Our St. Joseph Gift & Thrift Store in Hastings will be CLOSED on Saturday, September 26th. All other CSS Gift & Thrift stores will follow their regularly scheduled hours.
For Nolan Lemna of Lincoln, caring for God’s creation and caring for people in need are not separate callings. They are two ways of living out the same responsibility: to be good stewards of God’s gifts and to share those gifts with our neighbors.
In addition to welcoming thousands of families over the years, the refugee resettlement program at CSS impacted hundreds of everyday Nebraskans by inviting them to serve as refugee case managers, host families, volunteer English teachers, mentors, employment counselors, and more.
Tom and Tammie Schik’s journey with Catholic Social Services began with a simple phone call from a priest - and grew into decades of service, friendship and love for the Hastings community. In this episode, Tom and Tammie share how their work with refugees helped shape CSS Hastings, the lasting relationships they formed with the people they served, and the many ways they continue to put their faith into action. As this year’s recipients of the CSS Love of Christ Award at Bountiful Harvest 2026 on October 4, they reflect on the joy of serving others and what they’ve learned about loving your neighbor along the way. Join us for this annual event at csshope.org/bh2026.
In the latest Messages of Hope, Katie and Ryan Patrick share how we've expanded physical media at St. Louise Gift & Thrift so that our customers can bring “movie night” back into their homes.
In this episode of "Hope in the Good Life", Nolan Lemna shares how his faith inspired a project connecting Nebraska farmers with families experiencing food insecurity. Through a $200,000 Nebraska Environmental Trust grant, Nolan is helping bring locally produced food to families while encouraging farmers to care for the soil, water and wildlife God has entrusted to us. He also reflects on how working the land has deepened his own faith and revealed another way to encounter God in the quiet.
Messages of Hope
By Miranda Schumacher
Development Officer at CSS Hastings Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
What a year it has been for Catholic Social Services in Hastings!
Last year at this time, we were anticipating our office move to 124 S. Colorado Ave. and beginning plans for a new thrift store. Little did we know that the year ahead would bring even more growth—including the purchase of a warehouse right next to our new office. Along the way, we have implemented new policies, welcomed new staff, and, most importantly, continued to make a lasting impact through our mission.
Our latest Little Blessings newsletter highlights their August adventures, shares important notes from our Child Care Manager (including openings for both Littles and teachers!), and so much more. Read how our Catholic faith-based Lincoln center is nurturing Hope in the Good Life!
The CSS Memorial Golf Classic is celebrating its 30th year, and this episode looks back at how the tournament began and the legacy it has built over three decades. John Soukup talks with CSS Vice President of Marketing and Development John McDermott, who started the tournament 30 years ago, and Tom Tracy, who played in the very first tournament. This year’s event honors Tom’s parents, Tom and Margaret Ann Tracy, who were married for 72 years and built a life centered on faith, family, hard work and devotion to one another. Tom and John share memories of the tournament’s early days, the Tracy family legacy, and how the Memorial Golf Classic continues to bring people together while supporting CSS and bringing hope to those it serves.
“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Every time you decide to buy extra groceries, donate your time or treasure, and pray for our mission, that sacrifice has the capacity to bring just a little more light into our dark world.
New store hours effective September 2026
From farm fields to food pantries, one Nebraska man is making a local impact and nourishing Hope in the Good Life.
Beginning August 10th, 2026, we will allow part-time enrollment at Little Blessings Child Care of Catholic Social Services. This change will allow us to better serve more families and provide them with Catholic education and care.
With less than 24 hours to go, things looked pretty bleak. And soggy.
Our first Catholic Social Services golf tournament was held on a Friday, Sept. 20, 1996. The afternoon before the tourney, we were staring out our office window at the monsoon-like conditions. The wind-driven rain was forecast to stick around all day, all night, and well into the next day—golf tournament day. It looked as if months of planning were about to literally go down the drain. Should we go ahead and cancel now and let the golfers know when we try to reschedule the event, or do we move forward with having the tourney the next day and hope for the best?
