State Economic Recovery Grant Supports Salvation Army Expansion in North Omaha

Set up, rearrange, tear down, repeat. That formula was how the team at The Salvation Army packed programming into their modest facility in North Omaha. The constant repurposing of rooms had the staff running ragged. The logistical burden also demanded time and energy that distracted from the team’s relational mission—to show love by ministering to human needs.  

This week, The Salvation Army is celebrating the grand opening of a $30 million renovation and expansion of the North Corps Community Center. The project has nearly tripled the size of the facility, adding much-needed space. It includes a new chapel, new gym, larger kitchen, more offices, and renovated classrooms and conference rooms. The State supported the project with $3 million through the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant Program.

“We’re experts at flipping rooms, but we’re so excited that we’re there where we can have designated rooms for different programing and activities,” said Brittany Parker, general manager of the North Corps Community Center.

Making meals for the metro and beyond

The North Corps Community Center’s revamped kitchen is one of its most prominent upgrades. In addition to serving the free lunch program that occurs onsite, the kitchen cooks nearly 1,000 meals per week for the Salvation Army’s Mental Health Respite program. During the winter, Chef Kevin Newlin and his team make food five nights a week for Omaha’s homeless population. Over the summer, the kitchen prepares food for Family Meals of Hope, which distributes free dinners at multiple locations in metro Omaha.

“We’ve doubled our numbers [in the free lunch program] since we started,” said Newlin. “We’re doing about 150 [meals a day] out of the line. It used to be between 50 and 70. We’re doing about 5,000 a month just off this line. Our record in one month is just under 15,000 meals. We’ll probably beat that this year with this setup.”

The center’s previous (tiny) kitchen lacked capacity to produce the current volume of meals. “You could touch wall to wall in that [old] kitchen!” recalled Johnny Miller Jr., an officer at North Corps Community Center. Now, the spacious commercial kitchen has a fully equipped storage area, dish room, and industrial refrigeration.

The new kitchen’s impact extends far beyond Omaha. When wildfires burned across Western Nebraska in March 2026, Salvation Army’s team in North Omaha worked tirelessly to prepare food for firefighters. Meals made in Omaha served nearly 400 firefighters a day—several hundred miles away. “This kitchen is an EDS [Emergency Disaster Services] kitchen, so it can handle any major disaster in the Western Division,” explained Chef Newlin.

Community gathering places to pray and to play

The new chapel at the North Corps Community Center can seat more than 260 people, a significant increase over the former one. “Our old chapel was kind of dark and dreary,” said Parker. By contrast, the new chapel is bright and cheery, with light streaming in through large glass windows. “When people come in here, they’re ready to receive, and they’re hopeful,” Parker noted. In addition to hosting worship services, The Salvation Army plans to use the chapel as a performing arts center for music and theater programs.

A college-sized gymnasium is another welcome new addition to the North Corps Community Center. The gigantic gym is home to the community lunch on weekdays. A large divider separates the food program from the other half of the gym, where youth can play pickleball, volleyball, or basketball while the meal is happening. Additionally, members of the community can rent the gym to host graduation parties or family reunions.

“[One small space] used to serve as the cafeteria, gym, and auditorium,” said Captain Marsha Williams-Miller, officer at North Corps Community Center. “The constant flipping [of that space] was really tough on staff. Everything was done in that one room.” Now, with the new gymnasium, there is more than enough space for meals, sports, health screenings, and more to take place at the same time.

Supporting working families

With a new computer lab and state-of-the-art classrooms, the expanded North Corps Community Center is also better equipped to support working families.

“Some families don’t know what they would do if they didn’t have our day camp,” said Parker. “We have our after-school program where kids come in from 3:30 to 5:30. They come in and get a meal. There are games and activities.”

Parents can get work done in the computer lab while children play in the gym. “You can come here to eat. You can come here to play basketball. You can have your meetings here. Your kids can come. It’s just so much,” said Parker.

Miller added that it is important for kids in North Omaha to have a safe space where they can find help with homework, play games, and meet with friends. “It’s not just basketball and sports. We try to help them on different levels. It’s a holistic approach,” he explained.

A partner for North Omaha

“People tend to think of the Salvation Army—and they should—as helping people who are in trouble,” said Captain Williams-Miller. “But we want to be a partner for this community as North Omaha grows and to express the value of the community. We tend to think of it as serving needs, but it's also serving potential. People just need a space and a chance to take a breath and think about their dreams, and we're here to help them.”

Parker added, “For someone born and raised on this street, to see all the development is amazing. I get to work here; I get to contribute here. I love helping with this. Just being able to have those amenities right outside your door is amazing!”