Constance “Connie” Cowdery O’Neil devoted her life to caring for family, serving her community, and building a lasting legacy for people with disabilities. Born February 16, 1941, in Omaha, Connie grew up with her younger sister Nancy, who was born with cerebral palsy. At the time, resources for children with significant disabilities were scarce. Connie’s mother spent a year traveling with Nancy in search of doctors who could understand her condition. “She was not going to be shuttered in the corner,” Connie once recalled. “She was going to be with us. We’re family.” 

Her mother became a pioneer in championing care for children with disabilities, helping create the Meyer Children Rehabilitation Institute (now Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation). After her mother’s passing, Connie took over as Nancy’s primary caregiver—an experience that deepened her understanding of the gaps in services for adults with disabilities. 

Building the Enrichment Foundation 

The Enrichment Foundation, founded by Connie O’Neil in honor of her sister Nancy, is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with significant physical and mental disabilities while supporting those who care for them. Its mission is clear and deeply personal: to provide funding for services or equipment that improve quality of life, with a focus on dignity, joy, and human connection. As Connie once said, “While other efforts may keep the body alive, we will focus on the soul.” 

Since its inception, the foundation has awarded grants to more than 50 nonprofits serving the disability community in Douglas and Sarpy Counties. Grants help fund adaptive equipment, therapy programs, community engagement activities, residential care enhancements, and respite care. Annual giving totals more than $%2 million, carefully allocated to projects that align with Connie’s vision of helping people live fuller, richer lives. 

What sets The Enrichment Foundation apart is its collaborative approach. “One of Connie’s most intent wishes is that agencies maximize the funding we provide by partnering with others, so the funds make the greatest impact,” said board member Annie Bird. Grant recipients are encouraged to work together to avoid duplication and extend the reach of every dollar. 

Board members are selected for their personal or professional experience in the disability community, and the foundation’s operations are supported by the Omaha Community Foundation’s expertise in managing charitable assets and administering grants. This combination of lived experience and professional stewardship ensures that Connie’s mission will continue for generations. 

A Visionary Partner 

For Bruce Froendt, founder of the AllPlay Miracle Buddy Baseball League, meeting Connie in 2016 was transformative. “I was taken by her personal involvement. Her and her daughter and son were directly engaged with our work,” he said. “This wasn’t just a foundation that gave away money.” 

AllPlay provides a safe, joyful baseball experience for children and adults with disabilities. Players, often sidelined in other settings, get to take the main stage—building memories, experiencing teamwork, and being cheered on by friends and family. 

Connie embraced AllPlay not just with funding, but with collaboration. Each year, the organization shares its dreams and plans with the foundation, finding ways to “piggyback” efforts rather than duplicate them. “They want the funding to go the furthest,” Froendt said. “That’s rare. It expands the reach and impact.” 

A Lasting Relationship 

For Tinashe “Nash” Mahupete, President & CEO of QLI, the connection to Connie began through Nancy, who lived at QLI for six years. Long before he knew Connie’s family, Nash worked as a direct caregiver and got to know Nancy personally. “She always had a big smile, always cheery,” he recalled. “I knew her first as Nancy, the person, before I knew her as someone’s sister or aunt.” 

Nancy flourished at QLI, participating in trips, playing pranks, and building close relationships with staff and residents. Mahupete remembers a photo of her laughing with a feather on her head: “She was happy. Who cares about anything else? That’s who she was.” 

Nearly 20 years after Nancy’s passing, The Enrichment Foundation continues to support QLI’s programs, funding services that go beyond what insurance covers and helping residents live full, rich lives. “The foundation doesn’t have to keep supporting us, but they do,” Mahupete said. “Because of the Enrichment Foundation, we have seen so many lives enriched. Nancy passed away in 2006, so we are now talking about 20 years later. The support of the foundation helps us continue to do great work and serve individuals.” 

A Legacy That Lives On 

Connie passed away on May 9, 2024, at the age of 83. Her leadership style was often quiet and discreet, preferring to let partner organizations and their clients shine. Yet her influence is everywhere, from adaptive sports fields to residential care centers. 

She built The Enrichment Foundation not just to honor her sister, but to serve countless others. As Froendt reflected, “She set up something that will live long past her. The impact it will have on people with special needs will go on for so long, because of the care she took in selecting the right people and partners.” 

Through The Enrichment Foundation, Connie’s belief in dignity, joy, and opportunity for all will continue enriching lives for generations.