Today, United Way of the Midlands (UWM), Offutt Air Force Base, the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs and community partners came together to celebrate the launch of the Military and Family Helpline – marking a significant step forward in support of military-connected individuals and their families. This innovative collaboration seeks to strengthen support for veterans and active-duty military and their dependents by leveraging existing community resources and infrastructure.
With nearly 70% of active-duty service members and their families living off-base, the need for robust quality-of-life support systems that extend beyond military installations is critical. The Military and Family Helpline aims to bridge this gap by providing confidential information and referral assistance to veterans, retirees, active/guard/reserve service members, civilian personnel and their families 24/7/365.
“Through this partnership, we ensure every service member and their family can navigate the necessary resources without struggle or delay,” said Col. Aaron T. Gray, Deputy Commander, 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base. “The impact of our collective efforts is profound, and it’s a testament to the strength of our community. Omaha has set an inspiring example of how a community can rally around those who serve to preserve our freedom, demonstrating that patriotism isn’t just a word here—it’s a way of life.”
The Helpline utilizes United Way of the Midlands’ existing 211 Helpline infrastructure to ensure comprehensive support, connecting users to trained resource specialists who provide live support via phone, web, text, email and apps. Users can access tailored personal navigation services, helping them find the best-fit resources for needs such as food, housing, healthcare, childcare and employment.
As part of the partnership agreement, a dedicated navigator will operate both on-base and at UWM to offer personalized assistance – effectively braiding veteran, installation and community-based resources to meet diverse needs. This comprehensive approach ensures individuals facing multifaceted challenges can access vital services more easily and efficiently, regardless of their proximity to military installations.
“Utilizing the existing infrastructure of military and community services lets us streamline efforts and maximize resource efficiency,” said Shawna Forsberg, president and CEO, United Way of the Midlands. “The launch of the Military and Family Helpline highlights the Omaha-metro community’s commitment to supporting our military, creating a robust support system for service members and their families.”
The 211 Helpline is fortunate to have foundational funding from the State of Nebraska that supports its basic call center infrastructure. Multi-year support from the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs Military Installation Development and Support Fund will augment this funding to support the Military and Family Helpline and the navigator position.
“Support for the Military and Family Helpline reflects our state’s commitment to providing comprehensive services to veterans and their families across Nebraska and reinforces our dedication to maintaining Offutt Air Force Base as a premier location for military presence and infrastructure,” said John Hilgert, director, Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “By ensuring veterans have access to vital resources, we are not only addressing their needs but enhancing the overall support network for military families in our communities.”
As a match to state funding, generous corporate donors have stepped up locally to support this effort – including the Beardmore family of dealerships (Beardmore Chevrolet, Beardmore Subaru and Beardmore Hyundai), Five Points Bank, Pella Windows, Caretech, ACCESS Bank and CymSTAR. These donors recognize the immense value of supporting the military community and see this initiative as not only a vital resource for local service members and their families, but also as a potential model for others seeking to enhance their support systems for military-connected individuals.
To further support our military servicemembers, UWM has launched a digital fundraising campaign to support care packages for active duty servicemembers living at Offutt Air Force Base who are away from home during the holiday season. Items in the care packages have been identified in collaboration with Offutt AFB personnel to support practical needs. Individuals interested in making the holidays a little brighter for these young servicemembers can donate at UnitedWayMidlands.org/MFHgive.
For more information about the Military and Family Helpline, go to: uwm211.org/militaryfamilyhelpline
###
About Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA): NDVA’s mission is to honor Nebraska veterans and their families by providing excellent service, assistance, and care. Its state service office helps veterans identify and access federal benefits, such as disability compensation and healthcare through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and state benefits, such as Nebraska Veterans Aid funds, tuition waivers, and more. Its four state veterans’ homes offer high quality assisted living and skilled nursing care to veterans and eligible family members across the state. And its cemetery system ensures eligible veterans receive an honorable final resting place maintained to the highest national standards. To learn more about NDVA and how it serves Nebraska’s veterans and their families, please visit veterans.nebraska.gov.
About Offutt Air Force Base: The 55th Wing is the largest wing in Air Combat Command and the second largest in the Air Force. We support operations on four continents across six diverse flying missions. The “Fightin’ Fifty-Fifth” provides global reconnaissance, real time intelligence gathering, and command and control, information warfare, electronic attack, and combat support to national leaders and agencies as well as Air Force and joint warfighters. Additionally, the 55th Wing provides Offutt Air Force Base infrastructure supporting 52 associate units including USSTRATCOM, the 557th Weather Wing, 595th Command and Control Group and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency CONUS Annex. Offutt Air Force Base is home to the 343d Recruiting Squadron, 20th Intelligence Squadron, Strategic Communications Wing Detachment One, and the Heartland of America Band. For more information, go to offutt.af.mil
About United Way of the Midlands: Since 1923, United Way of the Midlands (UWM) has served the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro by bridging the business and not-for-profit sectors and raising money to support our community’s most impactful health and human service programs. UWM’s funded programs and direct services – like 211 and JAG Nebraska – focus on four key areas to improve health and well-being for all, build financial stability and strength, help young people realize their full potential and address urgent needs today to advance a better tomorrow. Learn more at UnitedWayMidlands.org.
About the 211 Helpline: Serving Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, the 211 Helpline is a one-stop source of information for people in need of assistance. Powered by United Way of the Midlands, 211 is a point of contact and referral source for thousands of health and human service programs, community services, disaster services and more for those in need of help. For assistance dial 211, text 898211 or visit uwm211.org.