HUNDREDS OF LOCAL FAMILIES RECEIVE GIFTS UNDER THE TREE

Local coalition supports Gift of Joy Toy Giveaway, underscoring growing community need

OMAHA, Nebraska (December 11, 2024)—Nebraska For Us proudly supported a range of local organizations helping to brighten the holiday season as rising costs put the squeeze on working class and middle income families in the metro. The Gift of Joy Toy Giveaway—led by nonprofits including Yes You Can and Greater Tomorrows—welcomed hundreds of children and their families to receive presents from the community.

“At Yes You Can, we are dedicated to providing a service to those in need, advocating for, educating, empowering, and motivating individuals to overcome hardships and achieve their goals,” Yes You Can Founder & CEO Denita Jackson said. “Through each event we host and every moment we share, we illuminate the power of giving. The joy we create—whether through a surprise pop-up or our annual Gift of Joy—multiplies when it’s shared. Together, we can transform lives, one act of kindness at a time.”

“Once again, our community and our friends stepped up in a powerful and impactful way,” Greater Tomorrows Founder & President Tanesha Burns said. “Every day, we seek to make a difference in the lives of the individuals we serve, and events like the Gift of Joy Toy Giveaway are a clear reminder of the generosity that keeps us going.”

“While wages have outpaced inflation for more than a year now, it’s little consolation for families continuing to live paycheck to paycheck,” Nebraska For Us State Director Angie Lauritsen said. “Incomes don’t go as far as they used to, and it is becoming more difficult for our neighbors and friends to cover the basics—let alone the extras. That challenge is going to become an even bigger point of contention during the upcoming tax fight. That’s when Congress has an opportunity to lower our costs instead of giving more tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy and some of the same corporations forcing us to pinch pennies.”

Additional supporting organizations included Toys for Tots, Intentional Healing, Church on Purpose, and Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn.

Nebraska For Us focuses on economic issues in Congressional District 2 and across the state. As we move toward 2025, the debate over tax fairness will continue to ramp up ahead of the expiration of the 2017 GOP Tax Law—legislation that disproportionately benefits the ultra-wealthy. Nebraska For Us will continue monitoring the developments and providing updates in the months ahead.

Read our recent statement on the cost of living challenges and tax policies affecting working class and middle income Nebraskans here.