General

OPPD, Habitat partnership
built on strong foundation

Did you know that Habitat for Humanity of Omaha ranks as the second largest Habitat organization in the nation in terms of families served?

Habitat works with families to provide an affordable path to owning a home or repairing a home. The organization’s programs give people support and tools to make these dreams come true. Volunteers and community support play pivotal roles.

In 2023 alone, Habitat Omaha completed 64 homes (39 new builds and 25 renovated) for families in the organization’s five-county service area (Douglas, Sarpy, Washington, Burt and Cass counties). They expect to close on 100 mortgage loans for homes by the end of 2024. Last year, 130 families received help through Habitat Omaha’s home repair program, and 419 families received home journey housing counseling.

“It’s because of companies like OPPD, which share the importance of our mission, that Habitat Omaha is successful,” said Amanda Brewer, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Omaha.

“The magic of people coming together to get work done is transformational,” Brewer said. “Everyone is doing their part, and I get to see that every day. Volunteers are the heart and soul of this organization.”

‘Our partnership is strong’

OPPD CEO Javier Fernandez currently serves as Habitat for Humanity of Omaha’s board chair. He noted that what Habitat does naturally aligns with OPPD’s core values of honoring our community, having a passion to serve and caring about each other.

“Habitat for Humanity improves the quality of life, well-being and financial independence of families in our area,” he said. “Our partnership is strong, and we proudly share expertise of our employees and retirees. When our community thrives, we thrive.”

The work that Habitat Omaha does lines up with the utility’s community outreach focus, according to Laurie Zagurski, OPPD’s manager of Outreach & Education/Community Connections. That strategy crystalized a few years ago after surveying the community and reviewing best practices with other utilities.

“I worked closely with Market Research, and we interviewed about 700 customers, employees and community leaders to determine where they saw the greatest needs in their communities,” Zagurski said. “We also wanted to know their appetite and acceptance around utility outreach efforts.

“Results confirmed that our customers are very accepting of OPPD volunteer efforts and sponsorship support as it relates to education, basic needs and community betterment,” Zagurski said.

Rock the Block

“Prior to the research, we knew a number of OPPD factions were volunteering with Habitat Omaha on small builds or were assisting with energy audits,” Zagurski said. “It was all great work, but it wasn’t moving the needle in a big way.”

Following the research, OPPD met with Habitat Omaha to learn more about their programs, beyond the builds.

“We were looking for a sleeper program – one that aligned with our values and focus areas, but lacked a good partner,” Zagurski said. “OPPD excels in ‘people’ power, and that’s just what Habitat Omaha needed.”

That conversation led to a partnership with Habitat Omaha’s Rock the Block events, which transform the face of neighborhoods in a day. Two to three times a year, OPPD employees descend on under-served areas to help with a variety of exterior repairs and curb-appeal projects.

‘Our employees prioritize this work’

Jamie Wagner, community relations project manager, has overseen several Rock the Block efforts since joining OPPD in 2018. This fall, that included events in North Omaha and La Vista neighborhoods.

While the volunteers assembled in a school parking lot before dispersing into the nearby La Vista neighborhood, 12-year-old Karson Eberhardt greeted Wagner with a big hug, then introduced her to his little sister, Khloe, a first-time volunteer.

“That’s Jamie; she’s the supervisor,” Karson said. It was his fourth Rock the Block event.

“Our employees prioritize this work,” said Wagner. “We don’t schedule the events during our storm season, when employees might be stretched thin, as was the case this year.

“We have some very good project leads who return time after time. They conduct walk-throughs at their assigned homes a few weeks ahead of time to determine what kind of tools they will need and how large the crew should be,” Wagner added. “It’s something special to see how the volunteer teams transform these homes and have fun in the process.”

In March, Wagner was a co-presenter with Habitat Omaha personnel at Habitat for Humanity’s International conference. They spoke about the successful corporate partnership to a full-house break-out session.

“Our formula works, and it can be replicated,” Wagner said.

Team OPPD

OPPD volunteers come from all areas of the company, including the executive leadership team and board of directors. Many employees bring their children and their spouses to the neighborhood events.

In less than three hours this fall, volunteers spruced up several homes at the La Vista event, filling a few dumpsters with tree trimmings, yard waste and other debris that had stacked up in the yards. Before leaving one yard, volunteers added solar lights and nailed new house numbers to a porch.

Homeowners beam with pride when the work is done.

OPPD’s involvement with Habitat Omaha goes back decades, Zagurski noted.

Ever since Habitat for Humanity of Omaha formed in 1984, OPPD has fielded regular teams of volunteers. The OPPD workforce – stacked with engineers, project managers, machinists and others with useful trades – mesh well with the scope of the work.

Ed Thiele lent his engineering and project management skills to numerous Habitat Omaha projects during those early years. Not only did he work on OPPD teams, but he volunteered through a Faithful Builders group at his church.

Thiele joined OPPD in 1980 as an engineer at Fort Calhoun Station (FCS). However, his 33-year OPPD career saw him managing numerous construction projects at the then fast-growing utility and surrounding area.

Those projects included work at the Omaha, Elkhorn and Syracuse service centers; the Energy Control Center; the FCS Training Center; and North Omaha and Nebraska City stations. Thiele also served as project manager on several local hospital expansion projects, planning for the critical transfer of power via automatic throw-over switches.

Second career

“I was so lucky at OPPD,” said Thiele, who retired in 2014. “All I wanted to do was build stuff. I always joked that I was going to work for Habitat when I left OPPD.”

Within two months of his retirement, Thiele started working for Habitat Omaha. He marked 10 years there earlier this year, and he’s done everything from full-gut home rehabs to managing projects.

“I’m excited about the path that Habitat Omaha is on,” Thiele said. He’s been working lately on 11 houses in Elkhorn, part of the Capriana development, and five homes in Blair, part of another mixed-income development.

In his time at Habitat Omaha, Thiele brushed elbows with a few other OPPD retirees, too.

Kathy Perdue spent four and a half years working with Habitat Omaha as a house framer after her 30-year OPPD career. Steve Bottum, another regular on the job sites, has worked on the Wednesday crew, a skilled group that handles a variety of tasks. Bottum retired from OPPD in 2010 after 30 years.

“I knew how to read blueprints and how to lead people,” said Perdue, who held administrative, management and project management roles at Fort Calhoun Station and also worked in Production Engineering and Information Technology while at OPPD.

“I figured I could learn the trade,” said Perdue.

Shared expertise

“Thanks to good scheduling and project management, we could get in and completely frame the house in three to four weeks,” Perdue said. “From start to finish, houses were completed in three to four months. That’s pretty aggressive.”

She credits OPPD leadership training with her success at Habitat Omaha, where she also managed two all-women house builds.

“It’s a calling,” said Habitat Omaha’s Brewer. “Your employees and retirees have so much to give, so much expertise. It is really good for us and for the community.”

“There are a lot of ways to participate,” Brewer said. “It doesn’t have to be on a construction site.”

Utility personnel are perfect ambassadors for Habitat Omaha’s home repair program, Brewer said. People can let family and friends know about no-interest loans for critical home repairs.

The partnership continues to beneficial to both Habitat for Humanity of Omaha and OPPD.

The rewards come from knowing you are making a huge difference in people’s lives, said Perdue.

“Seeing the joy in the families makes it all worthwhile,” she said.