Who We Are
The mission of Release is to affect youth and their families with the life-changing love of Jesus Christ, releasing them to be all God intends them to be — safe, together, healthy, free.
History
Release began in 1994 with two guys, a Bible, and a boom box. They used Christian rap music and God’s word to reach the youth at the Douglas County Youth Center.
Early on the ministry became aware of the need for mentoring, Bible studies and after care that would go beyond the walls of the DCYC. Mentoring was formally added in 2001, and the overall ministry continued to grow every year adding chaplains, more Bible studies and more mentors. In late 2004, Release opened up our first residential care group home. This allowed us to then work with the youth’s families in their homes, connecting them to services in the community. In 2018, we have added a new foster care program to serve children in loving homes.
Today we minister in 19 locations and reach roughly 350 kids per week all across the Metro (Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie counties).
Board of Directors
Dave Martin—President
Chief Information Officer, Boston Mutual
Aimee Lowe—Vice President
Attorney, Lowe Legal Group PC LLO
David Raymond—Secretary
Owner, Facility Advocates
Christopher Felts—Treasurer
Assistant Attorney General, Nebraska Attorney General’s Office
Eldridge “Rick” Bell
Academic Advisor/Adjunct Instructor, Metropolitan Community College
Elizabeth (Liz) Lindmier
Engagement Manager, Collaborative Solutions, LLC
Ed Young
Chief, Test Branch, ALFCMC/HBC
Kevin Coleman
Owner, C&C Construction
Our Staff
Dave Wininger
Executive Director
Tina Owens
Chaplain at Douglas County Youth Center
Jennifer May
Foster Care Supervisor
Garth Hilton
Impact Facilitator
Marcus Brown
Mentoring Supervisor
Garrett Swanberg
Director of Operations
Kristina Ferguson
In-Home Services Supervisor
Masego Kracke
Parenting Time Supervisor
Rachel Tackett
Clinical Director
Janece Ferris
Director of Foster Care
Janece Ferris
Director of Foster Care
With the Ministry Since: 2018
What brought you to Release? I was working closely with Release at my previous job with Nebraska Families Collaborative. I got to know many different people, and I could see their heart and love for the youth they were serving. I worked on a project involving foster care for graduate school, and I knew that someday I wanted to work in foster care and am excited that God is allowing me to do this with Release.
Best part of your service: I love getting to know these youth – there is so much more to them than what is in their paper file. Teens have so many gifts they give me when I work with them – and they keep me in tune with the world! So many of them just need a friend, an advocate and a mentor to help them navigate this time in their life. I appreciate that Release sees their value as being created and loved by God.
Garth Hilton
Impact Facilitator
What brought you to Release? The desire to see the lives of troubled youth and their families healed through the compassion and tender care of Jesus.
Best part of your service: Knowing that healing is happening and that hope is taking root and trusting God for all of it to come to pass in the lives of these youth and their families, even in my own life and family.
Rachel Tackett
Clinical Director
With the ministry since: 2017
What brought you to Release? I needed employment and wanted to be used by the Lord. This was not what I had expected the Lord to call me in to, but He did. He has been growing me and healing me while at the same time using me to grow and heal the youth I minister to.
Best part of your service: It is amazing to see some of the changes these youth have undergone. It takes a lot of commitment, strength, and courage to learn and live a new way of life; one that is often at odds with old friends and/or family. But these kids do it. I don’t think any of us who have not been through it could truly grasp what battles they are experiencing on a daily basis.
Masego Kracke
Parenting Time Supervisor
With the ministry since: 2017
Best part of your service: We get to love our community in action not just words. We get to be hands and feet of Jesus to the youth, families in dire need of support as they go through a crises of some sort. We can impact and influence generations to come.
Kristina Ferguson
In-Home Services Supervisor
With the ministry since: 2009
What brought you to Release? My husband and I felt called to work in a group home setting with teenage youth from 2009-2013. Through that experience we learned to love the guys unconditionally, to provide a family environment where the guys felt accepted for who they were versus who they were on paper, to provide structure and routine, and to provide them skills to become independent when they aged out of the system. From 2013 to present, I have been a Community Intervention Specialist. January 2017, I also became the Parenting Time Supervisor, where I oversee a team of Parenting Time Specialists who provide supervised visitation for parents and their children who have been separated due to neglect and abuse.
Best part of your service: The best part of serving the youth and families all these years is to know how we, Release, have had a positive, direct impact on the families and the community and that the youth and families know we genuinely care about their well-being.
Garrett Swanberg
Director of Operations
With the ministry since: 2002
What brought you to Release? I have always enjoyed youth ministry but I never set out to work with at-risk youth. I was just a college student attempting to follow Christ. I began as a bible study leader and mentor at DCYC. After two years, my wife and I had the opportunity to become house parents at the first Release home. Five years later I was offered the opportunity to oversee the houses. There is something about the youth we work with that keeps drawing me to them.
