Photo:Bud Synhorst, president of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, and Vinita Sauder, president of Union College, presented the Community Appreciation Award toGlenn Schawang, outreach program coordinator, and Susanne Blue, executive director of Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach.

Union College is proud to honor Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach with the Community Partnership Award.

The award was presented at the tenth annual Community Appreciation Breakfast held at Union College on Tuesday, February 14, 2023. Union gives the award to recognize a local business, foundation or organization’s steadfast dedication in helping the college accomplish its mission — to create a personal, student-focused community, which empowers students for a lifetime of learning, service and leadership.

Best known in Lincoln for providing hot meals for anyone who needs them, Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach provides a wide array of outreach services to prevent and alleviate homelessness. During the last quarter century, Union College has partnered with Matt Talbot to provide a regular foot clinic for Lincoln’s unhoused population.

The monthly clinic is operated by the Union College Nursing and Physician Assistant Programs at Matt Talbot’s 27th Street outreach center. A group of nursing and PA students spend several hours cleaning, healing and pampering the feet of anyone who needs it. Clients receive a pair of socks each month and a new pair of shoes every six months thanks to funds raised by the students and faculty in the two programs.

“It’s humbling to have an opportunity to connect with those who really need assistance,” said Mollie Zajicek-Stokebrand, a second-year PA student who has volunteered at the foot clinic several times. “For most of us, the experience is about the conversations as much as the actual service. A good healthcare provider listens first and washing someone’s feed provides an excellent opportunity to listen. Thank you, Matt Talbot, for allowing Union to be a part of your mission.”

“For some of our most vulnerable populations, sometimes their sole source of transportation is their feet,” explained Glenn Schawang, outreach program coordinator for Matt Talbot. “A lot of the individuals we serve don’t have the resources to take care of their feet. Foot care is important and the shoes are important. But most often they tell me about how important it was to have someone take the time to listen to their story and be a friendly face. So we appreciate all the work Union College is doing and look forward to many more years of partnership.”

Matt Talbot has also been a longtime host site for Union’s annual Project Impact, a day off from classes to kick off the school year when students and employees volunteer at service organizations throughout Lincoln. Many students have been so touched by the opportunity to make and serve a lunch to someone in need that they choose to volunteer at Matt Talbot throughout the year. 

Union also honored James Pelowski, owner of K9 Bed Bug Detection in Lincoln with the Valued Partner Award. Pelowski uses highly trained dogs to detect bed bugs so they can be mitigated. When bed bugs became an increasing problem across the country 12 years ago, Pelowski partnered with Union to help keep the bugs from becoming an issue on campus. “He has spent countless hours educating the residential hall staff as to what is the best practice for dealing with these pests,” said Emily Patterson, associate dean of women. “But just as important, he has spent time teaching us how to prevent bed bugs in our buildings.” Thanks to Pelowski’s education and his dogs, bed bugs are not a problem on Union’s campus.

The Community Appreciation Breakfast was hosted by Union College supporters Bud Synhorst, president of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, Alec Gorynski, president and CEO of the Lincoln Community Foundation and Diane Thurber, president of Christian Record Services.

Previous Community Appreciation Award recipients include the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, Lincoln Public Schools, Bryan Health, Capital and Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the American Red Cross, People’s City Mission and Union Bank & Trust.

Thanks to the Lincoln Independent Business Association for sponsoring the solid crystal award.