2025 Annual Report
Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and Easterseals Nebraska provide care, support, and resources when and where people need them: at home, at work, at school, in shelters, and at camp. Unlike typical providers in centralized locations, our organizations forgo convenience and competition. Rather, we leverage partnerships to directly deliver the very best services to our community, in our community.
Our collaborative, adaptive approach is different by design — because we know decreasing barriers means increasing quality, access, safety, trust, and health outcomes.
Contents
Letter From Our President & CEO
VNA and Easterseals were built to care for people who are marginalized. The founder of VNA believed everyone with an illness or injury, no matter their standing in life, deserved access to healthcare. She created a unique model that took care to people, wherever they call home. The founder of Easterseals refused to accept that people with disabilities should be shamed, hidden, or ignored and created an organization that gave them visibility and support.
From our inception, we were different by design. And over a century later, we have maintained a commitment to providing healthcare and disability services to those who struggle to afford or access care on their own. Honoring that commitment means we have dedicated ourselves to being adaptive, collaborative, and innovative.
Being adaptive means we understand that sociological, medical, and technological changes can impact the way we care for our clients. In 2025, VNA responded to immunization needs by increasing the number of immunizations to homebound clients and adding more offerings like Hepatitis A & B, Pneumonia, and Tdap. The addition of a new model, Family Connects – Visiting Nurse Association – Douglas County, NE, increased Maternal-Child and Family offerings in our community, providing a nurse home visit for every parent and baby born at CHI Health Immanuel and CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center – Bergan Mercy. Easterseals Nebraska increased outreach to people receiving disability benefits who are required to meet the State of Nebraska’s work mandates, adapting our expertise to guide Nebraskans through a new process.
The VNA/Easterseals Nebraska mission lends itself to collaboration. Within homes where we provide care, our staff’s expertise in assessing social determinants of health really shines. Meeting with clients, we see in their homes what doctors and nurses would not see in clinics: hunger, medication issues, hoarding, mental health, abuse, and other barriers to well-being. VNA does not need to be all things to all people, so when we see these needs outside of healthcare, we collaborate with nonprofit organizations that specialize in those areas. Community partners like Together, Community Alliance, and local homeless and domestic violence shelters help us make the best possible resources available to clients.
Innovation is a necessity. How do we sustain funding for services offered free of charge to low-income clients, especially in the current economic environment and among competition for nonprofit donations? In 2025, VNA/Easterseals Nebraska began developing our own learning management system that provides micro-certifications in healthcare and disability services. True to our beliefs, we are collaborating with local and national partners on entry-level workforce development that offsets a shortage of healthcare professionals. By choosing to be innovative, we have the opportunity to counterbalance fundraising needs with home-grown revenue.
In this year’s annual report, you will read the stories of individuals who persevered and see the overall impact data of VNA and Easterseals Nebraska programs. I’m grateful for your ongoing support that allows us to provide healthcare and disability services in ways that are adaptive, collaborative, and innovative. Because of you, we continue to be different by design.
Dr. Carole Patrick
President & CEO
4.25 out of 5
Employee satisfaction score
98%
Employee retention rate
Increased from 96% in 2024
Client Success Stories
Transformative by design
Shelter Nursing services
Nell Neal, a prep cook at New Visions Homeless Services, was experiencing homelessness herself not long before joining the kitchen team. Her car, her only form of shelter, was totaled, causing her to seek refuge at Micah House. In addition to finding a safe environment, she found a supportive connection with nurse Tracy Yandell, a member of VNA’s Shelter Nursing team.
Nurse Tracy understands the complex factors that contribute to individuals’ health and success.
“The people that we see, we meet them where they’re at. Having your mental health and physical health in a good place helps you to be able to have a job,” Tracy said.
VNA is the primary provider of nursing services in Omaha metro area homeless shelters. VNA nurses provide a variety of critical services to shelters — including health screenings and assessments, treatments of illnesses and injuries, medication management, preventative healthcare, education on positive coping skills, chronic disease monitoring, nutritional assessments, prenatal and childbirth education, breastfeeding support, postpartum and infant assessments, and positive parenting education.
People experiencing homelessness have unique health challenges, which makes it all the more important that they are seen by a healthcare professional. Their physical and mental health are crucial to future self-sufficiency. Nurse Tracy provided Nell with the help and care she needed to get back on track with her medications while also offering companionship.
“She’s like my friend,” said Nell. “The nurses care about other people. They make sure that your medicines and everything are straight, and it’s a good feeling to have someone on your side who knows your health situation.”
