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Spread Good with #DoGoodWeek

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What is Do Good Week?

Like GivingTuesday, Do Good Week® is a global, week-long movement encouraging people to actively demonstrate kindness and compassion plus share positive stories using #DOGOODWEEK on social platforms. Originally, Do Good Week® started in 2016 as an effort to change the social conversation to something positive for one week and has grown into a movement to inspire kindness and promote positivity. And the world needs it now more than ever! Since 2016, Do Good Week® has reached more than 130 million people with the hashtag #DOGOODWEEK.

When is Do Good Week?

It’s right around the corner! Join in SHARE Omaha’s Do Good Week®, April 19 to April 24, 2021, presented by FNBO. Each day of Do Good Week® is themed to help inspire you to take positive action and learn about nonprofits doing good – like us! The Junior League of Omaha!

 Five days dedicated to helping us meet our needs, followed by a day of celebration!

 Monday, April 19: Mission Monday
           Learn more about our work and needs.

Tuesday, April 20: New Donor Tuesday
          If you’ve never given a gift to our organization, now’s the time! Your gift could help us unlock a cash prize.

Wednesday. April 21: Wish List Wednesday
           Donate the equivalent cost of or purchase items used in our programming. 

Thursday, April 22: Volun-Thursday
           Join us! Become a member or join our volunteer team.

Friday, April 23: Fund It Friday
           Help us meet our fundraising goal!

Saturday, April 24: Celebration Saturday
           Time to celebrate your generosity! Cheer for us as we hope to win a cash prize from FNBO, Omaha Steaks, and Pottawattamie County Community Foundation.

 Get Involved!

Yes, you! Right now! It’s super easy to join this week-long movement and support the Junior League of Omaha. Start by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter along with SHARE Omaha. Don’t forget to use the hashtags: #JLOMAHA and #DOGOODWEEK. Next, check out ways to get involved, learn more, and how to support us here.

Who We Are

The Junior League of Omaha is an organization of women committed to our Mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Since 1919, the Junior League of Omaha has trained volunteers, provided civic leadership, raised funds and developed programs and services to help make Omaha great. Throughout our League’s 98 years of service, our membership has donated more than $2 million and more than 1.4 million volunteer hours to causes in our community. The Junior League welcomes all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities. The wide reach of our community impact would not be possible without the financial support we receive from fundraising activities such as Do Good Week®. We encourage you to support our mission and join us for Do Good Week® this year!

Last Chance To Donate to Bargain Bash!

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In the mood for some spring cleaning?  You’ll have one more chance to donate to the Junior League’s 4th Annual Bargain Bash!  We will be holding our final drop-off date in April, and would love the chance to take any gently used home goods, clothing, kitchen appliances, décor, and/or furniture off of your hands.  

Your donations directly contribute to the success of this event, helping the League to continue to impact the community with our projects and league engagement.

Drop-Off Date Details:

When: April 24th, 2021

Where: Junior League of Omaha Headquarters; 12315 Pacific Street

Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Rest assured, our drop-off date volunteers will be taking all of the necessary precautions that we have come to expect in this current climate, including masking and regular hand sanitizing and/or glove wearing.  We value your support and care about keeping you safe!

As always, don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and family. Every donation counts, and nothing will go to waste!  Any unsold inventory will be donated to other local non-profits who specialize in providing support and basic necessities to those in need.  These partnerships with other charitable organizations is just one more way that the league is able to support our community and lend a helping hand.  

We would also like to give a huge shout out to our sponsors, Mike Morris and Brenda Christensen of Thermo King Christensen, who have graciously donated the storage space needed to accept all of the generous donations received so far.  We could not have done it without them!

Thank you so much for your continued support and we hope you’ll stop by on May 15th and 16th to check out our new event space at The Hope Center for Children and (of course) do some shopping!

History of the Junior League Cookbook

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Did you know the first recorded Junior League cookbook was printed in 1930? It’s titled “The Junior League Recipe Book” and was privately printed by the Los Angeles league. The oldest Junior League cookbook still in print was published initially in 1950! Since their inception, any profits from cookbook sales were used to support community projects and programs – which is still happening today. In Omaha, JLO’s A Century of Serving cookbook supports the League’s training and community initiatives.