Our Little Blessings had a wonderfully busy July- read all about it, and learn more about Little Blessings Childcare of Catholic Social Services!
Our CSS Auburn office and thrift store (St. Francis Gift & Thrift) will be closed August 10-15.
In this episode, we explore how our community is helping ensure no one has to face hunger alone. Host John Soukup sits down with Mike Hosek, organizer of the annual Walk to End Hunger on August 8 in Lincoln, and Kristina Brandl, manager of the CSS Lincoln Food Market, to discuss how a simple walk has grown into a year-round effort to keep food on the shelves for hundreds of families in need. They explain how friendly competitions among Knights of Columbus councils and parishes are making a difference and discuss the ongoing need for food assistance in the community. You'll also learn how you can join the Walk to End Hunger or support the CSS Food Market throughout the year to bring hope to our neighbors in need.
There are opportunities all around to help neighbors in need. You just need to know where to look, and you find those places by opening your heart and asking, “Lord, how can I serve you today?” He will provide — I believe that with all my heart.
Read the latest CSS updates and encounters from across 24,000 square miles of Nebraska!
This year's Walk to End Hunger is scheduled for Saturday, August 8th from 10a-12p at the Pius X HS track.
"Why would you move to Nebraska?" That's always the first question I get when people learn that I'm originally from Lake Charles, Louisiana. What they don't know is that while my Cajun roots are strong, I moved 23 times growing up, and Nebraska just happened to be the last stop along the way. It was here that I became an adult, married my high school sweetheart, and brought seven beautiful children into the world.
CSS Southwest update includes how they're meeting challenges and furnishing Hope in the Good Life to the region.
Please mark your calendars for Sunday, October 4, 2026, as we gather at the Hastings City Auditorium for our largest and most important fundraiser of the year: the annual Bountiful Harvest Gala & Silent Auction!
In Auburn, our work continues to be defined by moments of profound connection and resilience. We are humbled by the opportunity to walk alongside our neighbors, whether they are visiting us for the first time or facing unexpected challenges.
August is one of the more notable months on the Church's liturgical calendar. As summer begins to wind down, the Church offers an extraordinary opportunity to deepen our faith through the lives of the many significant saints and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the traditional devotion for the month.
August is National Make-A-Will Month, a timely reminder that creating a will is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones. A thoughtfully prepared estate plan provides peace of mind, reduces uncertainty during difficult times, and ensures that your wishes are honored.
I want to take this opportunity to give a big shout-out and thank you to all our wonderful donors out there who make our work possible in the St. Gianna Program (SGP) and, more specifically, a special thank you to those who have donated vehicles for our women and children.
We are pleased to announce that CSS will not be closing its refugee program. Thanks to the generosity of our private donors, we have established an emergency fund to assist the clients we have resettled. This emergency fund is vital to many families, and its direct and lasting impact is shown in this beautiful thank you note we recently received.
"God is so good! The Catholic Social Services (CSS) Hastings open house was absolutely amazing, even though the weather was, without a doubt, the worst I’ve seen in Nebraska (I know, I’m still new!). In spite of slight flooding and cars breaking down and needing to be pushed in the pouring rain, our community partners turned out in full force and made it a day to cherish and remember."
Our Little Blessings crew had a FUN (beach-themed!) June- read all about it and learn more about our Catholic faith-based center in Lincoln in our inaugural LB newsletter!
By Nevara Yocom
for the Register
“Am I not here? I who am your mother?”
The words spoken to St. Juan Diego 500 years ago are now displayed in a striking mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Behind St. Louise Gift & Thrift on the Lincoln campus of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) at 22nd and O streets, a group of volunteers worked over three weeks to create a mural honoring the Marian apparition.
by Veronica Hotovy
St. Gianna Program Manager
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
I recently had the joy of attending Mass with one of our St. Gianna Women Home (SGWH) residents and her son. It was the woman’s first time attending Mass in 16 years. It was a very special occasion, and one I’m incredibly thankful to have been a part of. While I’ve often had the opportunity to pray with residents or guide Bible studies at St. Gianna’s, being able to join them for Mass in the community is an opportunity that is not often presented to me.