After seven months at Micah House, Nell was able to get her own apartment and secure her prep cook job. Nell’s journey toward independent living is a testament to the transformative power of collaboration between expert organizations and the individuals they serve.
1,624
Shelter Nursing clients
98%
Shelter Nursing
client satisfaction rating
Proactive by design
Maternal-Child and Family services
When VNA nurse Jenny Stom first met Liam and Noah, they were just being released from the NICU — they were sick and small after being delivered at 33 weeks. Their biological mother had a long history of mental health and substance use challenges, and she was not ready to care for the twins.
Angela, a registered foster care provider and nurse herself, stepped up to foster the twins and take them into her home. Two days later, nurse Jenny arrived to deliver the twins’ first home health visit as part of VNA’s Maternal-Child and Family services.
“I began my normal assessment and noticed that their skin was an ashen color, and their lungs did not sound clear,” said nurse Jenny. “Angela explained to me that she really wanted someone to come in once a week to weigh the boys and listen to their lungs. She needed reassurance that everything she was doing to treat the twins was working.”
Together, Angela and nurse Jenny developed a care plan.
Four days after the first visit, both infants had a sudden drop in blood oxygen levels, and Noah stopped breathing at home. Fortunately, Angela was able to perform CPR until emergency help arrived. The twins were placed back in the NICU at Children’s Hospital and were soon diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is a difficult diagnosis: It is a future of constant breathing problems. The twins would require up to four breathing treatments a day, three percussion treatments daily, and numerous medications. Angela and her mother, Cassandra, quickly learned how to perform the treatments and how to administer the necessary medications to treat the genetic disease.
Nurse Jenny continued to visit with Liam and Noah weekly, weighing them, assessing them, and collaborating with Angela to listen to their lungs and discuss what they were hearing.
“Angela, Cassandra, and I have become quite a team,” said nurse Jenny. “Between the three of us, we can usually tell when the twins are having issues with their lungs and need to see the pediatrician to be placed on antibiotics.”
Today, Liam and Noah look like completely different babies. Their skin is vibrant, their breathing and weights are healthy, and their smiles and laughs are abundant during every VNA home visit. At six months of age, Angela proudly notified nurse Jenny that the twins made it onto the growth chart.
2,903
Maternal-Child and Family clients
100%
Maternal-Child and Family
client satisfaction rating
Accessible by design
Easterseals Nebraska AgrAbility program
For many families like Eric and Amanda Fass and their three children, agriculture is more than an occupation; it’s their livelihood, their identity, and a way of life passed down through generations. Despite a lifelong familiarity with the work, potential risks are always present — agriculture ranks as one of the nation’s most dangerous occupations.
The day everything changed for the Fass family began like any other. It was the final day of the 2021 Otoe County Fair, and Eric Fass was walking alongside a heifer when something spooked her. In an effort to calm the animal, Eric was flipped on his head. After being resuscitated and rushed to a local hospital, he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
The permanent injury caused physical limitations that made everyday tasks, especially farm work, feel impossible on their land outside of Syracuse, Nebraska. As the shock wore off, fear took its place: How could they continue farming when the work demanded strength, mobility, and independence? The livestock and responsibilities remained, but Eric’s ability to care for them changed overnight.
In those early days, hope felt fragile. The farm did not pause for grief, and the weight of uncertainty pressed in from every direction. It was during this season that Emily Jacobson, a rural rehab specialist with Easterseals Nebraska’s AgrAbility program, entered their story.
The AgrAbility program helped the Fass family understand that physical barriers do not have to stand in the way of purpose. The program was key to opening doors to modified equipment and other support that allowed Eric to get out in the field again to do certain chores. Emily connected the family to partner agencies and resources that largely paid for tools such as a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle tailored to Eric’s needs, a pickup truck with a wheelchair lift, and a specialized skid loader with options to control by hand.
Through personalized support, problem-solving, and deep respect for the farming lifestyle, Emily helped the family begin imagining what continuing on the farm could look like. The farm became a place not of loss, but of resilience — proof that life after tragedy could still be full, productive, and meaningful. Today, Eric’s story stands as a testament to what is possible when perseverance meets practical support. Nebraska AgrAbility helped the Fass family reclaim their future with confidence.
1,384
Easterseals Nebraska clients
97%
Easterseals Nebraska
client satisfaction rating
Dignified by design
Home Health Aide services
At 90 years old, Eva isn’t ready to give up farm living. Her family works hard to provide adequate care and support, including her grandson, who would help her get in and out of the shower. To respect Eva’s desire to stay at home and increase her comfort with bathing, the family requested the help of VNA’s Home Health Aide services.
