Apparently, COVID-19 can’t stop angels.
For six years, the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Family Care Enhancement Project (FCEP) and Respite Across the Lifespan (RAL) have partnered with the Nuestros Angelitos Hispanos (“Hispanic Little Angels”) family support group, NRG Media and others to provide a holiday party for children with disabilities and their families in south Omaha.
The Nuestros Angelitos Hispanos is an organization made up of and supporting South Omaha families who have at least one child with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The event looked very different this year, said Sarah Swanson, family support and outreach coordinator for FCEP.
“Instead of hosting a meal with activities and having Santa and Mickey Mouse on-site, UNMC faculty, staff, and volunteers supported more than 64 families, including approximately 200 children, with a drive-through event.”
The event was held the Sunday before Christmas in South Omaha. Santa and his helpers, in masks and socially distanced, delivered gifts through the car windows after each family checked in with volunteers. Each family arrived at a scheduled pick-up time to minimize crowds.
“Volunteers were able to provide each child a gift, and each family a $50 gift card,” Swanson said.
Toys and gifts were supplied by volunteers both in the community and at MMI, said Ellen Bennett, one of the event organizers. Gift cards were supplied through a grant with Nebraska DHHS and Nebraska Family Caregiver Support – Lifespan Respite Network.
“2020 was a tough year,” Swanson said. “It was nice to end it by providing a little joy to some of the ‘little angels’ we serve at MMI.”
“Ellen and Sarah and the MMI team are inspiring for their creativity and adaptability in figuring out how to continue to deliver this wonderful holiday activity with the children and families in the South Omaha community,” said Mark Shriver, PhD, director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at MMI, which oversees the FCEP and RAL programs. “I know that their engagement with the community means a lot to those children and families.”