TULSA, Okla. – The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) announced Saturday Oklahoma State University - Medicine (OSU-Medicine) as the recipient of the 2021 J. Jerry Dickman Award for Excellence. This award, sponsored by the Tulsa Community Foundation, recognizes the overall winner of the ONE Awards and brings with it a grant of $10,000. Now in its fourteenth year, the ONE Awards honors 21 nonprofits from throughout the state for their superior leadership and exceptional service to their constituents and communities.

“OKCNP is extremely proud to honor OSU-Medicine, not only for its core mission of educating health care professionals to serve rural areas of Oklahoma, but also for its extraordinary work in combatting COVID-19 through innovative testing and best practices sharing,” said Phil Lakin, chair, ONE Awards Selection Commission; president and CEO, Tulsa Community Foundation.

ONE award finalists are selected in seven categories: arts and humanities, community, education, health services, self-sufficiency, transformation and youth development.  Each of the 21 nonprofit finalists receive at least a $5,000 grant, with category winners receiving $7,500, and the overall winner receiving $10,000.

 “Thank you for honoring the efforts of OSU-Medicine,” Dennis Blankenship, D.O., senior associate dean for academic affairs, College of Osteopathic Medicine, OSU- Medicine. Oklahomans have proved that when we all work together, it is better for us all.”

Finalists in each category are as follows (category winners designated by an asterisk):

The ONE Award for Arts & Humanities sponsored by The Chickasaw Nation: Circle Cinema Foundation, Oklahoma Youth Orchestras*, Tulsa Literary Coalition/Magic City Books

The ONE Award for Community sponsored by The H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust: Compassionate Hands*, Southern Oklahoma Library System, Tulsa Historical Society and Museum

The ONE Award for Education sponsored by Express Employment International: Bartlesville Education Promise*, Rainbow Fleet, SixTwelve – The Young School

The ONE Award for Health Services sponsored by The Arvest Foundation, and Glenna and Richard Tanenbaum: Oklahoma State University - Medicine*, Shortgrass Community Health Center, Tulsa CARES

The ONE Award for Self-Sufficiency sponsored by The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and Chahta Foundation: Ada Homeless Services*, Tulsa Dream Center, Wings Special Needs Community

The ONE Award for Transformation sponsored by Potts Family Foundation, and Inasmuch Foundation: RestoreOKC*, Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services, YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City Military Welcome Center

The ONE Award for Youth Services sponsored by The Arnall Foundation, and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies­: Sisu Youth, Western Plains Youth and Family Services*, Youth Villages

The 2021 ONE Awards distributed $125,000 in grants equaling more than $2 million in total gifts to Oklahoma nonprofits over the past 14 years. Past Award of Excellence winners have included Gathering Place Tulsa, Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Tulsa Area United Way, McCall’s Chapel School, Inc., United Way of Central Oklahoma, Myriad Gardens, Elder Care, Little Light House, Oklahoma FFA Foundation, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Blood Institute, and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Nonprofits may use their ONE grant monies as they see fit to aid current programs or make transformational changes for their organizations.

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About the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits is the state’s preeminent organization convening charitable entities from throughout the state for training, consultation, networking, advocacy and recognition. Comprising more than 1,000 members from throughout Oklahoma, OKCNPs primary mission is empowering nonprofits to achieve excellence in their missions. Since 1981, the organization has assisted thousands of individuals and organizations through various programs designed to build capacity and positively impact the lives of Oklahomans. www.OKCNP.org

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, OKCNP is celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Youth Villages is a finalist in the Youth category.

“We are honored to be a finalist for the OKCNP ONE Awards,” said Erica Robinson, assistant state director, Youth Villages. “We love serving kids and families, and partnering with other like-minded organizations. It means a lot to be recognized for the work we do in the community.”

Founded in 1986, Youth Villages’ mission is to “help children and families live successfully.” The organization serves more than 520 youth from birth to 21 years old, every year. Employees service the 33 counties surrounding the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas.

Partnering with the Department of Human Services, Youth Villages works with youth who experience emotional, mental and behavioral issues, and are involved in the child welfare services. Through partnerships, the organization works to prevent young people from being removed from homes and reuniting those who are have been separated from their families.

“Thanks to Youth Villages, our family has a bright future ahead of us,” said an unnamed client, Youth Villages. “Youth Villages was the missing puzzle piece to our family back together.”