When VNA home health aide Dee Foutch began visiting to assist with bathing, Eva was hesitant. She had limited mobility, a fear of falling, and spent the majority of her time in a single room.
Over the past six months, Dee has built a trusting relationship with Eva, and in turn, Eva has gained more confidence in her mobility. Dee began by providing only bed baths to ease Eva’s fear of falling. Now, she has progressed to regular and more frequent showers.
Eva greatly looks forward to her VNA home health aide visits. The experience has softened her demeanor and increased her openness to other forms of help, like home-based physical therapy to strengthen her ability to move independently and transfer safely.
Thanks to VNA donors, we can provide these services with a sliding scale fee to empower even more individuals like Eva to remain safe, independent, and healthy at home.
127
Home Health Aide clients
100%
Home Health Aide
client satisfaction rating
Make a Difference
Your support makes these life-changing
stories and more possible for tens of
thousands of people each year. Help us
continue to deliver care, support, and
resources when and where
people need them.
Service Stats
47,602 Total clients served agency-wide
4,680
Community Care clients
127 Home Health Aide
2,903 Maternal-Child and Family
- 25 Childbirth education
- 102 Family Connects
- 273 Healthy Families America
- 95 Iowa WIN
- 211 Lactation consultation
- 301 Love WINs
- 1,498 Physician-Ordered Maternal-Child Healthcare
- 398 Social work services
26 Safety net assistance
1,624 Shelter Nursing
9,337
Flu & Immunization clients
6,023 Adults flu prevention
855 Children flu prevention
2,459 Non-flu immunizations
24,056
School Health students served
58 Participating schools
8,145 Outreach event attendees
1,226 Visiting Nurse Association
6,919 Easterseals Nebraska
1,384
Easterseals Nebraska clients
Alternative Financing Solutions
9 Clients served
$236,018 Total loans
Camp, Respite, and Recreation
62 Clients served
77 Points of service
Information and Referral
185
Nebraska AgrAbility
46 Clients served
13 Funded plans for assistive equipment
$503,199 Funded*
Workforce Development
348 Employment services
685 Benefits Planning and Work Incentives Counseling
49 Youth Transition Services
*This includes Vocational Rehabilitation, Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Nebraska Agriculture Assistive Technology Fund
Financials
$6,333,430
2025 Total revenue & support
| Patient charges & service revenue | $912,278 | |
| Grants & contracts | $3,256,708 | |
| Other contributions | $1,995,444 | |
| United Way | $169,000 |
$8,952,172
2025 Total expenses
COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES & POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY
| Community Family Support services | $2,895,149 | |
| Community contract & private pay services | $1,301,608 | |
| Community Home Care services | $481,730 |
OTHER EXPENSES
| Easterseals Nebraska | $1,703,360 | |
| Fundraising | $553,759 | |
| General & administrative | $2,016,566 |
$6,333,430
2025 Total funding
| Funding sources | Nebraska* | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Private pay | $906,554 | $5,724 |
| United Way of the Midlands | $151,204 | $17,796 |
| Contracts | $1,817,302 | $55,450 |
| Federal, state, & community grants | $1,383,956 | - |
| Special events | $158,440 | - |
| Community donors & foundations | $1,710,464 | $126,540 |
| Total funding | $6,127,920 | $205,510 |
*Nebraska funding sources include VNAM, HS, FND, and ESN
Board of Directors
2025 board members
Elizebeth Murphy: Chair
President
Emspace + Lovgren
Jenny Jacobsen, JD: Vice Chair
Senior Advisor
HUB International
Sean Winekauf: Treasurer
Director, Operational Risk Management
Mutual of Omaha
Jeanne Rice: Secretary
Program Manager HBC
Methodist Hospital
Carole Patrick, PhD
President & CEO
VNA/ESN
Micah Beachy, D.O.
Chief Quality Officer/Vice President, Nebraska Medicine
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, UNMC
Jessie Fechner
Director of Nursing
Methodist Women’s Hospital
Craig Flanagan
Chief Financial Officer
WesleyLife
William (Bill) Foley, JD
Shareholder
Erickson Sederstrom P.C., L.L.O.
Katie Fourney
Marketing and Communications Manager
SHARE Omaha
John Hemmer, CPA
Audit Partner
Forvis Mazars, LLP
John Hoich
Vice President, Charles E. Lakin Foundation, Inc.
President, Hoich Enterprises, Inc.
