Let’s do what we can to make all of metro Omaha a safer and healthier community.  As reported in the Omaha World Herald in April 2007 and from other sources, although Omaha has five (5) Fortune 500 companies, the most for any U.S. city its size:

• Among America's 100 largest metro areas, Omaha has the third-highest Black poverty rate.

• Omaha’s percentage of black children in poverty ranks No. 1 in the nation, with nearly six of 10 black kids living below the poverty line.

• Blacks accounted for 55% of deaths due to HIV in 2003; Latinos accounted for 14%. Survival after an AIDS diagnosis is lower for Blacks than other racial/ethnic groups.  [Source: CDC.gov]

• In 2004, HIV was the 2nd Leading Causes of Death (LCOD) for Black men ages 35 to 44; the 4th leading cause of death for Black men and 3rd for Black women ages 25 to 34; the 4th LCOD for Black men ages 45 to 54; the 6th LCOD for Black men ages 20 to 24, and Black men ages 55 to 64; the 8th LCOD for Black men ages 5 to 9; the 10th LCOD for Black men ages 15 to 19; the ranking higher than for their respective counterparts in any other racial/ethnic group. [Source: CDC.gov]

• The age-adjusted death rates for Black people exceed Whites by 44% for stroke, 30% for heart disease, 23% for cancer, and 774% for HIV disease.  [Source: CDC.gov]

• Black males have the highest annual rate of death by age, race, and gender from conception to 85 years of age.

• 53% of Black women and 51% of Mexican-American women aged 40 to 59 are obese - compared to 39% of White women the same age; and 61% of Black women and 37% of Mexican-American women over 60 years of age are obese - compared to 32% of White women the same age! [Source: CDC.gov]