Youth Villages believes a stable family and a strong support system help children succeed. The organization has become a national leader in children’s mental and behavioral health.

Their in-home service, Intercept, utilizes evidence-models that offer individualized programs to meet the needs of each child and families, in hopes that the child may remain in the home. Specialist meet with families an average of three times per week and offer 24/7 crisis support.

LifeSet, Youth Villages' community-based program, works with current and former foster children ages 17.5 to 21. It prepares them for life outside of the foster care system. LifeSet provides specialists to meet with participants at least once a week and provides them with 24/7 crisis support.

“LifeSet has allowed me to network and make connections with other youth, similar to me and from completely different walks of life,” said a former client, Youth Villages. “The program has given me tremendous support and guidance and has kept me motivated in reaching my goals.”

To learn more about Youth Villages visit their website: https://www.youthvillages.org/about-us/locations/oklahoma/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org/page/one-awards.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, OKCNP is celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Western Plains Youth & Family Services (WPYFS) is a finalist in the Youth category.

“It is an honor for WPYFS to be named a finalist for this prestigious award,” said Kevin Evans, executive director, WPYFS. “The recognition that comes with being a finalist is a credit to our staff, board for directors, and the children and families that we serve. The stipend that comes with being a finalist will allow our agency to strengthen the services that we provide. We thank OKCNP for creating this award.”

Founded in 1978, WPYFS mission is “to provide quality community based education, preventative counseling, shelter and health home services to individuals in need, designed to enrich the lives of children, youth and families.”

Their service area includes, Cimarron, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Texas and Woodward counties with more than 30 towns and settles, and 23 school systems. The impact of WPYFS reaches beyond northwest Oklahoma to include the entire state, as the Emergency Youth Shelter and Northwest Oklahoma Juvenile Detention Center receives youth from all corners of Oklahoma.

WPYFS provides a mental health services to children from birth to 17-years-old. Services include a 24/7 mobile crisis unit, rehabilitation, counseling, crisis intervention, community education and development.

In addition, the organization has an 8-bed juvenile detention center, whose premise is to not use detention as a form of punishment, but as a stepping stone to a productive life.

WPYFS and the work it does is greatly needed in northwest Oklahoma as it serves as the only mental health services provider in the region. WPYFS reports its service community has more than 62,000 people. Limited staff means there is one provider for every 5,427 people in Beaver County and one provider to every 299 people in Woodard County.

To learn more about Western Plains Youth & Family Services, Inc. visit their website: https://wpyfs.org/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org/page/one-awards.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, OKCNP is celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services (Wings of Hope) is a finalist in the Transformation category.

Founded in 1979, concerned citizens in Stillwater saw the need to offer solutions to domestic violence and sexual assault victims. They established Stillwater Domestic Violence Services, which is now operating as Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services.

Wings of Hope has expanded from Stillwater to include all of Payne County as well as Lincoln, Logan, Pawnee and Noble counties. Its mission is “to break the generational cycle of violence by providing safety, hope and empowerment.” The organization calls for social change through community awareness and client advocacy.

“Wings of Hope helped us see hope and a light at the end of the tunnel, a support system of safety,” said an unnamed client. “Coming here I was finally able to breathe and relax. I didn’t realize how much my children and I were affected until we spoke to the staff and counselors. They all have been huge in helping us make the next steps in our lives while providing a sage and homey place to live.”

In their 2019-2020 fiscal year, Wings of Hope provided services to 1,136 people, 174 of which were women and children who needed a safe place to stay. More than 200 women and 120 men also received mental health therapy, and 57 kids received trauma-focused mental health therapy.

Not only does Wings of Hope serve those in their communities, they serve domestic violence survivors and clients of the YMCA in Oklahoma City and DVIS in Tulsa.

“Life before Wings of Hope was stressful,” said an unnamed client B. “I was walking on eggshells, drowning, surviving. My children’s lives and mine were ok, but we were not living to a normal extent. We weren’t living, but surviving. For me it was a dark hole.”

Wings of Hope finds success in their mission though its state-of-the-art, 9-family-suite, shelter facility with a 24/7 crisis line that was initially funded by the Donald Q. Reynolds Foundation. Programs include advocacy, counseling, children’s programming, Legal Aid, parenting and perpetrator intervention classes, community education and outreach, trained sexual assault response and support, and consultation services.