Southern Nebraska Register
Steve Sousek, a member of North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln, will attempt a 24-hour run to benefit RUNBORN, an entity supporting women and children in crisis, and unborn children.
Sousek will begin his 24-hour run on the track at Pius X High School in Lincoln, at 8 p.m. Friday, June 26.
Holiday hours for all CSS locations
Read all about it! Here's the latest HOPE IN THE GOOD LIFE updates from across southern Nebraska!
Our Item Drive for CSS Lincoln has already made a HOPE IN THE GOOD LIFE difference for our neighbors in need! Our team shares heartfelt thanks from clients helped and an updated list of items.
Our new St. Lady of Guadalupe mural is a wonderful reminder that Mary is a spiritual mother for all of us.
What followed was a Holy Spirit-inspired vision, an outpouring of community support, and the creation of a new CSS Hastings campus designed to serve those in need across central Nebraska for decades to come.
In this episode, John Soukup sits down with Hastings Regional Director Jon Kiehl to discuss the journey from challenge to renewal, the impact the new facility is already having on individuals and families in need, the remarkable ecumenical support behind the project, and the upcoming Building Blessing and Family Festival on June 20.
It's a story of faith, collaboration, and Hope in the Good Life.
CSS Lincoln needs your help restocking shelves for St. Gianna Program families/Family Support Services clients.
We celebrate St. Gianna Beretta Molla’s feast day on April 28th, and for the St. Gianna Program this is a pretty special day.
By Levi Baus,
Director of Prison and Reentry Apostolate (PARA)
During this academic year, the Prison and Reentry Apostolate (PARA) received several batches of letters from the fifth and sixth grade CCD classes at St. Mary Church in Sutton. Thanks go out to Mrs. Tracy Galusha for spearheading this effort.
This June will mark the 4th time we’ve been blessed to participate in the Chase County Challenge. This event is in conjunction with Smokin’ on Broadway, a barbeque competition and concert. The Challenge is a dollar for dollar percentage match for non-profits in Chase County.
Easter Vigil began in darkness with the blessing of the Paschal Candle, which represents Christ as the light of the world. Slowly all of the Candidates, Catechumens and Sponsors lit their candles from the Paschal Candle and then one by one shared that light with the whole congregation and the whole parish was lit up by candlelight.
During this academic year, the Prison and Reentry Apostolate (PARA) has received several batches of letters from the 5th and 6th-grade CCD classes at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sutton, NE. Thanks go out to Mrs. Tracy Galusha for spearheading this effort.
In March, at our annual Celebration of Hope Gala and Silent Auction, I found myself drawn not only to the conversations among friends, but to the quiet, beautiful presence of mothers and their children. Several women had their babies in tow, their small squeals and bright smiles weaving joy into an already meaningful evening. In a room filled with faithfulness and generosity in support of Catholic Social Services, these mothers offered a living witness to love in its most tangible form.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 20th! Catholic Social Services (CSS) is throwing a community celebration, and you are invited. From 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, we are opening the doors of our brand-new facility at 124 S. Colorado Ave for an unforgettable Building Blessing + Family Festival. Our goal is simple: to bring together Hastings' churches, organizations, and families for a day of joy, fellowship, and awareness of all God is doing in our town.
This month’s "180 with Katie" highlights the many ways CSS staff and volunteers brought hope, dignity, and connection to the people we served throughout April. In 180 seconds, you’ll hear about a Good Samaritan who helped one of our refugee clients, and how sharing meals with clients inside the new Hastings building is so special. This episode captures meaningful moments that reflect Hope in the Good Life.
Read the latest HOPE IN THE GOOD LIFE news from across southern Nebraska!