Best part of your service: I love building authentic relationships. Relationship is a core value that permeates every level of our organization. The genuine relationships that we offer to the youth are something we experience every day as staff.
Dave Wininger
Executive Director
With the ministry since: 2005
What brought you to Release? Became a volunteer after my daughter and son-in-law started doing Bible study in the Douglas County Youth Center with Release.
Best part of your service: Seeing God change my heart to be me more like His as I seek to love His kids
Marcus Brown
Mentoring Supervisor
With the ministry since: Volunteered 2007-2009. Brought on staff 2009-current.
What brought you to Release? I was released from jail in 2006. I gave my life to the Lord while in jail and heard a mentoring presentation in early 2007 that instantly broke my heart for youth and families in our community. I responded to the call without hesitation and have been on that journey since.
Best part of your service: I take the opportunity and responsibility of being the salt and light to a family I come in contact with seriously. We live in a community that is plagued with brokenness and social ills that are hurting the design of family and distorting youths life’s. Coming from a lifestyle and experience of brokenness like the youth we serve, I have a passion and desire to be all I can be while I am present in their life.
FAQ
Have you ever had a question and didn’t know where to find the answer? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
This section is a compilation of answers to the questions most commonly asked by our constituents. Just start by following one of the links below. If you can’t find the question you wanted to ask, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Q. How can I get involved?
A. We’re always on the lookout for individuals like you wanting to get involved. Visit our How To Help section to find out ways to donate or volunteer.
Q. If I were to donate funds, how is my money used?
A. We have a responsibility to our community and our donors and work hard to ensure long-term sustainability of the organization. We make our IRS Form 990 available for review, as required by law. Visit our Financials page to learn more.
Q. What is your organization's privacy policy?
Q. What is the Guidestar seal of transparency and why is it important?
A. The Guidestar Seal of Transparency is a sytem used to rate non-profit organizations. GuideStar is a 501(c)(3) public charity that gathers and disseminates information about every single IRS-registered nonprofit organization. They provide as much information as possible about each nonprofit’s mission, legitimacy, impact, reputation, finances, programs, transparency, and governance so you can take the information and make the best decisions possible about which organizations to support.
Q. What is a Matching Gift?
A. Employee matching gift programs are corporate giving programs.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you work for General Electric and donate $100 to Release. General Electric’s matching gift policy has a minimum gift requirement of $25 and matches at a 1:1 ratio. After you submit your matching gift form, GE will double your donation by also writing a check for $100. Gifts from employees’ spouses and retirees may also qualify for a match.
It’s a quick and easy way to double your contribution!
Q. How do I request a matching gift?
A. Requesting a matching gift is normally a five minute process which must be initiated by the donor. You can do this by filling out and submitting a paper form provided by your employer or through an electronic submission process.
There are typically 3 steps:
1. Donate
Make your personal donation and save your tax receipt. Many matching programs will allow for up to one year after you’ve made your donation to request a corporate match.
2. Search
Using our matching gifts page, find out if your company offers a matching gift program and review the guidelines. No results? Contact your HR department directly to ask if they offer a matching gift program.
3. Match – There are two common ways to submit the matching gift request:
a. Click on your company’s intranet link provided in the search results. Log-in and submit your request electronically.
b. Download your company’s matching gift verification form using the link provided in the search results. Print it, fill it out and send it to us.
We will take care of the rest!
Q. I made a donation a few months ago. Can I still apply for a matching gift?
A. Yes! It’s not too late to apply for a matching gift! Many companies allow employees to submit match requests for 1 year following the date of the donation.
Q. What are volunteer grant programs?
A. Volunteer grant programs (also referred to as volunteer matching programs or Dollars for Doer’s) are corporate giving programs in which companies provide monetary donations to organizations where employees volunteer regularly.
For example: If you volunteered your time as a mentor in our Juvenile Justice Mentoring Program and fundraised for the Annual Banquet and Auction, your employer may donate cash for your volunteer time.
Each company has specific guidelines for their volunteer grant programs — search here to see if your company offers this benefit and find everything you need to submit your volunteer time. You can always contact your company’s HR department for more information.
If you volunteer with us, it’s an easy way to provide us with additional financial support!
Q. I didn't find my company on the search page. Now what?
A. It’s still possible that your employer will match your donation, even if you don’t find your company on our list. Check with your company’s HR manager and ask if your donation can be matched.
Q. Can my company's matching gift be applied to a participant, team, or event?
A. Absolutely! Matching gifts are a great opportunity to boost participants’ fundraising totals.
Q. How is this information obtained?
Q. What if I still have questions?
For questions regarding obtaining a tax receipt, submitting and verifying a matching gift request or a volunteer grant please contact us at info@releaseinc.org or call 402-455-0808.