Wings of Hope has developed relationships with law enforcement, civic and community groups, schools, businesses, other nonprofits, and state and national coalitions.

To learn more about Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services, visit their website: https://wingsofhopeok.com/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org/page/one-awards.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, OKCNP is celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Wings Special Needs Community (Wings) is a finalist in the Self-Sufficiency category.

“As a finalist, we are humbled knowing our strategic planning and passion to carry out our work has been recognized,” said Cheri Weaver, executive director, Wings. “We would like to thank our board of directors for their wisdom and leadership. With deep appreciation for their contagious enthusiasm, our hard working staff and many volunteers who expand the capacity of our staff make our programs excellent.”

Wings was founded in 2004 by families that were concerned about what their children with developmental disabilities would do after high school graduation and beyond.

 Wings’ mission is “to enhance the lives of adults with developmental disabilities through social, vocational and residential programs guided by the principles of the Bible.”

Serving 166 member ranging in age from 19 to 63 years old, Wings programs include a day program where members can choose from volunteer opportunities or life skill classes like health, culinary arts, and computer skills. The organization also hosts a monthly social club where members get together for dinner and dancing.

“Wings feels like home, sweet home baby,” said Brendon, Wings’ client. “It is a perfect place to be together as a family. I love doing health and wellness because I get to use the cardio machines, do basketball drills and walk around the track.”

Volunteer opportunities include assembling hygiene packs, emergency supply kits and backpacks filled with school supplies, all of which are distributed through partner nonprofits. Members also have the opportunity to volunteer onsite at Oklahoma City metro area nonprofits.

“Wings provides essential services to the most vulnerable population in Oklahoma City,” said Kim Garret, CEO and founder of Palomar, a Wings’ partner organization. “We couldn’t do this critical work without them and are so thankful for their partnership.”

Last year, Wings member volunteers built a transition room for life skills classes. The transition room looks and feels like a fully-equipped apartment with kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom.

Wings’ programs allow their members to grow their independence while enhancing their social skills and empowering them to connect with their peers and celebrate their unique gifts.

To learn more about Wings Special Needs Community, visit their website:  https://wingsok.org/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org/page/one-awards.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, OKCNP is celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Ada Homeless Services (AHS) is a finalist in the Self-Sufficiency category.

“As a relatively small rural nonprofit, it is a great honor to be recognized as a 2021 ONE Awards finalist, alongside so many wonderful Oklahoma organizations,” said Sarah Frye, executive director, AHS. “Thank you for seeing value in the work AHS is doing, and stay tuned, we have much more work yet to do.”

Founded in 2003, AHS’s mission is “to ensure everyone can come home.” The organization serves a thousand people who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing homelessness in Pontotoc County.

AHS takes a Housing First Approach, providing permanent house and stabilization services, as well eviction prevention. The nonprofit housed 59 households and worked to prevent 188 evictions in 2020.

“AHS is so much more than their name implies,” said one former client. “When I walked through their doors, I wasn’t expecting much. To my surprise they not only agreed to help me get out of a dangerous situation, they also gave me hope. And when you are where I was, hope is huge!”

AHS’s Rapid Rehousing program is intensive and fast-moving, typically taking three months to ensure basic necessities such as housing and food. Then case managers work in tandem with community partners to find clients employment, establish budgets, and address substance abuse issues, to name a few.

AHS is committed to working with individuals regardless of their prior criminal history, sexual orientation, experiences with substance abuse, mental health status, credit, etc. The organization believes that every person deserves a home.

“My family of three, soon to be four, were not technically homeless, but were living in an extremely unsafe, sub-par environment when we reached out to AHS,” said the Coffell Family via Google Review. “Their job didn’t stop with finding us a home. They made sure we would be happy and comfortable in our home.”

To learn more about Ada Homeless Services, visit their website: https://www.adahomelessservices.org/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org/page/one-awards.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, we are celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Oklahoma State University– Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS), is a finalist in the Health category.

“Our state has faced the unimaginable during the past year,” said Johnny Stephens, chief operations officer and senior vice president, OSU-CHS. “I am proud to say that OSU Center for Health Sciences stepped up to help our state meet these challenges head on. OSU-CHS was able to partner very early in the pandemic with OSU and the Animal Diagnostic Lab (OADDL) in Stillwater, thanks to the leadership of President Burns Hargis and Dr. Kayse Shrum. The exceptional faculty and staff at CHS, OSU Office of Research and OADDL were able to transform the existing diagnostic lab into one operational for human testing in 10 days. This provided a solution for the state of Oklahoma to expand its capacity for COVID-19 testing. When we started, we were one of the bottom five states for testing. In a short amount of time, Oklahoma was able to move into the upper half of states testing per capita. To date, the OSU Diagnostic Lab has processed more than 250,000 tests.”