Ralph Kellogg
Chief Human Resources Officer
Lutheran Family Services
Roger Kobayashi, MD
Clinical Professor
UCLA School of Medicine
Hilke Meyer
Associate
NAI NP Dodge
Eric Norman, PhD
Recruitment Consultant/Academics Division
The Medicus Firm
Sue Nuss, PhD
Assistant Vice-Chancellor Clinical Workforce, UNMC
Clinical Workforce Development Officer, Nebraska Medicine
Rebecca Tamayo
Chief Operating Officer/Co-Owner
Home Care Advantage, LLP
Kelly Vaughn
Chief Nursing Officer
Nebraska Medicine
Donors
Thank you to our supporters
Our work would not be possible without the support of our generous donors.
Recurring and planned gifts greatly impact the lives of the individuals and families we serve. Learn more about how your gift can help us deliver the very best services to our community, in the community.
6,064
Clients served through donor-supported care
$100,000+
- Anonymous
- Enrichment Foundation
- Charles E. Lakin Foundation
- Lozier Foundation
- William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation
- Sherwood Foundation
- United Way of the Midlands
$50,000-$99,999
- Anonymous
- Building Healthy Futures Fund
- Hawks Philanthropy
- Mammel Family Foundation
- Mutual of Omaha Foundation
$25,000-$49,999
- Heistand Family Foundation
- Mary Ludington McKeen Charitable Trust
- Walter Scott Family Foundation
- Anne Thorne Weaver Family Foundation, Inc.
- Geraldine Warford Estate
- CL Werner Foundation
$10,000-$24,999
- Gary S. Beresh
- Dolezal Family Foundation Charitable Trust
- Easterseals
- Karnett Trust
- Knights of Columbus Council 3019
- Pacific Life Foundation
- Edward and Lida Robinson Charitable Trust
- State of Nebraska
$5,000-$9,999
- Anonymous
- Fallen Giant Films Inc.
- Allan and Ann Mactier Charitable Foundation
- Methodist Health System
- Frank J. Mikkelson Trust
- Mutual of Omaha
- Nebraska Medicine
- Valmont Industries, Inc.
$1,000-$4,999
- Anonymous
- American National Bank
- Baer Foundation
- The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation
- Gail Binderup
- Kim Cafferty
- Betty Cernech
- Community Foundation for Western Iowa
- Laura Crosby
- D.A. Davidson & Co.
- Dodge Trust
- Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
- Eide Bailly LLP
- Emspace + Lovgren
- Exchange Club of Omaha Foundation
- First National Bank of Omaha
- James P. and Anne C. Foley Charitable Fund
- Maylene and Thomas Haslett
- Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation
- John Lee Hoich
- Janet and Stuart Hollimon
- Husch Blackwell LLP
- Dean and Maria Jacobsen
- Jenny Jacobsen
- Ralph Kellogg
- Kiewit Corporation
- Matt and Angela Kleager
- Jack and Stephanie Koraleski
- George Lozier
- Lund-Ross Constructors
- Ian MacLeod
- McCarthy Redland Family Foundation
- Rick McFayden
- Wesley Meyer
- Kenneth Molzer
- Elaine Montgomery-Baisden
- Elizebeth Murphy and Ray Schueneman
- Larry and Lisa Murray
- Murray and Sharee Newman
- Omaha Scheels
- Omaha Track
- Omaha World-Herald Goodfellows Charity
- Carole Patrick
- Paxton High School
- Helen A. Pearson Charitable Trust
- Quasar Drive-In Theater LLC
- Dan Ramirez
- Anita B. and Howard S. Richmond Foundation, Inc.
- Norman Sack
- Robert and Suzanne Sall
- Bryan and Heather Schneider
- Joan Schwien
- Richard and Sharon Secor
- David Sharp
- Red and Jann Thomas
- Toast Company
- Jason and Roberta Tonjes
- Dave and Susan Vanlandingham
- Judith M. and Howard D. Vann Family Charitable Trust
- Sam and Mary Watson
- Alan and Sharon Wear
- Jeffrey and Jamie Ziemba
Event Performance
In addition to our annual Art & Soup fundraiser, we raised funds during city- and nation-wide giving days and closed out 2025 with $83,949 from our year-end campaign — almost $12,000 more than the previous year’s campaign.
Giving events: $268,454
- Art & Soup: $183,300
- Year-end giving: $83,949
- Do Good Days and Giving Tuesday: $1,205
Volunteering: 730.75 hours
- Art & Soup: 533.75 hours
- Clerical volunteers: 191 hours
- United Way of the Midlands: 6 hours