Students Gather 24,000 Items for Open Store

Students from three Omaha-area high schools sorted donations for the 15th annual free giveaway at the Hope Center for Kids.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Philanthropy

Students Gather 24,000 Items for Open Store

Live Poll

Would you donate household items to a community giveaway like this?

Students from Ralston, Blair and Bennington high schools collected and sorted about 24,000 donated items for the 15th Annual Open Store at the Hope Center for Kids. The free event offers clothing, furniture, toys and toiletries to families on Saturday, November 7.

Why it matters

The Open Store connects people with items to give with families who need them, bringing the community together around a shared donation effort. The event's scale reflects how local schools and volunteers can meet practical household needs across Omaha.

Roughly 24,000 donated items are available free of charge at the 15th annual Open Store, held over three hours on Saturday, November 7. The count is organizer-reported, and the source does not say how many items are expected to be taken.

The players

Hope Center for Kids

A Omaha-area organization serving children and families, which hosts the Open Store at its facility for the first time this year.

Dr. Suzi Yokley Busby

The founder of the Open Store initiative, who began the effort in South Omaha in 2011.

The details

Students from Ralston, Blair and Bennington high schools collected and sorted the donations, which include toys, clothing, furniture and toiletries. The event is free and open to everyone, and families can shop the items at no cost.

2011: Dr. Suzi Yokley Busby began the Open Store initiative in South Omaha.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: The 15th Annual Open Store runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hope Center for Kids.

Season Trajectory

This 15th annual event extends an initiative Dr. Suzi Yokley Busby launched in South Omaha in 2011, now relocated to the Hope Center for Kids for the first time. The move marks a new chapter for a donation drive that has run for a decade and a half.

Families in the Omaha area can attend the free Open Store on Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hope Center for Kids. Clothing, furniture, toys and toiletries are available without cost to anyone who attends.

The takeaway

Local donation drives depend on volunteers and students willing to sort and distribute goods, and this event shows how sustained effort over 15 years can keep such a program running. Residents with items to give can look to community efforts like this one as a practical way to help neighbors.