Second Unitarian is an active member of Omaha Together One Community (OTOC), an inter-faith community-organizing effort in the city of Omaha.

We feel inter-faith community organizing is one of the most effective ways our church can make a positive difference in the Omaha community.

OTOC exists to recreate community in our fragmented society. People are often disconnected and conversations about important issues are difficult. OTOC seeks to reweave the frayed social fabric and connect people across the lines that tend to divide them: race and ethnicity, economics, religion, geography, and language.

How It Works

OTOC teaches people to become effective leaders, explore their legitimate interests, do solid research, engage in sometimes tough, but always respectful public discourse, hold elected officials accountable, and create positive change through collective action. OTOC holds a number of events throughout the year such as house meetings, research actions, accountability sessions, and leadership training.

Focus Areas

In recent years, OTOC action teams have focused on:

• Mental health: emergency mental health crisis response; mental health resources in schools; emergency mental health services for youth; and investment in the mental health workforce.
• Immigration and refugee support, including taking steps to build a broad base across the state, willing to take action on immigration reform as a solution to Nebraska’s labor shortage.
• Traffic and pedestrian safety
• Strengthening the rental registry ordinance
• Rental assistance during Covid
• Racial justice
• Predatory lending
• Environmental sustainability
• Medicaid expansion

In 2019, OTOC received Nebraska Appleseed’s Roots of Justice Award for its long-time work.