Welcome to Dana Village
Lutheran Family Services (LFS), one of Nebraska’s largest human care organizations, has launched a 10-year strategic plan for the former Dana College Campus. “Dana Village” provides holistic support, including attainable housing. Prioritizing housing for young people aging out of the foster care system, Dana Village is a multi-generational apartment complex with supportive services, community activities and dedicated transportation services.
Nebraska has never shied away from taking care of its young people, and Dana Village could become the new national model for what to do with a closed college campus thanks to this new concept.
1. Turn an abandoned college campus into a future of hope and community.
2. Give residents support to succeed – job training, therapy, financial independence – to become successful, productive citizens.
3. Create a community of support on a beloved campus – reactivating the mission: to educate, inspire, and move residents forward through life, starting from a solid foundation.
It’s an innovative way to fight today’s grim statistics for young people leaving the foster care system. The Dana Village blueprint creates a lifelong supportive environment serving youth to seniors through solutions along the social determinants of health – housing, employment, and physical and mental health.
“We anticipate this could set standards for both foster care and campus revitalization that could be replicated nationally. We are building a model and want partners to invest alongside us.”
– Chris Tonniges
LFS President and CEO
Creating Solutions
Preventing
Homelessness
Young adults transitioning out of foster care are among the populations at highest risk of homelessness. Studies estimate that roughly 25% of former foster youth will experience homelessness during the transition to adulthood, far exceeding the rate in the general population (4%) according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Workforce
Development
Growing companies in Blair will hire over 1,000 employees in the next 2-5 years. They offer job opportunities in trades, transportation, distribution, healthcare, and telecommunications, and most importantly, are willing to train and educate new employees. They pay good starting wages, offer career pathing opportunities, and provide health benefits. These employers include national and international companies such as the Cargill Biotech Campus and Dollar General and other local and regional employers. The Apartments and Suites at Dana Village, plus future growth, will address the severe housing shortage accompanying this job development.
Campus
Reactivation Goals
Imagine a destination restaurant in the old Student Center, run and staffed by our youth and recent culinary graduates, where every meal serves a greater purpose by launching careers, building confidence, and creating pathways to independence. The stage of the once-beautiful Lauritzen Theatre alive again with community education, outreach programs, artistic productions. A dedicated career center providing skills and job training and connecting businesses with future employees. A community sports complex designed and managed for the surrounding community to enjoy. It will be a destination location for the whole region.
• The name “Dana Village” is a nod to the rich history of the campus and its graduates.
• “Village” describes what it will be one day – a complete village of support, community, and hope for its young residents and the surrounding community.
Click here to shop the Dana Village Wish List.
You can donate to the development of Dana Village here.
For larger gifts, contact Ed Shada (402) 630-5664, ed.shada@OneLFS.org,
Interested churches can reach out to Jens Acamo at jens.acamo@OneLFS.org
To join our Dana Village mailing list or just to ask questions, email dana@oneLFS.org.
For more information about living on campus, email tlp@oneLFS.org.
