Building Community Across What Divides Us
Alternatives to Violence is a grassroots, worldwide movement dedicated to building peace in ourselves, our homes, schools, institutions, and communities.
We seek to release everyone’s innate power to positively transform ourselves and in so doing transform the world. Our workshops use shared experiences of participants and facilitators to examine how injustice, prejudice, frustration, and anger can lead to aggressive behavior and violence.
We explore our innate power to respond in new and creative ways.
History of Omaha AVP
Omaha AVP today is the fruit of seeds sowed decades ago by strong, visionary women, Merry Marian, Mighty Mary, Mama Marge and Marvelous Maureen.
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Countless are the lives they've inspired and changed. With gratitude, we share their stories
Merry Marian brought her inspiration for starting an Omaha AVP chapter when she moved to Nebraska in the 1990's. She sowed the first seeds and taught many how to cultivate them..
Sister Maureen Connolly, SSSF, AKA Marvelous Maureen, served as the Omaha Local Coordinator from 2009 until her passing in 2020.
Her passionate leadership, indomitable spirit and tireless commitment to AVP strengthened our group and served as a guide through challenges and celebrations.
Thank you, Marvelous Maureen! We couldn't have done it without you. Peace be with you.
Coming out o the 2020-21 pandemic, a loss of most volunteers plus the loss of Marvelous Maureen, Soulful Suzanne King volunteered to serve as the Omaha local coordinator and president from Aug 2021 to the present.
Her journey with Omaha AVP began in 2013 while visiting from TX amd she became a facilitator in the Omaha Correctional Center in 2016 when she moved to Nebraska.
As a volunteer-led prison and community based proogram, Omaha AVP facilitators and volunteers promote ways to find the power within all of us to seek a peaceful rather than a violent solution in ourselves and our opponent.
Currently, Omaha AVP serves men in the Community Correction Center – Omaha (CCC-O), a high-trust, low security Nebrska Department of Correctional Services facility. Individuals residing at CCC-O are at the end of their sentences, starting their transition back into their communities and families. They are attending classes, finding jobs and going shopping, and spending time in the community with their families once again.
Omaha AVP offers community workshops for CCCO residents, AVP members who have returned to the community and to the greater Omaha community as a whole. Mini-workshops are 3 hour offer opportunities to experience AVP's experiential learning model. Basic and Advanced AVP workshops last 3days and offer a more in-depth learning experiences. Learn more about upcoming workshops.
To aid in this process of community reintegration, Omaha AVP offers a weekly gatherings at CCC-O to discuss topics related to nonviolence, relationships, forgiveness and more. Additionally, we offer monthly community reintegration field trips to events such as the opera, symphony, museums, conferences and community discussions. Reintegration into the community is a gradual process. AVP field trips opportunities offer models of how to succeed as a returning citizen. All participation is voluntary.
More AVP Around The World
AVP Nebraska serves the Lincoln, NE area. It starting in the early 2000's through the vision of Mama Marge Schlitt. it's a sister chapter to Omaha AVP, sharing training, ideas and support.
AVP Nebraska primarily serves men and women incarcerated in Community Corrections Center - Lincoln. Like Omaha AVP, AVP Nebraska offers 3-day experiential Basic and Advanced workshops in personal growth and creative conflict management. Workshops are spread over the Saturday and Sunday of one weekend and the Saturday of the next weekend. The hours on Saturdays are 9 am to 3:30 pm, and Sundays are 2 pm to 8:30 pm.
After decades of touching lives and bringing hope and new beginnings, the AVP-Nebraska program at the Nebraska State Penetentiary (NSP) is currently paused
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For more information about Lincoln AVP, contact Mama Marge Schlitt margeschlitt432@gmail.com or Jumping Joe Rott jumpingjoeavp@yahoo.com
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There are active AVP chapters in 38 states. Venues are diverse: Prisons and jails, churches and businesses, homeless and family shelters, youth clubs and alternative schools.
AVP-USA is the parent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under which United States Alternative to Violence Project local chapters belong and find guidance and leadership.
AVP USA maintains a list of upcoming in-person and online workshops across the nation. Contact them to find an opportunity near you.
An Annual AVP Gathering is held over Memorial Day weekend in rotating venues to bring together facilitators from around the country and/or world to share ideas, find mutual support and join together in setting a future course for AVP-USA as a collective organization.
Alternatives to Violence Project International, Inc. (AVP International) is an umbrella organization that provides an infrastructure to support AVP programs and facilitators around the world. Through AVP International, AVP facilitators from 6 continents can share tips and techniques, AVP training, collaborative conversations and much more. AVP-USA falls under the AVP International umbrella.
