A Good Neighbor

Before kicking off a recent Builders Blitz, Habitat Omaha invited Kountze Park neighbors living near the site to join the builders and volunteers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kaia, then a high school student, knew she wanted to get involved. She liked the idea of breaking bread with members of her community and thought there was something more she could do as Habitat Omaha was helping improve her neighborhood.

On the first day of the build she walked over to the site and asked “How can I get involved?” That was her first day volunteering with Habitat Omaha.

“I prayed for the opportunity to give someone a blessing,” said Kaia.

As it turned out, her prayer was answered and more. Every year in high school, Kaia had to complete 60 hours of community service for National Honor Society. She was able to do much of that by recycling plastic, pulling weeds and cleaning up lumber all on her street.

“My dad wants to see change in our neighborhood,” said Kaia. “I’ve lived in North Omaha my entire life, and I don’t want see an organization’s efforts of improving the area go to waste because the neighborhood doesn’t care.”

Kaia even got her brother, Kiernan, to volunteer on the build site. She plans to continue volunteering when she as the time saying, “I want to get rid of the stereotypes associated with this area.”

When she began volunteering with Habitat Omaha Kaia was attending North High School and taking classes through the UNO/OPS Middle College Program, which is designed for high ability learners and located right on UNO’s campus. Students have the opportunity to take college level courses as early entry students at UNO while working on their high school curriculum.