2020 Annual Report

Letter from the DIrector

Dear Friends of City Sprouts,

It has been such an honor to be a part of the 25th growing season at City Sprouts! While very little went as planned, 2020 was a year that exemplified the best of City Sprouts and the Omaha community. After the pandemic closed our Education Center in March of 2020, we feared what the future would hold, but the challenges allowed us to grow and expand our reach in new and exciting ways.

As lines at food pantries grew longer, we knew we had to find a way to respond. This led to the addition of three new urban farm sites and an increase in our food production goal to almost 20,000 pounds! This was made possible through partnerships with nonprofits to access land, share resources, and cultivate the land. Fresh, local produce has been distributed throughout the Omaha community through food pantries, nonprofits tackling food insecurity, and innovative approaches to farmer's markets, including free farm stands and a pay-what-you-can farmer's market.

Our educational programming shifted quickly to the virtual environment, with Little Sprouts and Growing Gardeners workshops reaching more people than ever before. Our community gardens provided not only a space for growing food but also a safe place to come together as a community (six feet apart, outside, with masks and sanitizer!). The Urban Farming Internship kicked off a bit late and split into small groups at our various sites, but was a huge success and made our production goal possible.

We have a renewed sense of hope that in 2021, we will be able to once again gather in our spaces to grow and learn together. City Sprouts North is anticipating the addition of a Geodesic Greenhouse Learning Space and City Sprouts South is planning major upgrades to the community garden beds. We will continue to expand our food production at various Urban Farm sites and food distribution programs. In-person learning will resume as soon as it is safe to do so, with exciting new virtual options being planned for early 2021.

We are full of gratitude for all that was possible in 2020 and all that will be in 2021, thanks to our amazing funders, donors, volunteers, and partners. 

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Katie Kresha
Executive Director

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In 2020 we had 15 interns between 3 teams. They worked hard for over 20 weeks, with our first ever extended internship that included virtual learning sessions and homework as well. They were part of growing nearly 14,500 pounds of food that was distributed to the community through farmer's markets, free farm stands, CSAs, food banks, and more. 

Meet our interns & Team Leads

Find out more about each intern by clicking on their images below.

The following individuals, foundations, and organizations have supported City Sprouts in 2020, making our programming possible. We also thank all of the community members who have made donations and volunteered their time!

