Omaha Bridges Out of Poverty helps people 'go from poverty to the palace'
Omaha Bridges Out of Poverty is an organization looking to help people break the poverty cycle.
They carry out their mission using programs that put people on track to obtain their goals, and support them as they move on.
"I know what it's like to struggle and be overlooked in that struggle," LaShantra Waits said.
The non-profit teaches people how to own changes in their lives and learn from their past.
"It's a self examination. 'Why am I in this situations? How did I get here?' I learned more about me than anything else," Waits said.
Waits has an associates degree but says she was living paycheck to paycheck when she found the program.
"I was introduced to this program. They were 'hey, you can get $300 if you take this class.' I needed it now, but I took the class anyway," Waits said.
The non-profit's mission is to empower families with a lack of resources, and help them change their lives by overcoming barriers.
"Being able to share the same situation with different people from all walks of life knowing that I'm not by myself," Waits said.
Waits knows both sides of this program. In recent years, she was a participant. Now, she's a program specialist.
"What I love is the people. Watching them grow. Watching them change, listening to their stories change," Waits said.
CEO Marcus Bell says their programs help participants with life skills and soft skills, teaching them things like financial literacy, job security, self esteem and advocating for themselves. In the end, participants graduate and get a $300.
"To some people it may not look like a whole lot, but to a lot of people it is a lot. That's something that we pride ourselves on is hey we want to help you get there. We're not giving hand outs, we're giving you a hand up," Bell said.
He says poverty doesn't have a look, and in the metro it's diverse.
"Thirty-eight percent of the people we do serve are Latino, 29% are Caucasian and 25% are African American," Bell said.
Waits wants to see those percentages decrease, saying there are several steps to getting to the next level and all it takes is the first one.
"It just touches my heart to see people struggle and still persevere in the struggle. That says a lot, don't give up hope. There's a chance for you to go from poverty to the palace," Waits said.
Omaha Bridges Out of Poverty serves people in Nebraska and Iowa. You can find more about the organization by clicking here.