By April Boellstorff
Regional Director in Auburn, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Auburn CSS had originally planned to distribute 40 Thanksgiving meal kits, complete with a turkey and all the trimmings, to local families in need. When the Thanksgiving request line opened, all 40 meals were claimed within five minutes!
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) hosted its annual Trivia Night in Imperial Nov. 14—an evening of friendly competition and community generosity in support of CSS’s outreach across southwest Nebraska.
After a year’s absence, Trivia Night in Imperial returned this year when a record-breaking 18 teams filled the Nutrien Event Center Nov. 14.
In this episode of 180 with Katie, we take listeners through just over 180 seconds of highlights from an extraordinary month across all Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska locations. From record-setting assistance in Hastings and remarkable volunteer engagement in Auburn to significant increases in homelessness outreach and family support in Lincoln, October showcased CSS’s mission in full motion.
CSS now hopes to make donated plots available to the public at approximately half the cost of the standard market rate.
Catholic Social Services of
Southern Nebraska
For Catholics, November is the month dedicated to remembering and praying for the faithful departed. Throughout the month, Catholics are encouraged to visit cemeteries, pray for deceased loved ones, and reflect on the hope of the Resurrection.
The season of remembrance offers a special opportunity to consider the corporal work of mercy to bury the dead, an act of compassion that Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) has quietly carried out over the years. Through the generosity of local donors, CSS has received several dozen cemetery plots that were no longer needed by their original owners. Many of the individuals moved away from Lincoln or made other burial arrangements, but wanted their unused plots to serve a good purpose.
By Katie Patrick
When we talk about lasting change or making a lasting difference, it often entails maintaining a long-term commitment, or at least making enough of an investment with significant time or resources that lead to permanent change.
The St. Gianna Women’s Home opened its doors in 2011, thanks to the significant commitment and financial investment by our donors. They were original change-makers who advocated with their time and resources for women and children who had experienced domestic violence or under-supported pregnancies. These “original” change-makers, who opened the door, made it possible for the hundreds of survivors of domestic violence that we have served over the years to become change-makers themselves.
CSS Prison and Reentry Apostolate leaders recently connected with local community leaders for a tour and collaboration at the CSS Lincoln offices
On this episode of Hope in the Good Life Podcast, we’re coming to you from St. Gianna Women’s Home—a safe, faith-filled refuge in Lincoln where women and families find healing after domestic violence and under-supported pregnancies. Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska invites you and your family to Carole Fest 2025, a Christmas benefit concert on December 14th at 3 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. This uplifting event highlights the St. Gianna Program through music, meditations, and inspiring stories—all to support the women who call St. Gianna’s home. Joining us today are three Marian Sisters who serve as Advocates at St. Gianna’s: Sister Carol Hohmeier, Sister Gabriel Perry, and Sister Melissa Moxley. Together, they’ll share what it means to walk with these women, the moments that inspire them, and how Carole Fest helps support this life-changing ministry.
By Will Stokebrand
Volunteer Coordinator in Lincoln, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is just around the corner, which means the staff at Catholic Social Services is starting to prepare the annual Holiday Giving Program in Lincoln. Having worked at CSS for a few years, it always amazes me how generous our donors are and how eager they are to help out in any way they can. Speaking on behalf of all of our staff, I want to thank everyone who has donated and helped out with this program each year.
By John Soukup
Development Officer, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
As I walked through the lobby of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) in Lincoln, and then observed what was happening in our Food Market this past week, the energy feels a little different. There’s a steady rhythm of families arriving for their food market appointments—parents carrying toddlers, seniors pulling small carts, and volunteers greeting each guest by name.
When SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits were paused Oct. 29 due to the government shutdown, then partially funded Nov. 3, thousands of Nebraskans were affected. For many, CSS has become a place to turn when there’s nowhere else to go for food or basic needs. Normally, our Lincoln food market schedules about a dozen appointments each day, and it’s not unusual for a few clients to miss theirs. But now, almost everyone is showing up, grateful for the help.
