OPPD announces first projects chosen for its Greener Together Program

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) has announced the first two projects to receive funding from its Greener Together Program.

As part of the program, OPPD members pay a monthly fee and that money goes toward selecting and supporting green projects within the greater Omaha community.

Whispering Roots, a non-profit in Omaha that aims to grow healthy food, feed underserved communities and educate them, was awarded $50,000 to work with students in 10 k-12 urban Omaha schools on sustainability, STEM, and agriculture.

Whispering Roots’ founder and CEO, Greg Fripp, says he’s honored.

“There’s so many people doing such great work,” Fripp said. “I mean to be recognized by the community, to receive the votes to earn the grant was something that is very exciting.”

Fripp says students will build raised garden beds using plastic lumber, which would normally go into landfills.

Schools already chosen for the project include Howard Kennedy Elementary School and King Science Magnet Middle School, both in North Omaha.

“A lot of the kids we work with in underserved communities don’t get an opportunity to work with different types of materials, to work with agriculture or to tie those things together. So it’s important for us to get into these communities and allow these kids to experience something that they otherwise might not see.”

Habitat for Humanity in Omaha was awarded $80,000 to help reduce utility bills for low-income households. The project will provide access to solar energy systems for homeowners who otherwise would not be able to afford them.

OPPD says over 4,700 customers so far have signed up to participate in the Greener Together Program.

The next window for submitting project applications opens this Wednesday, Feb. 1.

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