Local Outreach
Partner Ministries
Showing the love of God to those who aren’t yet a part of our church community has long been a value at New Cov. We want to see the basic needs of people met so that they have the opportunity to flourish and grow. Our hope is that as we genuinely care for those around us, we will be presented with opportunites to share the good news of Jesus as well. We work most closely with the partner ministries listed below.
Fresh Start offers a residential shelter program for homeless women. The program provides transitional housing and case management in addition to referring participants to services for substance abuse, domestic violence, education, employment, medical treatment and housing assistance.
Juniper Refuge exists to show the love of Jesus to refugees by fostering meaningful relationships and providing resources and support through the local Church and trusted community partnerships.
The desire of Royal Family Kids is for every child to experience unconditional love, hope and safety. Their mission is to mobilize the local Church to create life-changing moments for children who have experienced relational trauma. They accomplish this through their annual Royal Family KIDS Camp which fosters resiliency, self-esteem, hope, and positive memories as well as their on-going mentoring program which includes skills mastery, character building, and fun.
Other Local Organizations
There are many wonderful local organizations here in Lincoln. The organizations listed below are ones that we have either worked with in the past, or whose mission we support.
A-C
Asian Community and Cultural Center
About:
ACCC helps families build English language proficiency, pursue citizenship and employment, establish medical/dental homes, provides meals and helps with SNAP applications and renewals and helps families file state and federal income tax returns. The program also translates important documents from other relevant health and social service agencies, enhancing their ability to serve these clients with limited English proficiency.
In addition, ACCC provides after-school and out-of-school programming to 250-300 refugee and immigrant youth at several high schools and middle schools, which focus on building Developmental Assets through one-to-one mentoring, as well as holistic case management services provided to youth and families on a select case-load. https://www.lincolnasiancenter.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Youth Program Assistant - help facilitate after school clubs and Saturday programs for immigrant and refugee youth to build relationships, get homework help, and learn about different cultures. Time: once a week; various times during the week
Events - help set up for community events and clean up afterwards. Time: Evenings, Saturdays and Sundays
Classroom / Childcare Assistant - Assist teachers with English, Citizenship, and Women's group classes. Some volunteers are needed to watch the children of the people attending the class.
Time: various times throughout the week. https://www.lincolnasiancenter.org/get-involved/volunteer.html
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
About:
Big Brothers/Big Sisters provides mentoring to children through school-, community-, and site-based matches that focus on improving academic and social skills. https://bbbslincoln.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Learn more at https://bbbslincoln.org/volunteer
Bridges to Hope
About:
To act as a bridge to serve and encourage men and women transitioning back into the community after incarceration, as they become successful contributors to society. https://www.bridgestohopene.org
Volunteer opportunities:
There are a number of ways to volunteer with Bridges to Hope like: picking up/delivering donations, sorting donations, shopping with reentrants, transporting reentrants, and organizing/cleaning the warehouse. Learn more at https://www.bridgestohopene.org/volunteer
CASA
About:
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Lancaster County is a local not-for-profit organization that provides a voice for abused and neglected children in the court system so they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. CASA recruits, trains and supports community volunteers who advocate for the needs and best interests of abused, neglected, truant and ungovernable children while they are in juvenile court. https://www.casa4lancaster.org
Volunteer opportunities:
CASA volunteers are required to attend approximately 30 hours of pre-service training and 12 hours of in-service (continuing education) annually and are supervised by a CASA staff person. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA volunteer advocate or intern, you can learn more here: https://www.casa4lancaster.org/what_you_can_do/volunteer.html
Cedars
About:
CEDARS mission is to help children and youth achieve safety, stability and enduring family relationships. Thousands of kids and families have found refuge and a new beginning at CEDARS. With offices in both Omaha and Lincoln, CEDARS is one of Nebraska’s most trusted child-service organizations, making sure that kids feel safe and secure. At the same time, they give parents, foster families, and partnering agencies the support they need to care effectively for kids. https://cedarskids.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Volunteers can give their time to any program or supporting department to help make a difference in the life of a child and their family. From tutoring to administrative duties, there are a wide variety of ways you can volunteer at CEDARS that best fit your skill set. Learn more at: https://cedarskids.org/how-you-can-help/application.html
Center for People In Need
About:
