Initiatives

Childcare & Pet care
Providing healthcare workers in-home childcare, pet care, and errand running services

Our student volunteers provide childcare, pet care, & errands t0 healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Healthcare workers will be matched with a small group of students based on availability and preferences noted on their respective application forms. By pairing multiple students with one family, we can ensure families receive the care they need without overwhelming students. This model also limits the number of people entering each family’s home in an effort to comply with social distancing recommendations. Students and healthcare workers will then create group communication to ensure that all childcare and pet care shifts are accounted for. We currently have 20 healthcare families receiving full-time or supplemental childcare/pet care through our program.
If you are a healthcare worker looking for assistance, please fill out the below form. We will then send you an email connecting you with a small group of UNMC student volunteers. From that point on, they will work with you to coordinate the logistics and specifics of your needs during these unprecedented times. Please see the "How this works" section below and "FAQ" page for further details.
Please review the following Infection Prevention Guidelines for COVID-19 from UNMC.
Community Mask Sewing Program
Supporting hospitals and our community through the production and transport of cloth masks

In partnership with Nebraska Medicine, student volunteers produce and distribute mask-sewing kits to over 300 community sewing volunteers. Kits that include all needed materials and instructions are dropped off at community members' doorsteps, with student volunteers returning to pick-up completed masks the following week. Each kit will contain enough material to make ~30 masks. This program has facilitated the production of over 20,000 masks for Nebraska Medicine and organizations throughout the Omaha community.
PPE Donations and Distribution
Streamlining the collection and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE)
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In conjunction with the Nebraska Medical Association and Metro-Omaha Medical Society, students facilitate the donation and distribution of manufactured personal protective equipment. We have distributed 40,000 face shields, 1,600 N95 & KN95 masks, and countless surgical masks/gloves/attire/sanitizing items to 131 clinics, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers in Omaha and greater Nebraska.
We are currently accepting the following:
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New, unopened manufactured N95 and surgical/procedural masks
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Unopened, manufactured hand sanitizing liquid
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Disposable gloves
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Disposable face masks
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N-95 respirator face masks
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Disposable head covers/caps
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Disposable gowns
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Powered air purifying respirators
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Face-shields/goggles
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Coveralls/scrubs
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Shoe covers
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Disinfection wipes and liquids
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General purpose hand cleansers