FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alana Hughes Director of Administration 918.591.1074 ahughes@schusterman.org LIGHTS ON! PHILANTHROPIC PROGRAM BRIGHTENS SIX TULSA NONPROFITS Presents $50,000 grants to organizations that are serving those most in need
Tulsa, OK—December 15 – The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (CLSFF) will present grants of $50,000 each to six nonprofit organizations that are providing direct services in the Tulsa area. The program, called "Lights On!," is designed to help the organizations that most efficiently provide for basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter to the community. "We looked for organizations that are positioned to serve the greatest number of Tulsans who are most in need," said Lynn Schusterman, chair of the Tulsa-based foundation. "'Lights On!' celebrates the community spirit of these organizations. During the holidays, the whole city is lit with this spirit and we hope this program will help make the city a brighter place throughout the year." The selected agencies that will receive the grants are: 1. Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma 2. Emergency Infant Services 3. Neighbors Along the Line 4. Neighbor for Neighbor 5. Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa 6. Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless In its second year, "Lights On!" provides one-time, end-of-year grants to local organizations to assist them with their operating costs. These gifts are chosen by the CLSFF and require no application. About the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation was established in 1987 with a mission to spread the joy of Jewish living, giving and learning throughout the world. In Tulsa, the foundation strives to improve the quality of life through investments that seek to eradicate and prevent child abuse, support education and develop young leaders through community service projects. ### Tulsa Day Center Needs Volunteers, Clothing & Food for the HolidaysVolunteers and donations are a year-round need at the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless. But during the holidays there are several special projects where we could use the giving spirit of Tulsa area residents. Please contact Debra Dester at 556-6418 or ddes...@tulsadaycenter.org about the following opportunities: • Holiday Lights Installation – Bring the colorful warmth of the holidays to the Tulsa Day Center by decorating our courtyard with lights. Help make the outside of our building as festive as the inside. • Holiday Crafts - Come with craft supplies and holiday smiles. Please bring enough to make 25-30 ornaments, cards or other decorations. • Be Santa to Someone Special! Treat one of our housed clients(mostly single adults, but some families) to the holiday they wouldn't have without you! You will receive a Wish List for each person or family that has been nominated by a Case Manager. • Rise & Shine! Help us collect 150 of these items so the folks who wake up here on December 25th will have a special breakfast: flavored oatmeal packets, fruit cups or fruit, muffins, milk, sugar, sweetener, juice, hot cocoa packets and decaffeinated coffee. • Holiday Buddies – Come be a friend for a day. We need child-friendly helpers to play with our kids during Christmas break. Bring a toy car, truck or hand-held game and make a kid’s day. • Let There Be Light! Let there also be water, heat and the staff to serve our clients all year long! Honor friends and family this holiday with a donation in their name and a holiday card you may send out acknowledging your gift. • Clothing needs – For our children we need diapers and wipes and clothing size 18 months through size 14. We also need men and women’s clothing, coats, jackets, shoes, scarves, hats, gloves, warm shirts, sweaters, jeans and warm pants.
October 2, 2009Tulsa, Okla. – The Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless today announced that it was awarded $1.4 million in federal funds to rapidly re-house families and individuals who fall into homelessness, or to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place. The Tulsa Day Center is partnering with 11 other agencies in the community to distribute the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) funds to eligible families and individuals for short- and medium-term rental and utility assistance. “We are honored that the Tulsa Day Center was selected for this grant, which will separately fund a new program on top of our core services that help those in need in our city on a daily basis,” said Tulsa Day Center Executive Director, Sandra Lewis. “In this economic crisis, this much-needed federal assistance will help us assist our neighbors who have hit a bump in the road and are on the brink of homelessness or are already homeless.” The grant to the Day Center is part of $1.5 billion awarded to more than 400 communities that is provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The purpose of the HPRP is to provide homelessness prevention assistance to households who would otherwise become homeless – many due to the economic crisis – and provide assistance to rapidly re-house persons who are experiencing homelessness. The grant will not fund operations at the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, which provides food, shelter and safety to an average of 400 people each day. Donations at the shelter are down about 30 percent for the year, and the successful operation of services is still dependent on the generosity of the community. The Tulsa Day Center is working in collaboration with 11 other agencies in the community to administer the HPRP funds. They include DVIS, Veteran’s Administration, Volunteers of America, Tulsa Housing Authority, Tulsa County Emergency Services, Mental Health Association in Tulsa, John 3:16 Mission, Youth Services of Tulsa, Family & Children’s Services, Legal Aide Services of Oklahoma and Community Service Council. Founded in 1985, the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless provides a safe, healthy environment for the homeless and opportunities for these individuals to achieve self-sufficiency. The center provided care for 11,419 individuals in 2008. For more information about the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, visit the Web site at www.tulsadaycenter.org
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| Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, Inc.
415 West Archer Street Tulsa, OK 74103 Phone: 918-583-5588 Fax: 918-583-6745 |