From The Director- 2026 Updates and Upcoming Plans
May is one of my favorite times of the year. Everywhere you look, things are growing. Flowers are blooming, gardens are being planted, and the rain reminds us that growth takes time, care, and consistency.
For me personally, this season is also a time to pause and reflect on what we’ve been able to accomplish together over the last four and a half months.
As many of you know, I’m dyslexic. Because of that, helping dyslexic youth has always been deeply personal to me. This year, through the David Staenberg Family Foundation, we’ve already awarded three scholarships to students pursuing college. I know firsthand how important it is to help young people find confidence in themselves, discover what they love, and realize they are capable of achieving great things.
Another area close to my heart is supporting veterans in our community. Every month, we help distribute between 100 and 150 food pantries to four veteran organizations here in Lincoln. Some people may think that number sounds small, but there is so much work, heart, and teamwork behind every single pantry we deliver.
We receive food, sort it, organize it, pack it, and deliver it to the people who need it most. Along the way, we’ve had incredible support from our community. Hy-Vee has been generous in providing reusable bags, and recently West Gate Bank donated 350 reusable bags so we could eliminate the need for plastic. Orphan Grain Train has also been amazing by allowing us to store food at their facility.
Last week, several eighth-grade students spent their service day helping us prepare 82 food pantries that will go out on May 25th. The week before, we delivered another 80 pantries to a veteran facility. Moments like that remind me that when people come together, even small acts can create meaningful impact.
This year, we’re also beginning work on a larger community project that we hope to complete over the next one to two years. We continue to publish our monthly newsletter, and one thing that always makes me smile is knowing I’ve handed out more than 7,000 smiles this year across the United States and even into Europe.
Looking ahead, we have several projects and events planned:
A food drive in July
My climb up Manitou Springs in August — all 2,783 steps of it
A hygiene drive in September
Coffee fundraisers in October and November
Every one of these efforts supports our mission and helps us continue serving others.
With Give to Lincoln Day approaching on May 28th, I wanted to personally ask for your support. Donations made now through May 28th will help us continue providing food pantries, expand scholarships for dyslexic youth, and build future community programs. We are also working toward creating long-term financial literacy education opportunities for veterans here in Lincoln.
I also want to say this clearly: I am not doing this alone.
I’m blessed to work beside five incredible board members who give their time, talent, and treasure wholeheartedly to this mission. Their generosity and commitment inspire me every day.
Thank you for believing in what we’re building together. Thank you for supporting our veterans, our youth, and our community. And thank you for helping us continue to put smiles on faces one person at a time.
David Staenberg
Executive Director
“The Free Smile Guy”
