Heart Ministry Center Milestones from 2024 utilizing $2 million donation from The Ryan Foundation
The Ryan Foundation donated $697,000.00 in November 2024 bringing the total to $2 million contributed to the Heart Ministry Center since 2022. The Heart Ministry was founded in 2002 and has had substantial growth resulting in the expansion of holistic services and infrastructure with the funding from donations.
The center serves communities in North and South Omaha, where the poverty rate reaches 35%. Generational poverty in these areas is compounded by disproportionately high crime rates, substance abuse, food insecurity, homelessness, low academic attainment, poor health outcomes, and other poverty-related challenges.
In 2024, the Heart Ministry Center achieved several key milestones. To start there were more than 135,000 community members that received fresh and shelf-stable food through the Choice Food Distribution Program,. The Food Distribution Program now serves between 800 and 1,000 people daily, with an average household size of 3.8. The challenge persists—one in five children in Nebraska still goes to bed hungry. The Ryan Foundation remains steadfast in supporting organizations dedicated to ending childhood hunger and changing that statistic.
Another milestone was the graduation of 23 men and women from the Fresh Start job training and placement program. The Monen Healthcare Clinic on campus, which provides free healthcare services, treated more than 6,300 patients in 2024 alone, saving community members over $2.5 million in medical expenses. The clinic also partnered with Boys Town’s mobile hearing and speech clinic to extend specialized services. Additionally, the Heart Ministry Center launched its first bilingual (English and Spanish) mental health support group, with plans to expand into additional languages to better serve the community.
In remembrance of the late Mark Dahir, CEO of the Heart Ministry Center, his words from the foundation’s final impact letter in 2023 remain a testament to the partnership:
“Team Ryan Foundation, during my time as CEO over these last two years, your care and incredibly generous contributions have been instrumental in our ability to build a sustainable infrastructure and to be both an amazing place to be employed and a source of care for the community. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” – Mark Dahir, CEO, Heart Ministry Center (2021–2023)
Photos by Heart Ministry Center on heartministrycenter.org
For more information about Heart Ministry Center, please visit their website.
