The Community Health Endowment (CHE) is highlighting five ideas submitted through the Community Health Ideas Challenge, each aimed at improving health and well-being in Lincoln through creative, community-driven solutions. Following a competitive review process, Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach was selected as the winner and awarded a $20,000 grant. The Malone Center was named runner-up and awarded $14,000 in support of their proposal.
The challenge expands CHE’s existing grantmaking by testing new ways to invest in community-led solutions that address barriers to health, particularly in neighborhoods facing the greatest challenges. “Each of these ideas comes directly from people and organizations who know their communities best,” said CHE President and CEO, Kate Bolz. “They represent the kind of innovation, compassion, and practical thinking that leads to lasting change.”
As part of the review process, Leadership Lincoln helped evaluate proposals, bringing a broad community perspective to the selection process. Finalists also received coaching from Firespring and Cause Collective to help strengthen their proposals before the CHE’s Board of Trustees made the final decision.
The five finalists, including the winner and runner-up of the 2026 Community Health Ideas Challenge, are:
- WINNER: Increasing Access to Healthy Food: Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach plans to install refrigerated smart lockers to expand access to fresh, nutritious food beyond traditional pantry services, which currently operate four days per week. This innovation allows individuals to pick up food at convenient times, reducing barriers related to work schedules, transportation, and stigma. Over the last six years, Matt Talbot has experienced a 60% increase in meals and pantry services. This approach responds to growing demand by reimagining food access, combining technology and dignity to give people more flexible, convenient ways to choose and pick up food on their own schedule, much like a modern retail experience.
RUNNER-UP: Bringing Preventative Health Care into the Community: The Clyde Malone Community Center proposes expanding its “One Stop Cancer Shop” to provide screenings, education, and patient navigation services directly in a trusted neighborhood setting. This approach responds to stark disparities in Lincoln, where life expectancy can vary by 10 years. Rather than expecting residents to navigate complex healthcare systems, this model brings preventative care into a trusted community space, making early detection more accessible, relational, and community centered.
FINALIST: Addressing Mental Health for Immigrant and Refugee Communities: The Center for Legal Immigration Assistance (CLIA) proposed creating neighborhood-based wellness hubs that provide bilingual mental health screenings, trauma-informed support groups, and therapy. What makes this approach innovative is its focus on bringing culturally responsive mental health care directly into neighborhoods, reducing fear and stigma while reaching people who might otherwise never access traditional systems.
FINALIST: Expanding Youth Fitness Through Summer Programming: Family Service Lincoln’s “Healthy for Life” program proposed offering free, after-summer-school programming focused on physical activity, nutrition, and family engagement. This idea stands out by using an existing touchpoint (summer school) and extending it into a coordinated, no-cost health program that connects youth fitness, family engagement, and access in one place.
FINALIST: Supporting Housing Stability for Young Adults: The HUB Central Access Point for Young Adults proposed a Guaranteed Cosigner Program to help young people aging out of foster care secure stable housing. This approach offered an innovative, practical, targeted solution to a well-documented gap in the housing system.
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The Community Health Endowment of Lincoln (CHE) is a municipal endowment dedicated to making Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation. To achieve this vision, CHE invests in health-related projects and programs and convenes the community around important health issues. Since its inception in 1998, CHE has returned nearly $45 million to the community.