In order to help eliminate poverty in our community, the Center offers daily instruction for new Americans and other adults who want to improve their spoken or written English language proficiency, while also receiving support around adapting to American culture, preparing for the citizenship exam, etc. They also provide food-insecure participants with fresh produce, baked goods, meats, canned items, etc. to meet the nutritional needs of their household. https://centerforpeople.org
Volunteer opportunities:
The Center currently needs volunteer help to distribute food and diapers as well as help with their annual holiday toy drive. Learn more and sign up here: https://centerforpeople.org/get-involved/volunteer
CenterPointe
About:
Over the past 50 years, CenterPointe has grown to include over forty programs including mental health and substance use treatment, primary care services, rehabilitation, medication management, 24-hour crisis response, and housing. https://centerpointe.org
Child Advocacy Center
About:
BraveBe Child Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization providing a safe, child friendly location for conducting forensic interviews and medical evaluations for abused children in Southeast Nebraska. https://www.bravebe.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Because of the nature of the work at BraveBe, they are only able to accommodate a very limited number of regular volunteers. Learn more and apply here: https://www.bravebe.org/get_involved/volunteer_opportunities.html
Christian Challenge
About:
The aim of Christian Challenge is to make disciples of Jesus who make disciples on the UNL campus… and have an awesome time while doing it! Challenge helps students develop meaningful friendships, and grow in their faith. https://sowerchurch.com/christian-challenge
Christian Heritage
About:
For over 40 years, Christian Heritage has been the leading Christian child welfare organization in the state of Nebraska. In addition to their state-certified foster care placement program, they help match churches and individuals with vulnerable families to provide short- term care. Their Families Together program provides early interventions that can often keep kids out of the foster care system. https://chne.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Christian Heritage offers opportunities to serve as host homes, foster parents, and mentors. You can learn more and apply here: https://chne.org/get-involved
Cru
About:
Cru is not only a student organization on campuses across Nebraska. It's also an international missionary organization that reaches people all over the world. Our vision is to see spiritual movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus. When it comes to reaching people on campus, Jesus is our focus. Our goal isn't to get people to join an organization or a particular church. We want people to know him, love him, and obey him and be equipped to reach others with the good news of Jesus. https://www.nebraskacru.com/unl
D-G
Disrupting Traffick
About:
Disrupting Traffick’s goal is to disrupt the cycle of sexual exploitation in Nebraska. They provide support to women who are sold for sex. By focusing on several core areas, they fill specific gaps in our community’s efforts to end trafficking. https://disruptingtraffick.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Sorting donations at their Resource Center, helping clients shop for clothes at the Resource Closet or helping to plan educational and fundraising events are all ways you can help with Disrupting Traffick. Learn more here: https://disruptingtraffick.org/get-involved/volunteer
El Centro de las Americas
About:
The Centro focuses on increasing the academic achievement of Latino youth to bolster graduation and GED-completion rates, promote enrollment in post-secondary education, and foster positive behaviors. They also provide crisis assistance and prevention through a program that combines the elements of employment assistance, resource navigation, and case management in order to help clients obtain essential resources for themselves and their families, obtain employment, and avoid homelessness. Their Women Among Friends program is an outreach, case management, referral program which targets Latina women and their children who have experienced domestic violence. https://elcentrone.org
Volunteer opportunities:
There are a number of programs you can volunteer with. Learn more and apply here: https://elcentrone.org/volunteer
Food Bank of Lincoln
About:
The Food Bank of Lincoln seeks to alleviate hunger in southeast Nebraska. They distribute food at both their main facility and at volunteer locations around Lincoln to provide emergency food assistance for neighbors before the weekend, when some assistance options (including in the schools) might be unavailable. https://www.lincolnfoodbank.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Volunteers regularly help ensure the safety, equity, and dignity of the food we distribute by working in the Hunger Solutions Center. Our volunteers also welcome and reassure guests at our pantries and distributions. Learn more and sign up here: https://www.lincolnfoodbank.org/give-help/volunteer
Food Fort
About:
Food Fort is a non-profit dedicated to serving children in under-resourced neighborhoods. In addition to providing food for those children in need, our mission is to provide more than just a meal. We seek to provide respect, love, relationships, and a constant support system in their lives. Feeding, loving and growing our future. http://www.lincolnfoodfort.com
Volunteer opportunities:
The Lincoln Food Fort is interested in building partnerships. Their work depends on the support of the community. If you believe in the mission and are interested in helping in anyway, please contact them. They would love to discuss opportunities for partnerships, gifts, and volunteering. http://www.lincolnfoodfort.com/contact-us.html
