Omaha woman sponsoring family displaced from Yale Park Apartments

Nearly three weeks after about 100 families were displaced from the Yale Park Apartments, one woman along with several other churches and organizations across the metro are sponsoring families who are rebuilding.

What’s left now of the condemned apartment complex is now somewhat of an eyesore to the community. The rubble of families’ past sits in the parking lot as the complex’s owner works to bring the buildings up to code.

Restoring Dignity, along with Heartland Family Service, received numerous phone calls from the community to help, so much so that they started asking churches and organizations to sponsor families.

“I know that there are so many people out there who need help, but this was a glaring need in the community and an urgent need,” Brooktynn Blood said, who is sponsoring a family through her church.

Brooktynn Blood stepped up to help, setting up a sponsorship of a family through her church.

“The family that we have has a teenage boy and some teenage daughters. We were excited to help some of the youth that were involved with this displacement as well,” Blood said.

She started the effort this past weekend, asking church members to donate whatever they could to help their sponsored family with everything. The family has no furniture and nothing to rebuild their home.

“It’s amazing what people already have and what things that are in good condition and they may not need that they’re willing to part with for a good cause,” Blood said.

Blood’s church is one of 92 others who are sponsoring the 97 families displaced from the apartments.

“It was important to follow the example of Jesus Christ and to help people,” Blood said. “I can’t call myself a Christian and help people when I see them in need.”

Blood even took to the NextDoor App. She said she wanted to offer her neighbors the same opportunity to help. Within hours, she had received a good response.

“I’ve always said that Omaha is a great place to be from and a great place to raise a family, and this just proves it,” Blood said.

She told 6 News she felt compelled to help others, saying no offering of help is ever too small.

“I’m just one small person in this great big effort, a very small piece of the puzzle, but when I do something small, great things can happen,” Blood said.

Blood’s deadline to pick up items for the family is this weekend.

There are at least five families who still need sponsoring. To sponsor a family, contact Restore Dignity.