Recognizing Amanda Brewer for Women's History Month

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Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize for Women's History Month, Amanda Brewer, Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, who has the heart of service for her community. Amanda was raised in Norfolk, Nebraska by her parents Michael and Kathleen Jedlicka, graduating from Norfolk Catholic High School, where she was instilled with the values of service, compassion, and community. She is married to her husband Kelly, and they have a pre-teen daughter, Lydia.

Amanda went on to graduate from DePaul University. Still, in 1997, she felt a call to serve and address inequities in the world that she had become aware of. So, she dropped everything and moved from the corporate world in Chicago to Georgia, where she became a full-time volunteer with Habitat for Humanity International.

Returning to Nebraska in 1999, she joined Habitat for Humanity of Omaha as an associate director. Six years later, she was named CEO and has served in that role faithfully and with a dedicated vision.

Becoming the top-ranked affiliate in families served in the U.S., Habitat for Humanity of Omaha has achieved remarkable growth and impact under Amanda's leadership. The organization serves five eastern Nebraska counties, has built and renovated thousands of homes, and developed transformative programs that empower families and strengthen communities.

Amanda knows that preserving communities goes beyond simply building homes. She has provided opportunities for families to create generational wealth through innovations such as education programs for homeowners about wealth transfer and heirs' rights. She has also implemented covenants to ensure long-term affordability through property tax limits and advocacy efforts. Her vision for communities also includes pioneering affordable housing initiatives, advocating for equitable homeownership opportunities, and launching partnerships far beyond traditional boundaries.

These accomplishments are monumental but not what Amanda cherishes most: the kindness and humanity she has seen in others during her 27 years of service. She fully embraces the idea that everyone has something valuable to offer and talents to share.

Answering the call to serve is an honorable quality in a person, and Amanda's story of courage, compassion, and commitment to others is a testimony to the power one person can have when they answer that call. Generations of families will feel the ripple effect from her work leading Habitat for Humanity Omaha. She truly reflects a life that shows when someone shifts from receiving to giving, a world can be created where everyone has hope, equity, and opportunity to thrive.

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