We are lucky to have access to a small cookbook library through the JLO Cookbook co-chair Katy Spratte Joyce!  Of her collection of 100+ books, more than 60 are Junior League offerings from around the world. Some of her favorites are “Colorado Cache” from the Junior League of Denver (1978), “And Roses for the Table: A Garden of Recipes” from the Junior League of Tyler, Texas (1997), and “Fresh from the Valley: A Harvest of Recipes” from the Junior League of Yakima (2003). 

What are your favorite Junior League cookbooks? Be sure to pick up our newest one, A Century of Serving, online or at any of our partner retail locations! https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/

Below are the cookbooks photographed:

  • “California Fresh” The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay (1985)
  • “Tuxedos to Tailgates: A Celebration of the Seasons” Dallas Junior Forum (2003) “Beyond Parsley, Beautiful Food Presented by the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri” (1984)
  • “Stop and Smell the Rosemary: Recipes and Traditions to Remember” The Junior League of Houston (1996) 
  • “Pig Out: Selected Recipes from the Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa” (1986)
  • “Atlanta Cooknotes”, Junior League of Atlanta (1982)
  • “Sassafras: The Ozarks Cookbook”, The Junior League of Springfield, Missouri (1985)
  • “Seaboard to Sideboard: A Collection of Recipes from the Junior League of Wilmington, North Carolina (1998)
  • “Pomegranates & Prickly Pears”, flavorful entertaining from The Junior League of Phoenix  (2005) 

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

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Let’s face it, breakfast casseroles are perfect when you need to feed a crowd right away in the morning. Eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns, layered in a casserole dish and placed in the oven – does it get easier than that? Serve this with fruit (and a mimosa or two), and you are guaranteed to start the day off right with this recipe!

Now I do not pretend to be a professional chef or photographer so I apologize in advance for my amatuer skills here, but I started by prepping all of the ingredients. 

The recipe calls for a bag of hashbrowns. The store only had about 498 options, so I went with a 30oz bag and was happy with the results!

*Disclaimer* This recipe calls for garlic and onion, so onion is featured in the photo, but due to dietary restrictions neither were used in the casserole that is photographed (I know, it’s the saddest thing ever). Good news – this recipe tastes just as great without it!

Start by browning Italian sausage over medium heat, then remove with a slotted spoon and place to the side in a bowl. Saute the chopped peppers, onion, and garlic in the grease remaining in the skillet. Again, I’m not able to cook with onions or garlic so you won’t see them in any of my photos, but my goodness the red pepper smelled amazing cooked in the Italian sausage grease! 

You know that part when you’re cooking where you wonder if it’s supposed to look like that? Yeah, well this is that part for me. 

I added the peppers to the hashbrowns and cheese, mixing them together in a large bowl. As I whisked the eggs and milk together I was 150% convinced there was no way that would be enough to cover all of those hashbrowns – but it does! Top with the remaining cheese and it’s ready for the oven. 

This was baked covered with foil at 375 for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 10-15 minutes. I don’t have a 7×11 pan so I used a 9×13 instead and felt it worked just fine. 

Overall, this recipe is really easy and delicious!  I was surprised how much egg there was considering there are only 6 in the whole recipe. The Italian sausage adds a ton of flavor so if you have dietary restrictions but can tolerate breakfast sausage, this recipe is great! From start to finish it probably took an hour, including cook time, and it was a hit with my family so it will definitely be made again! If I can make it and have it turn out well, I promise you can too.

…and I wasn’t kidding, this pairs really well with a mimosa 😉

Breakfast Casserole is one of the recipes in the Junior League of Omaha’s A Century of Serving cookbook, available online and in stores now: https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 package frozen hash browns, thawed
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Sliced green onions to taste (optional)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro to taste (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, pressing and stirring with a wooden spoon to crumble. Remove the sausage to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Pour off most of the skillet drippings. Saute the onion and red bell pepper in the remaining skillet drippings for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic. Saute until tender. Add the onion mixture, hashbrowns and 1 ½ cups Cheddar cheese to the sausage and mix well. Whisk the eggs, milk and black pepper in a bowl. Stir into the sausage mixture. Spoon into a 7×11 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar cheese. Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Serve with salsa. 

Important Update on February Bargain Bash Drop-Off: Whoops We’re Full!

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The upcoming Bargain Bash drop-off date scheduled for February 20th, 2021, has been CANCELLED.  

