OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Open Door Mission resumed its 20-year tradition of offering a Christmas Day brunch and dinner to people in need.
A little more than 270 individuals were fed owing to Mission personnel and dedicated volunteers like Rafael Hernando, a former new life recovery program participant.
“Gave me the opportunity to change my life in so many positive ways,” Rafael stated. “Looking back now, I am so grateful that this place is around.”
Rafael worked in the kitchen at Open Door as a staff member while completing the program. It was there that he met Ken Vahlenkamp, who was in the same program at the time.
“When I graduated the new life recovery program, he kind of mentored me a little bit when I was in the program,” Vahlenkamp recalled.” “I got to return to the kitchen and do some cooking.
I’ve been a cook my entire life, and it really helped me get motivated to change my life for the better.”
Rafael works full-time at Omaha Steaks, and when the holidays arrived, he called to help give back to the Mission. “I called our chef yesterday and just asked if he could help out,” said Chief Community Relations Officer Amy Harvey. “So our chef went and picked him up earlier this morning and he is here for the day spending Christmas day with us giving back.”
Rafael and several committed volunteers and staff worked from 4 a.m. to closing time on Christmas Day to prepare meals for people in need. “Volunteers that on a daily basis, if this place didn’t have the people supporting it from the public it wouldn’t be able to do what it does,” Rafael told me.
“So many people everyday, three times a day, today is a special meal but this happens three times a day seven days a week 365.”
Open Door informs First Alert 6 that they are experiencing an increase in the number of persons seeking their services, with just under 600 guests presently staying with them full-time; this figure is expected to rise further.
“I would guess economy wise it will continue going up because families in the community are really struggling,” according to Amy Harvey. “The volunteers today made a really big difference in helping our people feel seen and heard and cared for.”
Wednesday, however, was all about wonderful food and holiday cheer. “There are so many people out there that do not have some of the essentials that we have everyday,” she remarked. “On a day like today its nice to give back.”
Open door informs First Alert. 6 Total volunteer numbers are lower than pre-Covid levels, although they are increasing.