Event recap
Shine bright 2024
- August 5 - 8
- Mid-America Center
You helped us provide more than 5,100 care kits to students in our community!
Because of so many people'S efforts – more than 5,000 students across our metro area received the essential hygiene items needed to ensure they have the confidence to go to school every day, ready to learn.
Thank you for helping local students shine and improvING their health, academics and confidence!
thank you!
We would like to extend a special “THANK YOU” to YOU for making our Shine Bright event a huge success!
On August 5-8, the Mid-America Center was filled with excitement, joy, smiles, great energy and a lot of heart. Every child deserves to come to school feeling confident and ready to learn, but for so many this is not possible.
Many local students across the metro are lacking essential hygiene items such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, clean clothes and dental products — impacting their health, learning and confidence.
Pictured from left to right: Heidi Klement, Student Navigator, Council Bluffs Public Schools; Tim Hamilton, Chief of Student Family Services, Council Bluffs Community Schools; Matthew Ray, Superintendent, Omaha Public Schools and Shawna Forsberg, United Way of the Midlands President & CEO
JAG Nebraska Program Map for 2024-25 Academic Year
Making an impact across the state of nebraska
During this week, more than 5,100 kits were built and supplies for another 300 kits were shipped directly across the state.
Shine Bright kits are distributed to Omaha Public Schools, Council Bluffs Community Schools, Papillion La Vista Schools and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Nebraska sites across the state.
EVENT Gallery
Enjoy viewing photos from the event below:
THANKS TO OUR MANY VOLUNTEERS, WE CAN CREATE A STRONGER TOMORROW FOR OUR COMMUNITY
During the event, we had more than 375 volunteers from 34 companies putting together boxes, setting out and organizing products, assembling and separating all of the kits based on grade, ethnicity, gender and school.
Hear about the impact of shine bright from dr. andrew rikli, superintendent of papillion/la vista community schools
We hope everyone who participated in Shine Bright is filled with immense pride in knowing they helped thousands of students `shine bright’ and be set up for success in school and life!
in the news
Get to know more about Shine Bright and the individuals and organizations making a difference in our community.
COUNCIL BLUFFS DAILY NONPAREIL
United Way of the Midlands Helping Shine Bright
“On Tuesday, volunteers put together 5,100 kits for students in kindergarten, sixth and ninth grades. Each kit has over $100 worth of products in it.
Around 1,000 students in Council Bluffs will benefit from this round of kits. “
“We take pride in our core values and we like to honor our communities. We’ve had a longstanding relationship with United Ways,” said manager of stakeholder and community outreach for OPPD. “We’ve been here since Year 1.”
OMAHA world-herald
special thank you to our sponsors!
supporting sponsors
community sponsors
Encouragement cards
Thank you to our Supporting Sponsors for providing a message on the encouragement cards in each Shine Bright Kit!
Get involved
You can dramatically change a child’s life when you support Shine Bright.
When a child is lacking essential hygiene items – it can be hard for them to focus on anything else. Helping students get access to the resources they lack allows them to build a better and brighter future for themselves and our community.