Food Net
About:
Foodnet is a group of volunteers from many different churches and other non-profit organizations trying to stop the waste of food and provide for those in need. They collect food from donors for distribution at sites around the Lincoln area each day. They provide mostly perishable foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, bread, etc. These are items not usually found at a dry goods food pantry, but are still in demand. https://foodnetlincoln.org
Volunteer opportunities:
To volunteer at a food distribution, contact Food Net by phone at (402) 416-6197 or on the web at https://foodnetlincoln.org/contact-us
Fresh Start
About:
Fresh Start offers a residential shelter program for homeless women. The program provides transitional housing and case management in addition to referring participants to services for substance abuse, domestic violence, education, employment, medical treatment and housing assistance. https://freshstarthome.org
Volunteer opportunities:
You can help Fresh Start by donating needed items or volunteering at their main facility or in their thrift store - The Daisy. Learn more and sign up at: https://freshstarthome.org/get-involved/volunteer.html
Friendship Home
About:
Friendship Home provides confidential emergency shelter, transitional housing, Rapid Rehousing and supportive services to victims of domestic violence and their children. https://friendshiphome.org
Volunteer opportunities:
You can volunteer with the Friendship Home by serving as a child advocate, helping to keep the shelters and transitional living apartments safe, sound and well-supplied, and helping with special events. Learn more and apply here: https://friendshiphome.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer
Good Neighbor Community Center
About:
Good Neighbor Community Center provides clothing, household items, personal care hygiene products, holiday gifts, rent assistance, utility assistance and diapers to those in need. It also assists people who are food-insecure using shopper’s-choice selection for non-perishable food once per month and perishable food twice a week. https://www.gncclincoln.org
Volunteer opportunities:
There are not currently any opportunities listed but you can contact GNCC at https://www.gncclincoln.org/contact.htm
H-M
Habitat for Humanity
About:
Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. https://lincolnhabitat.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Habitat for Humanity offers volunteer options as construction volunteers, helping in their ReStore location, and helping with special events. For more information on how to volunteer, contact Rose Opbroek, ropbroek@lincolnhabitat.org.
Juniper Refuge
About:
Juniper Refuge exists to show the love of Jesus to refugees by fostering meaningful relationships and providing resources and support through the local Church and trusted community partnerships. https://www.juniperrefuge.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Mentorship – Mentors may assist with various needs, provide teaching opportunities, share meals, and celebrate holidays together for 12 months.
Driving – We provide driving education and assistance to vulnerable refugee women through volunteers, who we train and support.
English – English friends meet in homes and work on practical English skills and specific goals.
Juniper Gatherings – These meals bring Americans and refugees together for an intercultural experience, authentic dishes, and meaningful conversation. Apply to volunteer here: https://juniperrefuge.org/get-involved
Lighthouse
About:
Lighthouse offers out-of-school time activities for youth aged 13-18 including evening meals, enrichment and recreational activities. They also offer high-quality after-school programming to youth by providing services, opportunities and supports necessary to pursue higher education, vocational training or meaningful employment. https://lincolnlighthouse.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Prepare an evening meal or snack for 30-50 youth, Monday-Friday at 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. or 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Tutor or lead an educational workshop for youth. One-time project at Lighthouse such as landscaping, painting, or cleaning Miscellaneous volunteer opportunities that we need help with on a more consistent basis. Teach a class or speak about a certain topic. Examples: karate, guitar lessons, scrap booking, billiards, sports activities, money management. Some volunteer opportunities require an orientation and a dedication of at least 2 hours a week on a consistent day. Contact Alex Hughes at 402-475-3220 or email alex.hughes@lincolnlighthouse.org.
Lincoln Literacy
About:
Lincoln Literacy provides a pre-CNA and CNA prep course to immigrant and refugee students interested in healthcare careers. https://www.lincolnliteracy.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Tutoring opportunities at the one-on-one, classroom, or conversation group levels are available. Learn more and sign up here: https://www.lincolnliteracy.org/tutor-about
Lincoln Pregnancy Center
About:
The Lincoln Pregnancy Center helps women find confidence and direction for unplanned pregnancies. https://pregnancycenterlincoln.org
Donate:
You can donate to the work of Lincoln Pregnancy Center at https://pregnancycenterpartners.org/donate
Little Free Pantry
About:
The mini pantry movement is a grassroots, crowdsourced solution to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, mini pantries help feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods. https://www.littlefreepantry.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Purchase food, personal care, and paper items and put them inside your neighborhood mini pantry. Get together with friends and build one!
