Memories for Kids Is Helping Families Make Moments That Last
There are certain experiences in life that become part of a family's story forever.
A vacation everyone still talks about years later. A special day together. A moment when, for just a little while, the worries of everyday life take a back seat to being together.
For families facing a parent's advanced cancer diagnosis, opportunities to create those memories can become especially meaningful.
That's where Memories for Kids, an Omaha based nonprofit, comes in.
This local organization helps children whose parents have stage IV cancer create lasting memories with their families. And with a youth dodgeball tournament coming up in November and a special holiday concert in December, there are some wonderful opportunities for the Omaha metro community to get involved.
For this edition of Discover Omaha, we're highlighting a nonprofit whose work reminds us that sometimes the most valuable thing we can give a family is time together.
What Is Memories for Kids?
Memories for Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to create lifelong memories for children who have a parent with stage IV cancer.
The organization serves families throughout Nebraska and Iowa, helping them experience something meaningful together during an incredibly difficult chapter of life.
While many charitable organizations focus on helping children who are themselves facing serious illnesses, Memories for Kids recognized another need.
What about children whose parent is the one who is sick?
These children may be watching someone they love navigate hospital visits, treatments, uncertainty, and changes to everyday family life.
Memories for Kids creates opportunities for those families to step away from those challenges and simply enjoy being together.
The experiences are personalized, allowing families to create memories that reflect their interests, circumstances, and wishes.
The Story Behind Memories for Kids
The organization began with a deeply personal story.
In December 2009, Cathy Stephan Gravelle was diagnosed with melanoma cancer at age 37.
She and her husband, Mike, had three young children: Maddie, Charlie, and JP.
Her diagnosis and the experience of her family inspired the creation of Memories for Kids.
The nonprofit's story is dedicated to Cathy, whose experience helped illuminate how important meaningful family time can be when a parent faces a life threatening illness.
Memories for Kids created its first family memory in 2012.
Since then, the organization has helped more than 200 families throughout Nebraska and Iowa create experiences they can carry with them for years to come.
What Does Creating a Memory Actually Look Like?
One of the things that makes Memories for Kids different is that there isn't one standard experience every family receives.
Each memory is shaped around the family.
Sometimes that means a vacation. Other times it means a special activity, an opportunity to experience something new, or an adventure the family has always wanted to share.
The organization's website features stories of families who have enjoyed experiences such as trips to Wisconsin Dells, Chicago, Branson, and Great Wolf Lodge.
One family even experienced a special penguin encounter at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
Other memories have included deep sea fishing, mountain adventures, and resort vacations.
What stands out isn't necessarily the destination.
It's the opportunity for parents and children to laugh, explore, relax, and spend time together.
And for children who may eventually lose a parent, those shared experiences can become an important part of how they remember their family.
Something Exciting Is Coming: The Youth Dodgeball Tournament
Memories for Kids has a fun event coming up that brings young people directly into its mission.
The Youth Advisory Board Dodgeball Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Elkhorn South High School.
The event invites teams to compete in a day of dodgeball while raising support for families served by Memories for Kids.
The theme is simple: Play with a Purpose.
What makes this event especially interesting is that it's organized by the nonprofit's Youth Advisory Board.
Rather than simply asking teenagers to volunteer, Memories for Kids gives students opportunities to take an active role in planning, leadership, and fundraising.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Location: Elkhorn South High School, 20303 Blue Sage Parkway, Omaha, Nebraska
Event: Memories for Kids Youth Advisory Board Dodgeball Tournament
Registration: Available through the Memories for Kids website
Teams and sponsors can learn more through the organization's official event page.
Learn more about the dodgeball tournament.
Giving Teenagers a Chance to Make a Difference
The Youth Advisory Board deserves a little extra attention because it's one of the more interesting parts of the organization.
The board brings together high school students from throughout the Omaha metro who want to support the mission of Memories for Kids.
Students learn how a nonprofit board functions, elect officers, organize meetings, and develop fundraising initiatives.
They also help with administrative projects and other organizational needs.
The experience gives teenagers an opportunity to develop leadership skills while contributing to something bigger than themselves.
And the dodgeball tournament is a great example of what that can look like in practice.
It's students helping create meaningful experiences for other children and families.
For families in Omaha, Elkhorn, Papillion, Gretna, Bellevue, and other surrounding communities, organizations like this provide another avenue for teenagers to become involved in local service.
The current application cycle for the Youth Advisory Board is closed, but interested students can watch the organization's website for future opportunities.
Another Upcoming Event: Harmonies for Hope
If dodgeball isn't quite your thing, there's another opportunity to support Memories for Kids coming up in December.