Thanks to the overwhelming support and generosity from all of our supporters, we are stuffed to the brim with donations.  We have therefore made the difficult decision to CANCEL the February drop-off date that was scheduled to occur on Saturday, February 20th, at the Junior League Headquarters.  

Thank you so much to those who have donated so far, and to those who had planned to donate in February.  Your continued support of the League directly contributes to our success.  At this time, there are NO further drop-off dates scheduled, however we will surely spread the word if this should change.  

Please stay tuned for some exciting upcoming announcements on the dates and location of our 2021 Bargain Bash event!

Upcoming Bargain Bash Drop Off Dates

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Do you have any gently used home goods, clothing, kitchen appliances, décor, or furniture that are
taking up valuable space in your home? Donate them to our JLO Bargain Bash Rummage Sale! We will
be holding several drop-off dates over the coming months to collect your donations.
Upcoming drop-off date:

There will be NO drop-off date in December, but we will be back in 2021 with more opportunities to
donate!

When: January 16, 2021
Where: Junior League of Omaha Headquarters; 12315 Pacific Street
When: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

When: February 20, 2021
Where: Junior League of Omaha Headquarters; 12315 Pacific Street
When: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Swing on by during one of our drop-off times, and our wonderful Junior League member volunteers will help you unload any items you wish to donate. Feel free to package smaller items into boxes, bags, or totes that you do not mind donating. Our volunteers are also happy to help you unload any larger scale items that you may wish to donate as well.

Additionally, in the interest of keeping everyone safe, you will notice that all of our volunteers will be
wearing masks and gloves for the duration of the drop-off timeframe, and we strongly encourage you to wear your mask as well! We are committed to ensuring a safe and hassle-free drop-off experience for
you, and will do whatever we can to be respectful of your comfort level.

So if you have donation item(s) that are good shape and/or working condition, bring them on down to
us! Your generous donations are crucial for the success of this event. Every single item donated
contributes to the fundraising success of this event, which allows the League to continue to impact and
support our community through our projects and league engagement.

And don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and family. Every donation counts!

Holiday Dessert Guide

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Let’s face it, the holidays just aren’t going to look the same this year. We’re all hunting for ways to spend distanced time with our closest family, and the Junior League of Omaha cookbook can help you find recipes that can be made into single servings to make life a little easier.

Have a peanut butter lover in the family? Try our Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting recipe! If you want something a little smaller, our Dark Chocolate and Seas Salt Sables more than get the job done. You can also find a recipe for Apple Pie Bars or Bourbon Baked Apples to put a single-serving twist on a holiday favorite dessert, or keep it even more simple with Sweet and Salty Caramel Brownie Bites. Whatever you’re craving, the JLO cookbook can satisfy.

The best thing we can do in this complicated time is keep the holidays simple, so our gift to you this holiday season is our amazing recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Junior League of Omaha – A Century of Serving 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

# Servings: 8 Dozen Category: Desserts

Ingredients:

  • 6 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoons baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 cups butter, softened
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening
  • 2 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

Directions: 

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well. Break the eggs into a bowl. 

Cream the butter,shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans. Chill the dough for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto non stick baking sheets. Bake for 11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to waxed paper to cool completely. 

To learn more or purchase your own copy of the A Century of Serving cookbook click here.

Images by Joshua Foo 

You can find this recipes and more in the Junior League of Omaha’s A Century of Serving cookbook, available online at the link below or one of our many local retailers: https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/

The Perfect Holiday Gift

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Looking for the perfect holiday gift? The Junior League of Omaha cookbook is a festive option – sure to wow your family and friends! Want to make your gift extra special? Check out a few ways to bundle A Century of Serving:

  • Wrap one in a pretty tablecloth, dish towel, or placemats.
  • Buy a cocktails book and attach a mini bottle and cocktail stirrer
  • Place one inside a skillet, frying pan, or grill pan and tie with ribbon
  • Use a knife and fork as part of the bow to wrap it with
  • Tie on a slim bottle of flavored olive oil or a unique spice to the front
  • Add a bamboo cutting board and a set of three whisks tied with some ribbon.

Order your cookbook today at  https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/ or from one of our many local retailers.

Shop Small This Small Business Saturday

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Small Business Saturday is right around the corner! Celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday is your reminder to shop local during the holiday season and remember that you are a key part of helping your local business owners thrive. 

