Since 1997, Border Servant Corps (BSC) has supported the U.S.-México border community, assisting over 150,000 newcomers with dignity since late 2021. Daily, they help over 150 asylum seekers released by the Department of Homeland Security, providing a safe space and collaborating with community stakeholders to offer meaningful support.

ECHO Collective supports refugee and immigrant women in the U.S. by promoting entrepreneurship and creative programs, helping them rebuild their lives and empowering them to confidently call Lincoln "home". The Refinery entrepreneurship program selects resilient women for a 4-month intensive business course. The program seeks women who are learning English, own a business or have a business idea and were born outside the U.S.

ELCA Good Gifts allow you to support meaningful projects in ELCA ministries, such as the the ELCA Fund for Leaders, ELCA Global Church Sponsorship, ELCA New Congregations, ELCA Vision for Mission, ELCA World Hunger, Disability Ministries and Lutheran Disaster Response. These gifts represent real, funded projects that address the needs identified by local and global congregations.

Since 2004, the Food Bank has connected nearly 45,000 students with more than 1.5 million BackPacks! First Lutheran funds the BackPack program for Pyrtle and Morley students in Lincoln. Each weekend, 12 backpacks go to Morley students and 18 to Pyrtle students. Church volunteers deliver backpacks to Pyrtle weekly. Each BackPack costs just over $8, with an annual cost of over $8,000.

Every month at least 900 individuals are sold for sex, often multiple times, in Nebraska. 1 out of every 10 are too young to buy alcohol. I’ve Got a Name’s street outreach supports vulnerable women and children in places like streets, schools, strip clubs and prisons. By building trusting relationships, they provide unconditional support and acceptance, helping individuals recognize their inner beauty and rebuild their lives.

Las Abejitas Bilingual Education Center, located at First Lutheran Church, cares for over 90 children. It provides care for infants and toddlers aged 6 weeks to 35 months, preschool programs for ages 3 to 5, and before and after school care for Kindergarten through 12 year olds. The Center offers an English-Spanish program that encourages creativity, independence and curiosity in a safe environment. It supports each child's developmental, social and cognitive needs, promoting lifelong learning and language skills to enhance their world understanding.

From the container ship accident in Baltimore Harbor to bombings in Beirut, floods in North Carolina, conflict and famine in South Sudan, and earthquakes in Turkey, to destruction in Gaza and Ukraine, volunteer quilters are there. For over 75 years, compassionate people have made quilts for those in need worldwide - nearly 28 million quilts! Distributed by Lutheran World Relief (LWR), the impact of these handmade quilts on recipients is profound.

Matt Talbot's Transitional Housing offers 18 beds across three houses for men and women moving from homelessness and addiction to stable living. Their goals for clients focus on maintaining sobriety, progressing in recovery, securing employment, saving money, addressing past challenges and transitioning to independent housing.

There's a severe shortage of healthcare workers in Tanzania, with just one nurse or midwife for every 2,800 people. There is an effort to tackle this issue by training staff at Machame Hospital near Mount Kilimanjaro and nurses at the School of Nursing. Many students can't afford the $1,700 yearly cost of tuition, room and board for the three-year nursing program. Thankfully, sponsors like First Lutheran and the Nebraska Synod cover these fees, helping students continue their education without financial barriers.

OutNebraska is the only statewide nonprofit dedicated to educating, advocating and celebrating LGBTQ+ people. Not everyone can be out, but OutNebraska is advocating every day. They push for reform, connect with representatives, encourage civic engagement, and invest in stronger communities.They also help organizations and individuals embrace LGBTQ+ people by providing inclusivity trainings and engaging in community conversations to help ensure a welcoming and thriving environment for all.