Bags of Fun: Bringing Hope to Those Who Need it Most

The Gabby Krause Foundation DBA Bags of Fun was started in Denver in 2004 in honor of Gabby Krause who passed away after an 18-month battle with a brain tumor. Gabby was diagnosed with brain cancer on her 5 th birthday. Her mother, a schoolteacher, wanted to make sure Gabby continued to play and learn throughout her treatment. It was Gabby’s bag of games, activities, crafts, books and comforting items that she carried with her throughout her battle that became the original Bag of Fun. It was Gabby’s wish that each child battling a life-threatening illness, like her cancer, get a Bag of Fun.

In 2019, Gabby’s Aunt and Uncle, Amy and Andy Krause, brought Bags of Fun to Omaha. Bags of Fun Omaha has been going strong ever since the start. The community has really stepped up to support the organization. There is clearly a need to serve these children and provide them with educational materials, comforting items, and therapeutic play while they are in the fight of their lives.

Who is the primary group that you serve with your organization?

Bags of Fun Omaha serves children ages 0-19 who are in local hospitals fighting a life-threatening illness. We receive referrals from the social workers and child life specialists at Nebraska Medicine, Children’s Nebraska, Madonna Rehabilitative Hospital, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Endless Journey Hospice, and the Children’s Respite Care Center. We also partner with Heart Heroes and Angels Among Us to deliver to the children they serve. Many of the children who receive a Bag of Fun are waiting for organ transplants, fighting cancer, fighting sickle cell, cystic fibrosis, battens disease or recovering from a traumatic, life-threatening
accident. Each Medical Bag of Fun that we deliver is customized specifically for the child receiving it so as to be as impactful as possible. We take into consideration any developmental or physical limitations they might have, the milestones they are trying to reach, and all of their interests such as favorite character, sports team, color, etc.

In September we expanded our program to serve children who are suffering from a mental health crisis, which can also be life-threatening. The Mental Health Bags are more standardized and contain the tools these children need to soothe themselves, modify behaviors, calm and distract themselves as part of their safety protocol. We have been delivering these Mental Health Bags to CHI Mercy and will soon be delivering to Children’s Nebraska and Boys Town as well.

What makes your organization different from others with a similar
focus?

We have yet to find another organization with a similar focus. The Medical Bags of Fun we provide are free to the families and cost us $450 each to put together. These tools are directed towards the child and the family to let them know that it is okay to smile and laugh even though they are going through a tough time. Sometimes that is exactly what is needed to relieve the stress of a hospital stay. A child’s job is to play. That is how they learn. We are here to encourage that. We know a Bag of Fun does not cure illness, but if it gives the family a chance to see their child laugh and smile, if only for a few moments, it is worthwhile.

What are some of your main fundraising events and when are
they held?

Bags of Fun Omaha has three main fundraising events. We hold an annual golf tournament in June each year, an annual cornhole tournament in August, and our Third Annual Game Night Gala will be held April 4, 2025 at The Relevant.

We often hold smaller events as well. We have a poker Tournament at TINY’S on November 16 and an ice fishing tournament at Whitehawk Lake in January. All our events can be found on our website and on our Facebook page.

Who are the main members/leaders of your organization?

The Bags of Fun team consists of Amy Krause, Executive Director and Leigh Sittenauer, Associate Director. We also have a part-time event planner, Mandy Meyers and we also have an amazing board of directors led by Ryan Haney of UBS.

Are there any local businesses that have been especially helpful
in sponsoring or supporting your organization?

Fat Brain Toys and Mangelsen’s have both been extremely helpful in supporting Bags of Fun Omaha. They each offer discounts to help fill the Bags of Fun. Landmark Performance Homes has been extremely supportive of our organization, as has Union Bank and Trust, Building Omaha, Cox communications and The Charles E. Lakin Foundation.

How do you get the word out about your organization?

We rely on our supporters to help spread the word about our organization. We also do a bit of networking to try to get the word out. Our director is a powerful public speaker and has a great story to tell, so if anyone needs a speaker for a meeting, we are willing to give presentations. We are very active on social media. If you are interested in following us, look for Bags of Fun Omaha on Facebook, Instagram and Linked in. We appreciate all those who follow, like, share and comment on our posts!

Where do you see your organization in 5 years? 10?

In five years, we hope that Bags of Fun is a name that is well recognized and respected in the community. Even after 5 years of being in Omaha, we feel there is more potential for growth and service locally. There are likely more patients we can serve and potentially more diagnosis that we have not yet gained referrals for. We also hope to be serving each mental health facility in our community.

The Gabby Krause Foundation would like representation in every state. We are currently in Denver, Kansas City and Omaha with potential expansion to Texas, Alabama, and Iowa.

If someone asked how they could help your organization, what
would you tell them?

We are always looking for people with time, talent or treasure. We love to have corporate groups, dance teams, girl scouts, etc. set up opportunities to volunteer. We utilize many volunteers at our golf tournament, cornhole tournament and our gala. People interested in volunteering can join our outreach committee or join our gala planning committee.

Anyone willing to host a fundraiser on our behalf is welcome! We do caution people that we cannot take used toys or games due to the immuno-compromised state of the children we serve, but fundraisers are encouraged. We have a wish list on Share Omaha which people can take advantage of.

We are very appreciative of individual donations, corporate funding, sponsors and grant opportunities as well.

What are the biggest needs of your organization right now?

Funding and volunteer work are probably the biggest needs of our organization currently. With the expansion of delivering Mental Health Bags, funding is a main priority. We know that we are only scratching the surface with the number of mental health bags we are able to deliver. If we had more funding, we would be able to increase our output of mental health bags and serve more children. All the while, our Medical Bags of Fun referrals are increasing as well. Initially we delivered an average of 22 Medical Bags of Fun per month. That number has recently increased to about 33 on average per month. Obviously, increasing services causes a need for an increase in funding as well as an increase in volunteers to help pack and deliver these bags.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

We are so thankful to the Omaha community for embracing and supporting the Bags of Fun organization! It is amazing to see how far we have come in five short years! This organization used to operate out of our director’s basement. Formerly a Nurse at Children’s Nebraska, with no business experience to speak of, Amy took on the challenge of starting the Omaha location. She has proven to be an amazing leader! We are currently self-sustaining, maintaining high standards for the product we deliver, and expanding at a rapid pace. The need for our services has been proven. We appreciate all the feedback, support, and postcards from the more than 1000 families we have served since 2019. We are only getting started!

Thank you to everyone in the Omaha community your support!

Meet River!

This adorable little guy received his Bag of Fun following his second heart surgery. River’s mom said, “Receiving a Bag of Fun is important because it’s a great reminder that even though our child has had to experience significant challenges at a very young age, he is still a baby who longs to play, learn, and grow. The items included in his Bag of Fun help make that possible. At only five months old, this little baby has been through more than most people experience in a lifetime. Our family has made a lot of sacrifices during this traumatic time, and this Bag of Fun was the perfect way to bring some light to our boys during what had been a sometimes very dark time.”