Lutheran Family Services - New Americans Program
About:
The LFS New Americans program provides high-quality direct support services for refugees, immigrants, asylees, and victims of international human trafficking. LFS caseworkers are knowledgeable and skilled in case management, advocacy, cultural orientation, education, immigration legal services, employment, and job readiness training. https://www.onelfs.org/new-americans
Volunteer opportunities:
You can help New Cov resettle an immigrant family by either donating materials to help furnish an apartment for the family or joining our co-sponsor team and supporting the family during their first six months in Lincoln. Contact pastor Brent at brent@newcovchurch.org for more information.
Malone Community Center
About:
Malone Center (located in Lincoln, NE) programs and initiatives support their mission to end multigenerational poverty. Their early education program is a neighborhood based, educational and recreational program for children ages 3-5. The program teaches social and cognitive skills, while focusing on the child learning their independence. The goal is to prepare the child for school in a playful and structured way. The out-of-school program provides after-school opportunities for youth including tutoring, computer lab access, health education, recreation, and art activities. The maternal health and wellness program supports BIPOC families with pre and post-natal care through its doula program, breastfeeding support group, and educational initiatives. https://malonecenter.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Malone offers a variety of volunteer experiences that range from working hands on with their youth programs to helping with larger projects like Juneteenth, Back to School, and Thanksgiving events, or building grounds clean-up. Apply to volunteer here: https://malonecenter.org/volunteer
Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach
About:
Matt Talbot Kitchen exists To relieve hunger, overcome homelessness, address addiction, and provide outreach and advocacy in Lincoln. Their hunger relief program supplies two hot meals a day as well as information, referrals, advocacy, life skills and identification programs to the working poor, hungry and homeless. Their transitional housing program helps individuals move from homelessness and addiction to a stable living environment by providing transitional housing, case management, goal planning, advocacy, and referral services. https://www.mtko.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Volunteers can help provide, prepare, and serve hot nutritious meals. They also play an important role overseeing shower & laundry services, helping maintain the garden and grounds around the facility, and assisting with reception and other administrative tasks. Apply to volunteer here: https://www.mtko.org/volunteer/volunteer/volunteer-application.html
Mourning Hope Grief Center
About:
Mourning Hope Grief Center provides an open and honest community of support for bereaved children and their families. Services include education, networking, outreach, and support groups to help individuals gain a better understanding of the grief process and learn coping strategies. https://www.mourninghope.org
Volunteer opportunities:
You can support Mourning Hope by serving as a group facilitator, sewing assistant, potluck partner, or an office/project volunteer. Learn more and apply here: https://www.mourninghope.org/supportus/volunteer
O-Y
One Thread Project
About:
The One Thread Project exists to bring sewing vocational education, language literacy, business training, mentorship, and the hope of Jesus Christ to the women and children of Kinshasa, DR Congo. https://www.onethreadproject.org
Volunteer opportunities:
New Cov is looking to take a team of 5-6 to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the end of May to assist the team there with some of their ministry priorities. For more information contact pastor Brent at brent@newcovchurch.org.
Operation Christmas Child
About:
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. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child
Volunteer opportunities:
Shoebox packing generally happens from mid-September to mid-November but there are opportunities to help out year-round. Contact Sue Thomsen at srbthomsen@gmail.com for more information.
Parent Life (a ministry of Youth for Christ)
About:
Parent Life provides faith-based support, encouragement and guidance to equip pregnant or parenting teens to make good choices and to complete their education. Healthy emotional support and education assistance are vital to teens as they move toward self-sufficiency and positive parenting. https://yfclincoln.org/ministry/parent-life
Volunteer opportunities:
Parent Life Meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month 5-7pm at Cross the Line Church (59th and Adams). Contact Brooke Fullerton at (402) 430-5518 for more info on how to volunteer with Parent Life.
People’s City Mission
About:
People’s City Mission desires to be a witness for Christ among the poor and homeless, serve their needs, and advocate their cause to the community at large. They provide emergency overnight shelter beds and day shelter, three meals daily, children’s programs, individual support and advocacy, life skills workshops, and other related services (showers, laundry, mail, phone, etc.). https://pcmlincoln.org
Volunteer opportunities:
You can help at PCM by serving in their help center processing and organizing donations and in their meal service ministry. For more information and to apply, visit https://pcmlincoln.org/get-involved/#volunteer or contact their Volunteer Director at volunteer@pcmlincoln.org or 402-475-1303, ext. 114.
Persian Peoples Outreach
About:
The Persian Peoples Outreach seeks to minister to Persian people in Central Asia and share the good news of Jesus. New Cov has been partnered with them since 2019.
