If you build it, they will come.
Kelly Lauer, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Fitting Futures, formerly known as The White Cane Foundation.
I love the movie Field of Dreams. Great movies stay with us long after they end, reminding us of moments in our own lives and offering comfort or helping us believe in something bigger. When it came out the film was supernatural and entertaining, but the underlying theme was “if you build it, they will come.” To me, it was the “power to trust your instincts.”
When Dave and I started Fitting Futures in 2019, we modeled our mission after a nonprofit in St. Louis that was changing young lives by providing new clothing outfits to children. We brought that idea to Lincoln and quickly realized how great the need truly was. We started small, using the first floor of our home to organize tagged clothing items for children at Belmont Elementary.
Before long, generous community partners stepped in. Nebraska Book Store gave us our first shared space, followed by Cornhusker Bank, which welcomed us to a larger location. The third space was bigger and provided us with room to spread out. We added shelving, assembly stations, and volunteers who believed in our mission started to show up one by one. We began to paint a picture for all to see, and more students were being served. New Clothing. Big Smiles. Lasting Impact.
January 2025, we moved to our current location at 6400 Cornhusker Highway. Nailed it! It is clean, inviting, and a perfect 4000 sq ft space for our organization to continue to grow schools and volunteer opportunities all at once. For the first time since we started, we were under one roof. Today, Fitting Futures serves all 19 title 1 elementary schools.
August 2026 we will enter our first middle school, Park. We will also enter our first 2 non-title elementary schools, Roper and Calvert. Both projects serve as our promise to eventually serve all title kids throughout their journey to a high school diploma.
Headquarters on Cornhusker Highway
Totes and trays ready with clothing for Bundles of Joy!
Overall Impressions of Our New Space
Cornhusker Bank COO, Board President, Crystal Wichita says, “Since moving in, we’ve streamlined operations and enhanced our overall organization.”
Volunteer, Library Instructional Coordinator, Retired LPS, , Pam Cassel says, “The front area is an ideal space with easy access for drivers to drop off and pick up items along their routes.”
Board Secretary, Director of Elementary Principals-Retired, Cindy Schwaninger says, “All work areas are ‘consistent’, and our volunteers can rely on these systems, making their time very productive.”
Inventory & Volunteer Manager, Samantha Jacobi simply states, “I’m biased but it’s AMAZING.”
What are the WOW Factors?
Crystal: “The magnitude of our work and the number of children we reach.”
Cindy: “The sheer size of the space filled with clothes and shoes showcasing our mission.”
Samantha: “It’s a POSITIVE and fun place to be!”
Top Two Improvements
Pam: “The black AND wooden shelving units which streamline the restocking process.”
Cindy: “The office is inviting for volunteer training, celebrating and planning meetings.”
Sam: “The driver routes and several more volunteers trained to bundle is huge.”
Other Thoughts Worth Mentioning
Crystal: “I’m excited to see how we evolve and grow in the years ahead.”
Pam: “As the number of students we serve continues to grow, we are growing right alongside of them.”
Cindy: “Thank you, Kelly for having the vision for this larger space! You knew what this could be and helped our Board see the potential.
The Heart of the Mission
The heart of Fitting Futures has always been the experience we create for each child. We witness a memory being made of a child who has never had a new tag on their clothes or a pair of shoes that was fit just for them or even a toothbrush of their own. They are given choice, dignity and care and each child spends time one-on-one with a volunteer just for them. They go into a tent to make sure these clothes feel good and fit properly. They emerge to look at themselves in a mirror and see their reflection staring back at them. We started this to give children 20 minutes with their own volunteer, so they felt seen, heard and become the “star” of their own show. How priceless is that?
Give to Lincoln Day 2026
What we didn’t know is how deeply this mission would impact our volunteers too. More than 150 people, all in different seasons of life, have found friendship, purpose, laughter and connection through this labor of love. Conversations filled with tenderness, encouragement, surprises, and joy happen every day. High fives and hugs have become part of the culture we’ve built together.
New spaces are everywhere and the challenge to grow is waiting for all of us. “If you build it, they will come.” A whisper in my ear and the courage to take a chance and find all the right people to join us in this vision is coming together. It will change and it will grow and people of all generations will continue to be served…one by one.
Our space will look different in a few years and a few decades; perhaps even more than we can imagine right now. However, if the foundation that it is laid upon continues to be nurtured, watered and tended to they will continue to come. There is nothing supernatural about that. That is the power of caring, that is the power of hope, that is the power of love.
-Kelly Lauer, Executive Director Fitting Futures
For more information visit our website at www.fittingfutures.org or Contact Kelly directly at klauer@fittingfutures.org