The Economy of Shopping Small: Keeping it in the Community posted a report in 2017 showing that 42 cents of every dollar spent in a small business comes back to the local community in the form of salaries to local residents, payments to local suppliers, and sponsorships that support local schools, charities and other initiatives. 

One way you can support local business owners this holiday season is by purchasing Junior League’s A Century of Serving Cookbook at the area retailers stocking our book: 

  • Everbloom Floral & Gift (Loveland location only, 90th & Center)
  • Dusk Goods and Gifts (1234 S. 13th St, Suite 201 & 202)
  • Voila! Magdalene Blooms (4922 Dodge Street)
  • JH Interior Design (Clocktower Village: 721 N 98th Street)
  • Stir Coffee Bar (Legacy – 19650 Wright Plaza)
  • Salt Creek Mercantile (1502 Silver St – Ashland)
  • Made in Omaha (Countryside Village, Old Market)
  • Prairie in Bloom (1702 Cuming St.)
  • Village Pomegranate/The Linen Gallery (Countryside Village)
  • Village Grinder (Countryside Village, 87th & Pacific)
  • Clarkson Gift Shop (UNMC)
  • CornerStone Gift Shop (UNMC)
  • The Bookworm (90th & Center)
  • Mine Custom Gifts (114th & Davenport)
  • Spruce Interiors & Gifts (5022 Leavenworth Street)
  • Children’s Hospital Gift Shop (82nd & Dodge Street)
  • Reve (Rockbrook Village)
  • Hearts & Fire (Rockbrook Village)

Check out the link below for more information on our local wholesalers! https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/

40 Under 40: Alysia Radicia

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Junior League of Omaha members Colby Jensen, Alyson Manning and Alysia Radicia won a 2020 Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award, the 19th edition of the prestigious awards program for Omaha’s entrepreneurs, executives and professionals. This is part of a series recognizing the League members who won the award.

An interior designer, Alysia Radicia joined RDG Planning & Design in 2011.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work on some pretty amazing civic minded projects: Work at UNMC, the Women’s Center for Advancement, The Jewish Community Center – all organizations that are mission minded and work for the community,” she said. “I’m an avid volunteer and am constantly trying to do good in my community, having the ability to blend professional and volunteer passions is highly meaningful and impactful.”

Alysia is in her eighth year with the Junior League, currently serving as the Executive Vice President-Elect, a step-up position to Executive Vice President for the 2021-2022 League year. Other positions she has held include 2019-2020 Member at Large, 2018-2019 Development and Donor Relations Annual Appeal Coordinator, 2017-2018 Fundraising Council Director, 2016-2017 Done in a Day Vice Chair and multiple positions on American Girl.

2019-2020 Board of Directors including Alysia pictured on the far right

Alysia also spearheaded the League’s headquarters redesign in 2018-2019.

The League has helped her in so many ways, she says.

“I have had so many opportunities to learn and grow that I certainly would not have had in my professional career,” Alysia said. “At the beginning of my League career it was managing a committee of 23 working towards raising $70,000. Wow! The energy and effort involved in that; I learn financial organization, donor stewardship, communication strategies, logistics and planning, team development, marketing. Not every single element of these skills I used in my day-to-day, but my clients certainly do. Having this perspective has helped me in becoming their best advocate and consultant, I know what their role and work entails and I can help in ways that other designers can’t. Now, as I develop in my League career I am constantly gaining skills and insight on working with and developing teams. How to manage different personalities, how to build trust, effective means of communication, fostering empathy, being the best cheerleader and motivating various teams in achieving some pretty amazing stuff.”

Alysia is also active beyond the League with Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professional Council, Friends of Nebraska Children, Opera Omaha, Joslyn Art Museum Young Art Patrons, Share Omaha and Women’s Fund Circles. She is a Leadership Omaha Class 40 graduate.

“Be open to opportunities,” Alyisa said of her advice for other young professionals. “I am a firm believer in self-care, boundaries, knowing when to say no, but simultaneously you have to be open to opportunities when they present themselves. Sure, life is hectic and chaotic, but when asked to take on a new role, join a committee, or a new project, take a moment and reflect how you could learn and grow from the opportunity. Also, take stock on the fact that someone thought you were best suited for a particular role – you. Lean into what opportunities are in front of you while caring for yourself.”