Aaron Anderson

Abbie Kretz

Abbie Devoe

Abigayle Hansen

Abiola Kosoko

Adam Kalin

Addie Gengenbach

Aislinn Rookwood

Albert & Valerie Varas

Alex Larson

Alexandra Goswami

Alexis Kline-Stearns

Ali Clark

Alicia Magnette

Allison Sutton

Ally Morris

Alyssa Miller

Alyssa L. Beebe

Alyx Olney

Amanda Mixan

Amanda Stender

Amber Markham

Amis Family Foundation

Andrea Butler

Andrew & Marsha Jameton

Angela Dixon

Angie & Michael Hempel

Ann Hosford

Anna Kolterman

Anna Hartman

Annie Schenzel

Anonymous

Arbor Day Foundation & Lied Lodge

Ashley Flater

Aubury Krueger-Kutchara

Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church

Becky Grosserode

Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Bob & Nita Kelly

Brent Lubbert

Brent Crampton

Brenton Gomez

Bridget Battafarano

Brittani & Jerome Tanhueco

Brittany Dabestani

Cait Caughey

Caitlin Ellis

Caitlin Benton

Candace Longwell

Candy Zollicoffer

Carol Dennison

Carol Mellick

Carol Russell

Carolyn Boynton

Carrie Eidsness & William Bugert

Cassidy Stefka

Cassie Goulet

Catherine Bloom

Cathy Schnieders

Cecilia Saavedra

Cha Khang

Charlie Dukes

Chelsea & Andrew Burdic

Ms. Carroll

Chris Stratman

Chris Feuerbach

Chris Graver

Chris Redding-Wagner

Christina Flaherty-Colling

Christine Scott

Christine Olson

Cindy L. Boettner

Cindy Humphreys

Cindy Humphrey

Ciprianna Engel

City Sprouts

CJ Hohman

Claudia & Tony Deeb

Clifton McEvoy

Clyde and Mary Anna Anderson

Cody Bruechert

Collective for Youth

Colleen Dostal

Mr. Rizzo

Ms. Matousek

Corey Lynch

Courtney Herrington

Courtney Gerdes

Cox Charities

Crazy Gringa Hot Sauce

Creighton University

Crystal Gale

Curt Safranek

Cythia Fraiser & Chad Lebo

Cynthia Doerr

Dakota Stock

Dan Kresha

Dan Stoney

Daniel Hawkins

Daniel Rosmann

Daniel Walsh

Daniel Roberts

Danielle Bode

Danielle Arroyo

Dara Pagano & Jeffrey Wyatt

Daren Konda

David Corbin

David J. Watts

David Harding

David & Whitney Goldner

Dawaune Hayes

Deborah Covert

Debra Knight

Dee Ann Ann Bowen

Del Bharath

Denise Bash

Diane Mattern

Donna & Dennis Flood

Dorothy Dombeck

Drew & Rebecca Dietle

Duncan Murphy

Echelle Childers

Eldred Foundation, Inc

Eleanore Tiehen

Elizabeth Ryan & Stephen Langan

Elizabeth Rogers

Elle Lien Lynch

Emily Prauner

Emily Hassenstab

Emily Barker

Erika Latimer

Erika Rodriguez

Erin Higgins

Erin Van Zee

Erin Manly

Erin Nicole Parish

Erin Bearinger

Evelyn Katz

Farmers National

First National Bank

General Mills

George Patenode

Geri Gengenbach

Gillian Cromwell

Gina Serratore

Gina & Jerry Kwiatkowski

Grace Thomas

Green Omaha Coalition

Hannah Snow

Heidi Thomson

Hillary Stickler

Ilene Arnold

Immanuel Vision Foundation

Jack Round

Jackie Bulling

Jacob Throwe

Jacquline Smith

Jaimee Trobough

James Luyten

James Winner

James & Regina Kyler

Jane Wilson

Jane Hartig

Jaros Family Foundation

Jaymes Sime

Jeana Hartnett

Jeanne DeMars

Jeff Phelps

Jeff & Mary French

Jeffrey Cassler

Jen Carroll

Jenni Herchenbach

Jennifer Hopwood

Jennifer Wallace

Jeremy Stanosheck

Jerrold Tipler

Jerry Latimer

Jesse Harding

Jessica Perrigan

Jessica & David Clark

Jetton Charitable Fund

Jillian Roger

Jo Bartikoski & Don Westling

Joan Carnaby

Joanne McDonald

Jodi Benenson

Jodie A. Haferbrier McGill

Jody Durand

Joel Walker

Johanna Peterson

John Pollack

John Cavanaugh

John & Wende Kotouc

John Paul Lehn

Jose Labrador

Joseph Smith

Josh Gillman

Josh & Dana Bartee

Judy & Randy Pfeifer

Julia Joslyn

Julianne Harm

Justin Kemerling

Kaeli Samson

Karen Campbell

Kassandra Mayo

Katherine Brown

Katherine Townsend

Kathryn Blesener & John Royster

Kathy Lalley-Dewell

Kathy Ross

Katie Grant

Katie Broman

Katie Whitmore

Katie Kresha

Kay Wilwerding

Kayla Meyer

Kelli Sweet

Kelly Dubay

Kelly Mcdonald

Kelly Lesser

Kelly & Sue Nicklin

Kent Cisar

Kim Neumann

Kimbler Harrold

Kirby Simmering

Kristen Pearson

Kristen Walsh

Kristin Valadez

Kristina Hughes

Kristine Born

LaLeesha Haynes

Lauren Marolis

Leah Wyatt

LeAnne Kaiser

Leigh Shaw

Lillian James

Linda Duckworth

Linda Butler

Linda Schlunsen

Linda Wedberg-Kraft

Linda & Josh Hall

Lindsay Surdell

Lisa Moritz

Lisa Neitzke

Lisa Broadway-Savage

Lisa Rothman

Logan Deckard

Lori Seehausen

Lori Jorgenson

Lorna Walker

Lucia Schulz

Molly Nicklin & Luke Armstrong

Lydia Sand

Lynn McCormack & Gail Herbst

Lynne Grosvenor

Mackenzie Dehmer

Maggie Sedivy

Marci Baker

Margaret Andreasen

Margaret Johnson

Mariah Anderson

Marianna Foral

Marilyn Hoegemeyer

Marisa Faulkner

Mark Wiesman

Marlina Davidson