Volunteer Opportunities:
New Cov sends a small team every year in late March to distribute literature among the Persian people and foster conversations about following Jesus. Contact Marty Norton at mlerrnorton@gmail.com or pastor Brent at brent@newcovchurch.org for more information.
Royal Family Kids
About:
The desire of Royal Family Kids is for every child to experience unconditional love, hope and safety. Their mission is to mobilize the local Church to create life-changing moments for children who have experienced relational trauma. They accomplish this through their annual Royal Family KIDS Camp which fosters resiliency, self-esteem, hope, and positive memories as well as their on-going mentoring program which includes skills mastery, character building, and fun. https://rfklancaster.org
Volunteer opportunities:
RFKC is always looking for camp counselors and child-mentors. Contact Jan Michael Beran at rfklincoln@gmail.com for details on how to apply.
St. Monica’s
About:
St. Monica’s is a comprehensive six-month residential treatment program for chemically dependent or dually diagnosed pregnant women and women with children under the age of 12. Emergency shelter, domestic violence services along with professional medical, mental health and substance abuse services are provided. https://www.stmonicas.com
Volunteer opportunities:
There are many volunteer opportunities available at St. Monica's such as painting, yard work and item drives. Additionally, their administrative office serves as the program headquarters where women attend classes and meet with their counselors. Whatever your interest, they can match you to a task that will enrich the experience of the families living at St. Monica's. Volunteer needs change from day to day. Please contact their office at (402) 441-3768 to discuss volunteer opportunities. https://www.stmonicas.com/volunteer
Tabitha - Meals on Wheels
About:
Tabitha Meals on Wheels began in 1967 as the first service of its kind in Lincoln, Nebraska. Access to proper nutrition is often one of the last factors allowing older adults and those with disabilities to remain safely at home, and today Tabitha serves a hot, noon meal to roughly 500 clients. Tabitha’s service provides an invaluable face-to-face safety check, as well, for many medically vulnerable individuals who may not see another person all day. https://www.tabitha.org/senior-care-services/meals-on-wheels.html
Volunteer opportunities:
Meal Delivery - Delivering with Tabitha Meals on Wheels, helps Seniors and individuals with disabilities remain in their homes by providing a hot, nutritious meal and daily safety check. Delivery options are available on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or as an on-call volunteer driver basis. Routes take about 60-90 minutes and begin around 10:45 a.m. To apply, follow this link: https://www.tabitha.org/give/volunteer
Teammates
About:
Teammates provides students in grades 3-12 with weekly one-to-one school-based mentoring focusing on the intentional cultivation of a student’s strengths; while modeling positive social behaviors and building a meaningful, non-familial relationship with the student. https://lincolnteammates.org
Volunteer opportunities:
To become a mentor, follow their application process here: https://lincolnteammates.org/become-mentor. New mentors are required to attend a three-hour training session prior to being matched with a student.
To help in other areas such as volunteering at TeamMates events, helping with office related tasks, being part of the community service project team, or assisting at recruitment events, call the Teammates office at (402) 436-1990.
Vision Community Church
About:
Vision Community Church is a Korean church community that New Cov has partnered with and sponsored since 2018. Their mission is to reach the Korean and Asian communities in Lincoln with the good news of Jesus and send people into the world to do the same.
Volunteer opportunities:
Vision Community Church sponsors a number of events throughout the year to try and connect with the Korean community. Contact Pastor Cho for more information at jodhyun777@gmail.com.
Voices of Hope
About:
Voices of Hope offers 24-hour crisis intervention and advocacy, individual and group counseling, information and referral services to victims of domestic violence and their children. Also provides ongoing case management, counseling, training, and individualized case plans for women in battered situations. https://www.voicesofhopelincoln.org
Volunteer opportunities:
To learn how to donate to Voices of Hope or volunteer go here: https://www.voicesofhopelincoln.org/get-involved.html All crisis hotline volunteers must complete a 34 hour training course prior to serving.
Young Life
About:
Young Life is a Christian ministry that reaches out to middle school, high school, and college students in all 50 of the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world. We go to kids, build bridges of authentic friendship, and introduce them to Jesus Christ. https://younglife.org
Volunteer opportunities:
Young Life offers a number of volunteer opportunities for adults who want to support middle and high school kids in their communities. Learn more here: https://younglife.org/get-involved. There are also a variety of ways to serve at a Young Life summer camp. Learn more and apply here: https://younglife.org/camping/join-us-at-camp