enter foster care because they have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents or guardians. All of these children have experienced loss and some form of trauma. In other ways, foster children are no different from children who aren’t in foster care: they are learning and growing, like to play and hang out with friends their age, and need the love and stability a permanent home provides.

Organizations you can partner with and/or learn how to become Foster Parents include:

• Christian Heritage Children’s Home
• Boystown Foster Family Services
• Release Inc
• Child Saving Institute
• KVC
• Childs Space
• Cedar Youth Services
• DHHS

Foster Parent's Night Out

Click here to find any upcoming events.

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MLK ELEMENTARY

Martin Luther King Elementary School is a local elementary school in North Omaha that Lifegate West Dodge enjoys partnering with throughout the school year.

Donations

Snacks for Classrooms

• No nuts/peanuts; enjoy chips, Takis, fruit snacks, cheese crackers
• Average class size ~20 kids

For the Staff Break Room

• Sodas, Gatorades, etc.
• Protein bars, chips, etc.

TeamMates Program

“TeamMates Mentoring Program began in 1991 with the vision of University of Nebraska Head Football Coach Tom Osborne and his wife Nancy. Coach Osborne felt that the athletes in his program could make an impact on the middle school students, and twenty-two football players began meeting with middle school students in the Lincoln Public Schools. Of the 22 original mentees, 21 went on to graduate from high school while one left school early to pursue a successful Motocross career. Eighteen of the original mentees also obtained some form of post-secondary education.

The program has changed quite a bit since then. We now serve thousands of boys and girls across the Midwest, and our mentors come from all walks of life. One thing, however, remains the same— our mentors just have to be there. It’s that simple.”

Become a Reading Buddy

MLK is always looking for volunteers to read to one of their classrooms during the day for their story time during the week. This brings exciting new faces to the classroom, as well as blesses teachers with a break to focus on other tasks or one-on-one needs of the children.

Please contact socialjustice@discoverlifegate.com to sign up.

We fight to stand against the criminal injustices of both labor and sex trafficking and partner with those who are there to assist in the road to recovery for survivors.

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TRAFFICKING

According to the United Nations, the definition of trafficking is, “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world. The traffickers often use violence or fraudulent employment agencies and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.”

It stands at a $150 billion industry - $99 billion in sexual exploitation, $51 billion in labor trafficking -  making it the fastest growing criminal activity and the second largest global crime. The FBI estimates sex trafficking in the U.S. involves 100,000 children. 60% of child sex trafficking victims recovered through FBI raids across the U.S. in 2013 were from foster care or group homes.

Signs of trafficking:

• Does not possess her/his own identification.
• Cannot speak freely or discuss themselves in front of others.
• Of school-age, but not attending school.
• Being deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care, etc.
• Has few personal possessions.
• Seems fearful or anxious of normal situations.
• Avoids eye contact.
• Shows signs of physical or sexual abuse.
• Has numerous inconsistencies in their story.
• Makes reference to frequent travel.
• Has unexplained tattoos or markings.
• Has older sexual/romantic partners
• Has received an unusual amount of expensive gifts.

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Myths:

• Only girls are victims of trafficking.
• Only men are buyers and/or traffickers.
• People being trafficked choose to be trafficked.
• Most trafficking victims are locked up somewhere.
• All trafficking victims are kidnapped.
• Forced restraints must be present in trafficking.

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Most victims in the USA are hidden in plain sight – often disguised as relatives or friends of the trafficker.

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National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888

SAFE HOUSES

Safe houses provide a secure place for those rescued from human trafficking, providing emergency housing, basic needs, medical care, detox, transportation, and other services before transitioning into long-term recovery care.

RECOVERY PROGRAMS

Providing hope and restoration for victims and survivors of human trafficking and exploitation., with intentions to empower survivors of human trafficking to lead healthy and independent lives.

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For questions about how to be involved, please email socialjustice@discoverlifegate.com

We partner with organizations that bring hope that replaces the hopelessness that many mothers have with unexpected pregnancies.

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PARTNERSHIPS

Our partnerships are always looking for volunteers to be a kind face to any patient walking through their doors. These organizations strive to bring knowledge and real time wholistic care for both the new parents and the baby, and, in some cases, offer care for the parents and child for up to 18 months post-birth, as well as connect new parents to their community of care for continued support. To join them in their efforts to support new parents, please follow the links below to contact an organization near you.

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Partnerships

• Assure Women's Center
• Essential Family Pregnancy
• Life Choices