Martha Oconnor

Martha Younglove

Martie Wagner

Mary Carollo

Mary Hahn

Mary Koneck-Wilcox

Mary Adams

Mary Current

Mary Zeleny

Maryl Range

Matt Wettengel

Matt Darling

Matthew Kaipust

Megan Loberg

Megan Van Alstine

Megan Lauvetz

Megan Martin

Meghan Walsh

Melinda Sorenson

Melinda Sommerfeld

Melissa Wulf

Melissa Wurth

Melissa Bolton

Melynda Walsh

Michael Combs

Michael von Weihe

Michael Breen

Michael Ducey

Michael & Holly Dzyban

Michelle McMorris

Midstates Marketing

Mike Scofield

Minier Family Fund

Mitch Karas

Molly Fogarty

Monica Chapeau

Mu Poe Loe

Nancy Williams

Nancy Jorgensen

Nancy Parsons

Nancy Johnson

Nancy Crews

Nathan Morgan

Neha Thakkar

Network for Good

Nicki Gassen

Norene Ryks

Octavia Butler

Dr. Osanka Lockridge & Dr. Larry Schopfer

Omaha Community Foundation

Patricia Seivert

Patricia Gobel

Patrick & Nina Swanson

Patti Johnson

Patty Carlson

Patty Tipler

Paul Fraynd

Phyllis & Norman Choat

PJ & Patricia Hassenstab

Polly & Frank Partsch

Rachal Oliva

Rachel & Don Novak

Rebecca Moshman

Dr. Rebecca Anderson & Dr. Bill Minier

Rebecca Kuehn

Rebecca & Brent Bloom

Rebekah Pilypaitis

Reginald & Nancy Boyer

Renee McArthur

Renee Kreifels

Rhiannon Duma

Richard Brooke Foundation

Rick Kelley

Robbins Family Charitable Foundation

Robyn Murray Schriner

Roger Carroll

Roger duRand

Ronni Schacht

Rosanne Dunivan

Roxanne C. Draper

Rozanne Murphy

Ryan & Jessica Litherland

Samuel Petto

Sandy Mickey

Sara Waugh

Sara Eliason

Sara Salkeld

Sarah Owen

Sarah Buettenback

Sarah Svacina

Sarah Osborn

Sarah Stanislav

Sarah Jordan

Sawyer Stender

Seana Fairchild

Ms. Kaiser

Semerad Foundation

Sena Bollman

Seth & Katie Swanson

Shannon Beck

Shannon Kyler

Sharon Kresha

Shawn McGrath

Shelley Ernst

Shelli & Marie Mayer

Sherman & Kristie P Willis

Sherri Brown

Sherwood Foundation

Shirley J. Rooker

Sierra Karst

Skyler Jesz

Sonya & Christian Gray

South Omaha Historical Society

Stacey Follon

Stacy Hughes

Stacy Hess

State Farm AVP

Stephanie Kidd

Stephanie Barelman

Stephanie Finklea

Steven Freeman

Susan Aschinger

Susan Witkowski

Susan A. Koenig

Susan Risney

Susan Seadschlag

Susan Hunter

Sysco

Tammy Simpson

Tazah Weinmaster

Tiffany Devereaux

Tim Held

Tim Lind

Timothy Gilg

Tom Vann

Tom Kroll

Tracey Bendams

Tracy Stromquist

Travis Sholin

Ms. Herrington

Valentin Babias

Valerie Anderson

Wendy Phillips

Ellen Veazy & William Wishart

Yolanda Gilmore

City Sprouts 2020 Staff Pictured left to right:

Addie Gengenbach, Communications Manager | Laura Simpson, Program Coordinator | Aaron French, Farm Manager | Katie Kresha, Executive Director | Jasmine Marr, City Sprouts South Garden Manager | Shannon Kyler, Community Engagement Coordinator | Cian Brun, Education Manager
[Not pictured] Alex O'Hanlon, former City Sprouts South Garden Manager | John Huebscher, Urban Farm Manager

2020 Board Pictured (left to right)

Back Row: Kirby Simmering, Cassie Goulet, Jose Labrador, Kimbler Harrold, Dan Walsh (Board President), Courtney Harrington, Katie Kresha (Executive Director), Octavia Butler (Secretary)

Not Pictured: Brittani Tanhueco (Vice-President, LeAnne Kaiser (Treasurer), LaLeesha Hayes, Joey Vickery

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New in 2020:  LaLeesha Hayes, Joey Vickery, Courtney Harrington

Letter from the president

When City Sprouts was first founded in 1995, community members came together to create “a peaceful place for people to experience the joy of being around growing plants,” a place that offered education and distributed food to the community. 25 years later, that original idea has never been more important.

Our community is longing for a place to experience joy, to learn skills and techniques for empowerment, and to have access to fresh food. But this pandemic has left so many people feeling isolated, underemployed and feeling hopeless, and fighting to get food on the table. Indeed, Covid-19 and the resulting economic fallout has caused a significant increase in food insecurity, disproportionately affecting children and communities of color.  

With your help over this past year, City Sprouts expanded our sites to produce over 15,000 lbs of produce, grown by our summer urban farming interns and distributed to locations throughout Omaha.

As we head into winter and look ahead to spring, we know hunger will remain an issue. In solidarity with our neighbors and fellow urban agriculture organizations, we hope you will partner with us in 2021 to ending hunger by supporting City Sprouts.

Sincere thanks,

Dan Walsh

2020 Board President