Omaha Storm Chasers Highlight 2024 Community Service Efforts

PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers and Chasers Charities have announced highlights of community service efforts for the 2024 season, with over $250,000 of monetary and in-kind donations raised by the club throughout the season.

In a year that saw an increase in community service opportunities, the Storm Chasers were excited about continuing to build upon recent successes as well as increasing the team’s presence in the community. Through their efforts, the Omaha Storm Chasers front office and players committed over 530 hours in volunteering at more than 50 community organizations within the Omaha Metro.

Over 60 community organizations were featured at Storm Chasers games in partnership with Dvorak Law Group, while more than 30 non-profits were involved with the team’s PayPal Community Series, with the chance to table prior to a select Storm Chasers game.

Chasers Charities, the charitable arm of the Omaha Storm Chasers, awarded over $20,000 in grants to local non-profit youth baseball and softball organizations for field and facility improvements, a 6% increase from last year. Additionally, over $14,000 was raised through several Chasers Charities garage sales and two $1,250 scholarships were awarded to local black student-athletes through the Jackie Robinson Athletic Scholarship presented by Chasers Charities and the Weitz Company.

“Living and working in the Omaha metro for a Triple-A club is a privilege for our staff and me. The volunteerism and funds raised by our staff for our great community are admirable,” Storm Chasers President Martie Cordaro said. “A special thank you should also be given to the Storm Chasers fans and sponsors that assisted us in impacting so many lives this year.”

With the tornadoes that swept through Nebraska and Iowa in late April and early May, the Storm Chasers worked to raise funds for the United Way of the Midlands Nebraska and Iowa Tornado Relief Funds. Nebraska Strong t-shirt sales raised $4,300, while the Star Wars jersey auction in May generated $8,795 for the fund. In May, the Chasers worked with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball to launch the online Midwest Tornado Relief Auction. Tickets, experiences and autographed memorabilia were donated from across the baseball community with all net proceeds shared among affected MiLB community relief efforts. The auction allowed the Storm Chasers organization to donate over $7,000 to the Kilmer family in Elkhorn, NE, to help efforts in rebuilding their house.

The Storm Chasers raised $23,455 for local non-profits through five game-used jersey auctions throughout the 2024 season. The Star Wars jersey auction in May produced the greatest proceeds, while Omaha Runzas jerseys in June and other Omaha Runzas merchandise raised $6,000 for the Food Bank of the Heartland. The Omaha Rockets tribute jersey auction in July generated $3,030 for the Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands, the Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond jersey auction in August raised $4,400 for Make-A-Wish Nebraska and the online-exclusive Omaha Golden Spikes jersey auction raised $1,230 for Chasers Charities.

The 2024 season once again featured several opportunities for fans to get involved in important causes. 6,881 cans of non-perishable food were donated through the Canned Food Sunday promotion, a 20% increase from 2023. $11,000 was raised for the Ronald McDonald House Charities through the Leonard Management McDonald’s and Woodhouse Auto Family Hurl the Pearl promotion, where fans purchase softie baseballs to be thrown into the back of a truck driven around the field.

Additional highlights include $3,360 donated to PlaySmart via the Werner Enterprises RBI promotion, nearly $2,000 donated to Operation Ride Home in conjunction with Jack Daniel’s, Republic National Distributing and OVG Hospitality to assist junior-enlisted service members and those with families to travel home for the holidays and $4,000 donated to Foster Love through a partnership with Cummins Sales & Service through the doubles and double plays promotion during the 2024 season. Additionally, $6,501 was generated for Boys Town Pediatrics through donations to use the Boys Town Field basketball court and wiffle ball field at Werner Park during Storm Chasers home games.

On top of the funds raised through various auctions, activations and promotions, the Storm Chasers front office provided 8,000 vouchers to Sunbelt Bakery Library Games and the club donated 5,500 tickets to metro Omaha schools for ‘All About Kids Day’ as students from all around the city came to Werner Park for weather safety and education, while enjoying a great day of baseball. Additionally, over $10,000 of in-kind donations were provided via donation requests, from tickets to experiences and merchandise.

Storm Chasers mascots also spent 126 hours in the community, including the College World Series FanFest, United Way 100-year Celebrations, branches of the Omaha Public Library and other area libraries, dozens of school visits for Read Across America Week and other events around the Omaha Metro.