For Omaha dentist Dr. Roger Curry, a longtime donor to Goodfellows, the stories of those he's been able to help over the years have stuck with him.
Curry and his wife, Charlotte, operate the Macedonian Ministry, through which they provide those in need and those with disabilities with food vouchers, rental assistance, transportation help and other essential services, Curry said.
"We're involved in a lot of things like that, where you're trying to help people that deserve the help," he said.
The ministry not only helps people in Omaha, but also assists refugees in other parts of the world and those on Native American reservations.
"There's so many opportunities to help people," Curry said.
Curry said he also helps bring food to the Heartland Hope Mission, Empty Tomb Ministries and Generation Diamond regularly, visits nursing homes as a volunteer through the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society and has donated to the Goodfellows program for many years.
Goodfellows was founded in the 1890s, and since 2020, The World-Herald and United Way of the Midlands have partnered to administer the program.
Curry said he appreciates the work Goodfellows does to provide one-time emergency help to people in need.
"It's really a good mission," he said. "You're helping people that have real needs."
Goodfellows Omaha neighbors contribute nearly $370K to Goodfellows fund
Curry, who operates a family dentistry near 108th and Q Streets, has also worked to help provide dental care to people in need and those with disabilities over the years.
Fresh out of dental school in 1969, Curry's first job at the dental clinic in the Douglas County Hospital started him on a path of working to help people who struggle with disabilities and poverty, according to a 2013 World-Herald article. The article came as Curry was honored as the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society's volunteer of the year.
Curry said he's gotten to know some pretty remarkable people with disabilities, such as a man with cerebral palsy who could barely talk but wrote poetry and a woman with polio who learned to paint by holding a paintbrush in her teeth.
"We met all of these people that were so incredible," he said. "That's one of the reasons we got so involved."
Curry said his drive to help those in need comes down to his identity as a Christian and wanting to share his blessings with others.
"I feel like that's what God wants us to do: Love God and love your neighbor," he said. "It's just a really good opportunity to show people that you care about them and that you love them."
Local News From the editor: Goodfellows unites us and helps our neighbors who are struggling Rachel Stassen-Berger Photos: The Goodfellows fund through the years 1996 1995 1994 1994 1992 1991 1991 1991 1989 1989 1989 1988 1982 1982 1982 1978 1978 1976 1976 1976 1975 1975 1974 1969 1968 1965 1963 1963 1962 1962 1960 1957 1953 1953 1951 1948 1948 1948 1942 1941 1941 1941 1939 1939 1939 1938 1938 1926