In the new few days, the displaced families from Yale Park will be moving on from the shelters. while some may have found new housing, they still have plenty of needs.
When Ramon Calzada of the St. Vincent de Paul Society spoke with parishioners from Omaha Catholic Churches about the evictions at Yale Park, they knew just how to help.
"They came to me saying we need to do something, we need to act immediately, and at the meeting we decided the biggest we can do is through our stores," says Calzada, executive director.
The Yale Park families had to leave their mattresses behind due to bed bugs. So the Catholic charity which runs four stores in Omaha plans to donate 30 of them.
"That's mostly the main we work that we do, helping people in need, especially financial crisis, immediate need,” says Calzada.
St. Vincent de Paul Society is just one of many Omaha religious affiliated groups that stepped up after the 500 residents were forced to leave due to unlivable conditions. At Mission Church, they're storing items such as mattresses and couches and will be ready to ship them off once a home is found for a Yale Park family.
"If there's something that happens, something wrong, we want to be in there, we want to be supportive to help rectify the situation. Not only as a church but just as people to be supportive of those around us," says Amy Vandorsten, executive assistant.
Pastor Saw Clay is originally from Myanmar and was called immediately to assist because he can speak the language. he says most of the residents left the majority of their personal items back at Yale Park.
"You had to leave everything behind, you had to sell it all and buy new stuff, so I think they'll need a little bit here, a little bit there," says Clay.
While St. Vincent de Paul Society already plans on buying over two dozen mattresses, they're asking the public to add to the total by donating $250 to $300 the price of full and queen size beds.
An online retailer Spreetail out of Lincoln helped out in a big way,.donating 200 mattresses to the families.