Harmonies for Hope is a holiday concert series featuring Omaha musicians coming together to support a local nonprofit.
This year's beneficiary is Memories for Kids.
The concerts are scheduled for December 1, 2, and 3, 2026, at Marian High School's Mary Joy and Tal Anderson Performing Arts Center in Omaha.
Each performance begins at 7 p.m.
The event was created by local musicians Natalie Hughes, Karly Jurgensen, and Nikki Boulay, who wanted to combine their love of music with giving back to the community.
They are joined by other local performers for an evening of holiday music, entertainment, and community connection.
The event is family friendly, making it a great opportunity to enjoy a holiday tradition while supporting children and families in Nebraska and Iowa.
Harmonies for Hope Event Details
Dates: December 1, 2, and 3, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. each evening
Location: Marian High School, Mary Joy and Tal Anderson Performing Arts Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Beneficiary: Memories for Kids
Tickets: Available through the Harmonies for Hope website
Net proceeds from this year's concerts will support Memories for Kids and its work creating meaningful family experiences.
Learn more and purchase tickets at Harmonies for Hope.
How Can You Help Memories for Kids?
There are several ways to get involved, whether you're interested in attending an event, supporting a family, or helping spread awareness.
Make a donation. Financial contributions help the organization provide experiences for eligible families.
Attend a fundraising event. Participating in the dodgeball tournament or attending Harmonies for Hope supports the organization's mission while bringing the community together.
Become a sponsor. Businesses and individuals can explore sponsorship opportunities associated with the organization's events.
Get involved as a student. The Youth Advisory Board offers eligible high school students an opportunity to learn about nonprofit leadership and service.
Nominate a family. Families facing an eligible diagnosis can be nominated for a memory experience, including by nominating themselves.
According to the organization, eligible families generally must have a parent with stage IV cancer or a comparable condition designated by their oncologist, at least one child under age 18 living at home, and residency in Nebraska or Iowa.
Additional eligibility and participation requirements apply.
The organization also provides options for families receiving hospice care.
Learn about nominating a family.
Why Organizations Like This Matter in the Omaha Metro
One of the things we hope to accomplish through our Discover Omaha series is introducing people to organizations they might not otherwise hear about.
Some nonprofits operate large facilities or host highly visible events.
Others work more quietly, making a profound difference in the lives of a relatively small number of families at a time.
Memories for Kids is a wonderful example of the second kind.
Its mission is specific, personal, and rooted in a need that can easily be overlooked.
And while the organization is based in Omaha, its work reaches families across Nebraska and Iowa.
That includes the broader communities surrounding Omaha, from Douglas County to Sarpy County and beyond.
It's also a reminder of how connected our communities really are.
A family in Papillion, a student in Elkhorn, a musician in Omaha, and a business owner in Gretna can all contribute to the same mission.
The impact extends far beyond one neighborhood or city.
Living in Omaha Means Being Part of a Community
When people begin researching what it's like to live in Omaha, Nebraska, they often start with the practical details.
They look at housing prices, schools, neighborhoods, commute times, parks, restaurants, and local amenities.
And those things certainly matter.
But there is another part of understanding a community that doesn't always show up in a home search.
It's the people and organizations who show up for one another.
The volunteers who give their time.
The businesses that sponsor local causes.
The teenagers who organize fundraisers.
The musicians who use their talents to help families they've never met.
These are the things that contribute to the character of a place.
Whether someone is considering moving to Omaha, buying a home in Papillion, exploring neighborhoods in Elkhorn, or settling into a new community in Sarpy County, local organizations like Memories for Kids are part of what makes the Omaha metro special.
Discovering More Than Homes in Omaha
At Anthology Real Estate Group, we help people buy and sell homes throughout Omaha, Elkhorn, Papillion, Gretna, Bellevue, La Vista, Springfield, and surrounding communities in Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
But we also believe being a knowledgeable local real estate resource means understanding the people, businesses, nonprofits, and community initiatives that make each area unique.
That's why we created Discover Omaha.
We want to highlight the places worth visiting, the businesses worth knowing, and the organizations doing meaningful work throughout the metro.
Memories for Kids is one of those organizations.
Its mission is a powerful reminder that while we spend a lot of time thinking about where families live, what matters most is often what happens within those families.
The experiences they share.
The time they spend together.
And the memories they carry forward.
If you're looking for a way to support a local nonprofit this fall or holiday season, consider learning more about Memories for Kids.
Because sometimes the most meaningful gift isn't something you can wrap.
It's a memory.
Learn more at memoriesforkids.org.
