Jaymes Sime: A non-profit director’s take on service and channeling passion

A n impact is key to leading a fulfilling life. Jaymes Sime is living proof: As the executive director of Nebraska’s MICAH House for homeless families, he has turned his energy and passion into a career that makes a difference to individuals and his community.

Why homeless services?

Sime has channeled his own life experiences into a lifelong passion. He spent six months of his childhood homeless and experienced firsthand the magic and meaning of people reaching out to help when he needed it most. He wanted to provide that experience to others in need—and thus, his path was formed.

Taking homeless services to the next level

MICAH House isn’t just a place to sleep. It’s a place to receive services with dignity. It’s a place for both kids and adults to benefit from educational programs. And it’s a place to “transform,” Sime said, as evidenced by the weekly Transformation Thursdays. By working on concepts like positive emotions, strong relationships, and empowerment with residents who may never have received that support before, he hopes to foster the inspiration within them to make lasting changes.

Get involved!

Sime believes it’s important for everyone to be involved in something they’re passionate about. Many people say “I can’t make a career change”; if that’s the case, he said, find another way—like volunteering or coaching. “Give of yourself that root thing that burns inside of you, even though sometimes you try to push it down.”

“If we are all engaged in what we’re passionate about,” Sime said, “the world will change for the better.”

I agree. Do you? Share one-way people can incorporate their passion into their lives in the comments.

About Jaymes Sime

As executive director of MICAH House, an Omaha metro homeless shelter, Jaymes Sime has transformed the organization’s programs and services and increased the budget to meet the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the metro area. Since he was hired in November 2015, Sime has grown the shelter’s budget 80% in two years. Also, he created innovative programs, including a positive psychology class for adults called Transformation Thursday. Sime has recently launched a website and blog, called Electric Executive. Through this blog, Sime hopes to inspire people to live a life of purpose and passion.

Sime’s strengths allow him to see the larger picture — to assess long-term problems and come up with creative solutions. As a child, Sime spent time homeless, he advocates for people from the perspective of lived experience. Sime is committed to the community and regularly lends his expertise to a variety of programs and organizations in the Omaha metro. He is a commissioner for the Council Bluffs Housing Authority and is secretary of the Charles E. Lakin Campus Executive Board. He recently graduated from the Nonprofit Executive Institute through the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands and is a fellow with the 2018 New Leaders Council Institute.

Jaymes has created a positive impact in the community and has garnered national and local recognition, including the John C. Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award Top 100, where he was the only representative from Nebraska and Iowa. He is also the recipient of the 2017 TOYO (Ten Outstanding Young Omahans) award and 2017 Midlands Business Journal 40 under 40-award recipient.