OSU-CHS was founded in in 1972 in Tulsa. OSU-CHS is dedicated to educating and training osteopathic physicians and healthcare professionals, emphasizing on serving rural and underserved Oklahomans.

Project Extension for Community Health Care Outcomes (ECHO) was launched in 2016, followed by the National Center for Wellness and Recovery in 2017. In 2020, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the first tribally affiliated medical school, welcomed its inaugural class.

“Education about COVID-19 and how to treat patients was shared to the healthcare workforce across the state through our Project ECHO platform,” said Stephens. “The COVID-19 Oklahoma Update ECHO was presented three times a week, with a total number of 31,600 participants to date. Our clinics transitioned to virtual visits, which allowed for more than 1,500 patients per week to see their doctor, and we placed 54 telemedicine carts in rural hospitals.”

More than 130 clinics have been held through Project ECHO for COVID-19. 31,000 physicians and community stakeholders across the state joined in the sessions. The savings from utilizing the Medical ECHO platform is estimated to be $1,173 per patient, saving Oklahoma millions of dollars.

OSU-CHS continues to produce graduates who are dedicated community leaders that are advancing medical research and innovating in education.

To learn more about OSU-CHS, visit their website: https://osumedicine.com/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org /one-awards.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) will host the 2021 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards on April 24, 2021, in Tulsa, with limited attendance. The event will be livestreamed on OKCNP’s website as well. Leading up to the event, we are celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. SixTwelve – The Young School (SixTwelve) is a finalist in the Education category.

“Oklahoma Contemporary congratulates our friends at SixTwelve on this honor,” said Eddie Walker, executive director, Oklahoma Contemporary. “Their spirit of innovation is a refreshing alternative, and we wish them much success.”

Founded in 2011, SixTwelve serves 1,500 individuals annually. Their mission is “sharing tools to build a better community.” They succeed in their mission by providing educational opportunities for anyone interested in creativity and sustainability. Their scholarships allow access for anyone of any age, socioeconomic class, gender identity or place of residence.

SixTwelve’s programs include their pre-kindergarten community (with classes limited to eight students during COVID-19, with plans to expand the classes back to students), after school programs, Oklahoma Sierra Camp and Girl’s Rock and Roll Camp for youths.

“SixTwelve has been a blessing to our entire family, as both my daughter and son have attended. When SixTwelve decided to suspend its after school program and events, and transform its grounds into an outdoor classroom in order to conduct the Young School Pre-K Program, it made for an easy decision on where to send our son for preschool,” said Stephen G. Butler, parent, SixTwelve, and Assistant Dean for Advancement and External Relations, Oklahoma City University Law School. “My son is receiving a world-class education in the safest possible environment.”

SixTwelves’ creativity and sustainability workshops bring in 15-30 individuals each month, up to 300 adults in a normal year.

In addition to the sustainability workshops, their programs support the arts. At any given time, their residency program houses up to five artists, musicians, writers, dancers, chefs, film makers, farmers and other creatives from Oklahoma City, Savannah, Chicago and Memphis. When a residency artist takes place in Oklahoma City, a local Oklahoma City artist will take residency in place of the traveling artist.

“SixTwelve has been such a positive and vital part of our community,” said Denise Duong, Oklahoma City (and beyond) artist, and owner, The Paseo Art District’s Little D Gallery. “They’ve been such a great supporter of the arts by integrating in their community and school programing. Educating others with the vast genres of art is integral to a growing mind and also a curious community. We thank SixTwelve for helping water those curious minds!”

To learn more about SixTwelve – The Young School, visit their website: http://www.sixtwelve.org/.

The ONE Awards is dedicated to honoring the outstanding work of Oklahoma nonprofits statewide. The ONE Awards also serves as the primary fundraising event for OKCNP. Proceeds from the ONE Awards enable OKCNP to serve communities throughout Oklahoma.

To learn more about the OKCNP ONE Awards or to watch the event, visit: https://www.okcnp.org/page/one-awards.