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. Tulsa CARES is a finalist in the Health category.

“Tulsa CARES is honored to be a 2021 ONE Awards finalist,” said Kate Neary, CEO, Tulsa CARES. “It’s humbling to be included among so many worth organizations and causes, and we’re grateful that our impactful work serving low income individuals living with HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) has been recognized. As our agency celebrates its 30th anniversary, this special recognition is certainly appreciated and one to celebrate!”

Founded in 1991, Tulsa CARES delivers specialized wrap-around care for individuals impacted by HIV and Hepatitis C in northeast Oklahoma.Services meet the physical and mental need of 1,200 low income individuals each year.

Programming like care coordination, housing, mental health services, and nutrition help Tulsa CARES address the social determinates of health while reducing cost.

“When I came to Tulsa CARES, I wasn’t sure I was going to live another day,” said one client. “I was in the darkest place in my life and they were my light at the end of the tunnel. I came feeling hopeless, I had no insurance, and was trying to get my son back. Because of Tulsa Cares, I am no longer behind on bills, I have health insurance and I am alive.”

Two years ago, Tulsa CARES added HCV services realizing that the illness is disproportionally concentrated in marginalized communities and that Oklahoma has the second highest disease rate in the country. HCV is now curable when proper care and treatment are in place. Tulsa CARES works to reduce any additional barriers by providing co-pay assistance, transportation assistance and treatment costs if necessary. The nonprofit takes pride in having a reputation of being a safe place to access care without blame, shame or judgement.

To learn more about Tulsa CARES, visit their website: https://www.tulsacares.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.

Over the last few weeks, I have been incredibly overwhelmed in the best possible way. I woke up to texts, phone calls and direct messages (DMs) from current and former colleagues, classmates and acquaintances, inquiring how I have been handling the recent events targeting Asian Americans.  I also found in the following conversations offerings of support and encouragement as I continue to find my voice growing stronger as I share my experience.

As you may know, I work in communications, and I love the work that I do, sharing the stories of the wonderful things Oklahoma nonprofits do and how we make change for the better in our communities. However, the more I find my voice, the more I am called to serve the Black Indigenous persons of color (BIPOC), especially the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. I hope that my work will continue to lift up these marginalized voices.

I do not, and perhaps never will, claim to be an expert on the Asian American experience, as I believe each individual is the expert in their own experince. I outwardly present as a Vietnamese-American. Even though my biological father is white, it does not show in my physical features. What I do know is my own experience and the experiences I have had the honor of hearing from my fellow AAPI community members. I know that we have often been silenced, been called a model minority, and told our experiences are not as bad as others, when violence is never acceptable.

It was violent acts against Black community members that led me to start listening even harder a year ago. I was seeking reasons and answers. What I learned was, at that time, many AAPI-identifying individuals did not speak out, vote or even care to be counted in the census, because their family members who were raised in their home countries did not have a voice, when it came to voting, at their jobs or even in their homes. Asians are often raised to comply.

Much has changed in the past year. Today, I am proud to see the strength of the Asian-American voice growing stronger each day. I am proud to see many individuals, organizations and nonprofits speak out in support against the violence on Asian-Americans in the last few weeks. I am also proud of those who send DMs or those who support the Asian community silently.

As an Asian-American, I am thankful to the Black community and the work Black Lives Matters has done to bring rights and justice for not only the Black community, but all persons of color.

We are in this together; together we are able to BE BOLD, strong and brave.

Linh M. Sasser
Communications Coordinator, OKCNP

Below, we have compiled and will continue to compile resources that celebrate and strengthen our diversity, so we may be more inclusive for an equitable future.

Oklahoma Resources:
https://www.asiandistrictok.com/
https://www.blmokc.com/
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/
https://okc.naaap.org/cpages/home

Nationwide Resources:
https://aahiinfo.org/
https://aapaonline.org/
https://stopaapihate.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, we are celebrating the 21 Oklahoma nonprofit finalists in seven categories. Shortgrass Community Health Center (Shortgrass) is a finalist in the Health category.

Located in Hollis, Shortgrass has been providing medical, dental and behavioral health services to their community since 2012. They service 2,900 people through approximately 6,000 visits annually in Jackson, Green and Harmon counties.

Their services are open to anyone in their communities, however, their largest population, 75% of those served, are those at or below the poverty level and are uninsured.

Shortgrass provides stationary medical and dental care in Hollis, and provides telemedicine through their mobile unit, collaborating with Operation CARE in Altus. Shortgrass assists clients with transportation to their medical facilities in Hollis, if needed.

“I could not manage my health condition without shortgrass and the mobile unit,” said Roddy Rodriguez, client, Shortgrass.

Shortgrass also provides mental health services for women in recovery through a collaboration with Amethyst House, located in Altus. Other mental health services are provided through telehealth to the schools.

They have made it their mission to find the needs of their community and find creative solutions in meeting basic medical and dental needs. They are working to add optometry and medication assisted opioid addiction treatment.

To learn more about Shortgrass Community Health Center, visit their website: http://shortgrasschc.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://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. Rainbow Fleet is a finalist in the Education category.

“Oklahoma is home to so many outstanding nonprofits, it is an incredible honor to be recognized among them as a ONE Awards finalist,’ said Carrie Williams, executive director, Rainbow Fleet. “It affirms our ongoing work to support Oklahoma childcare providers, children and families.”

Rainbow Fleet was founded in 1972 from the belief that best early childhood teaching methods could be exported and incorporated into child care programs by providing child care professionals with resources and materials that would support appropriate environments for young children. From this concept came their mission to provide innovative, educational programs and services that benefit the lives of children, families and child care professionals.

Each year, they serve 67,000 children, families and child care professionals in Oklahoma and Cleveland counties by assisting families in locating quality, licensed child care options, including their core program that serves children 0-to-6 years-of-age by helping them find licensed child care options. They also offer training and mentoring for child care professionals.

“Rainbow Fleet was instrumental in helping St. Luke’s Edmond when they first opened with classroom arrangement and teacher training,” said Gabrielle Moon, executive director, St. Luke’s Children’s Center, First Kid’s Learning Center and Trinity Child Development Center. “The staff spend long hours with our teachers and we are so grateful to them for the long lasting benefits that both children and staff have received.”

In addition to their childcare placement and training services, Rainbow Fleet is a sponsoring organization of the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program, providing support for 145 family child care home providers and the children they serve. Their programs also include respite care to military families who have children with special needs.

Rainbow Fleet recently opened the Rainbow Fleet Early Education Center, which provides high quality child care and development programming to 108 children, ages 6 weeks through 4 years, in the Oklahoma City area.

“Rainbow Fleet has been a tremendous partner in working to transform early childhood in the State of Oklahoma,” said Justin B. Brown, secretary, Human Services and Childhood Initiatives, and director, Department of Human Services. “Utilizing deep partnerships, innovative ideas and sound practices, they remain ever focused on their mission to equip children, families and professionals with the tools and skills they need to serve their communities.  Rainbow Fleet is a critical component to our state’s collaborative effort to revolutionize early childhood.”

To learn more about Rainbow Fleet visit their website: https://www.rainbowfleet.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://okcnp.org/page/one-awards.