Giving Back to Our Community

Golf Tournament for at-risk youth

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.

Fundraiser Benefit for Disabilities

Each year, approximately 50 men embark on a cross-country trip to test their limits, spread awareness, and celebrate the abilities of all people. With two routes kicking off on the West Coast, teams spend the summer crossing the country over a combined 8,000 miles with an arrival at the Capitol Lawn in Washington DC to mark the end of a life-changing event. Along the way, the team spreads the message of disability awareness through local media and makes stops at partner organizations where we deliver joy to our friends from the disability community.

Christmas Shoeboxes

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. It is a hands-on way for you to bless children in need across the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, personal care items, school supplies, and fun gifts.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.

Every year Retire SMART and clients help stuff shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts that are sent to needy children throughout the world by Samaritan’s Purse, one of our core charities.

Annual Gala & Fundraiser

Although we did not open our doors until 2015, the vision behind the Midlands Humane Society began back in 2006. A group of dedicated animal lovers wanted to do better for the homeless, stray and unwanted pets in our community. While the existing animal control offices, built in the 1970’s, were doing all they could to provide safe housing for stray animals along with keeping our community safe from animals running at large, they didn’t have the time or the resources to provide the services of a humane society. After nearly a decade of planning, fundraising and finally construction, we are happy to be here to serve the needs of the people and pets of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County, Iowa…and beyond! Our ability to reach far greater numbers of people for adoptions and returns to owners has increased exponentially thanks to the support or our amazing community!

“Together 4 Tails” begins with a social hour for guests to browse auction items, interact with ambassador animals, participate in the wine pull and whiskey toss, and purchase a coveted “Golden Ticket” for first pick of a live auction item.

Blanket Making

Child Abuse is a fact in our community, discriminating against no one and impacting thousands of lives each year. Boldly focused on ending this cycle, Project Harmony has reimagined how communities can come together — leveraging resources to respond to, treat and ultimately prevent child abuse.

Project Harmony’s nationally recognized, collaborative, child-focused approach works to ensure children are not further victimized by the systems intended to protect them. We’ve brought multiple agencies working in these systems together into one place — where they can coordinate and communicate most effectively and tackle child abuse as a team.

This powerful model means that Project Harmony is the community’s unified point of protection, healing, advocacy and hope for children who have experienced abuse, and their families. Together, we help protect and support the most vulnerable among us — restoring courage, facilitating healing and empowering community members to be someone in the life of a child.

Every year Retire SMART and our client volunteers make 40 blankets for PH, which is a one-stop shop for children in crisis. Law enforcement, medical care, and social services are provided at one facility in a warm and friendly environment. Part of that is the blankets.

Christmas Bell Ringing

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

The Salvation Army’s holiday assistance programs provide food, gifts, and other essential items to those in need during the holiday season. Through initiatives like toy drives, meal distribution, and the Angel Tree program, The Salvation Army aims to ensure everyone gets to experience the joy of the holidays.

We sponsor several of the iconic Christmas bell-ringing sites to raise awareness and money for this proven charitable organization that has been “doing the most good” for those in need for more than 150 years.

Toy & Joy

Be Santa’s helpers at the warehouse where the Open Door Mission provides Christmas gifts for struggling families. We help parents select age-appropriate gifts for their children, and restock the shelves. Retire SMART also sponsors the summer Camp for Kids for children at the mission.