MEET OUR OMAHA STAFF: TABITHA DREIGER
Before becoming The Salvation Army of Omaha’s Senior Independent Living Facility program director at Durham Booth Manor, Tabitha Dreiger spent more than 20 years as a property management professional.
"I have worked for other low-income properties and property management firms,” Dreiger said. “I've worked for the city. This is [my] first nonprofit."
Durham Booth Manor (DBM) is a HUD-funded senior independent living facility for low-income seniors aged 62 years and older. DBM currently houses 48 seniors.
Many residents were previously homeless or living in unsafe conditions before The Salvation Army brought them to DBM.
"They could have been on the streets, they could have been in a tent, they could have been in a homeless shelter, living in an RV,” Dreiger said. “So, to be able to bring them into an environment that is clean, safe, sanitary – and where they're truly cared for – is such a blessing."
Dreiger added that this is often the last stop for many of the program’s seniors before they enter a higher level of care.
“These residents become like family to us,” she said. “We know so much about them. Many of them don't have anyone.
"We do small things,” Dreiger said. “We might help them learn how to write a check. We might help them learn how to print a recipe or set up an email address."
She said coming to work for The Salvation Army was an easy decision.
"To be able to work in the housing division—something that my background and entire career was—to have the opportunity to work for such an amazing agency, I couldn't pass it up."
Dreiger shared her thoughts on what the meaning of The Salvation Army’s mantra, “Doing the Most Good," is.
“'Doing the Most Good,' to me, means serving people of all walks of life in all aspects of crises of human needs. Anything that we can do to help, I believe that we do the most good."