Assistance for Homeless/Needy in Oklahoma City

Homelessness is very dear to my heart as my husband is the Assistant director for Grace Rescue Mission. I volunteer there every now and then and believe it or not they are people just like we are that have fallen on bad times, bad luck or just bad circumstances. Many of the guys in his mission have served in the military, they had families and some even had high paying jobs. Some may have gotten involved in drugs, alcohol, or any other number of things that caused them to lose their families.

 

Below are 4 Shelters in the Oklahoma City area that are available for the homeless even if you have children.

1. Grace Rescue Mission

       2205 Exchange, Ave

      Oklahoma City, OK 405-232-5756

 

They offer Emergency shelter for up to 110 men a night, they serve 400-600 meals a day.

 

They offer a Safe Program to residence that are there for 1 year

Medical Clinics throughout the month

6 month Back-to-Work program

Dental Clinics

Education programs

Food pantry programs as well as Christmas Store and Community Thanksgiving dinner

Security programs.

 

1. City Rescue Mission

     800 W. California Ave

    Oklahoma City, Ok. 73106 405-232-2709

 City Rescue offers Emergency Shelter such as food, shelter and clothing

 Bridge to Life Recovery program: 8-10 month program that provides educational, emotional and economic as well as spiritual bridges for their clients.

 Social Services and Impact Hunger Food Resource Center

1. Jesus House

1335 W. Sheridan Ave.

Oklahoma City, OK 73106 405-232-7164

 

They provide shelter and meals to the homeless of Oklahoma

 

On site Job Coaching and spiritual counseling

Food pantries for the elderly, families and disabled.

1. Transition House

700 Asp. Ste. 2

Norman, Ok. 405-360-7926

 

They offer housing for the homeless transitioning from the streets to their own homes.

Providing low cost housing and mental counseling

 

Drug and Alcohol counseling

The Most Humble

This poem and the accompanying photograph gave me chills. We have been granted permission to reblog this. Please visit this website and show your support for this blog.

mishunderstood

Love is nestled deep
In the hearts of the most humble
They are the lost
The forsaken we only speak of
As if this makes us care
Our thoughts, only echos
Bouncing off their dreams
Small change, petty offerings
Pools of pity at their feet
This is not love
Love hides
In sweaty, weathered lines
Of stories untold to us
Because we did not ask
In warm, filthy hands
Held above the fire
Love lies under blankets
Praying to the light
Curled up, messed up
Teardrops, trembling
Love waits patiently
In faded faces, beaten
By stronger hands
And evil minds
Love speaks gently
Or not at all
Cryptic, mute
Silenced by storms
That rage in brains
Unrecognized
Until it’s too late
And love is out the door
On the street
It’s you and me
But we don’t see
Our beds are warm
But we are cold while
Love is nestled…

View original post 323 more words

Miracle Hill Ministries

Miracle Hill Ministries is a major force in combatting homelessness in upstate South Carolina. This organization offers various ministries that specialize in giving a hand-up to homeless and/or drug addicted South Carolinians.

Shepherd’s Gate Women’s Shelter is a homeless shelter for women and their children in Greenville, South Carolina.  

The Miracle Hill Rescue Mission offers housing for up to 130 men on an average night. They also offer emergency Shelter during times of adverse weather.

Overcomers and Renewal are both arms of the substance abuse facility arm of Miracle Hill. These organizations help upstate men and women defeat the demons associated with drug abuse and the devastating effects of these abuses.

Miracle Hill Boys Shelter

This shelter provides a home for young men aged 11-21. These boys have been identified as at-risk or abused. This service ensures that these young men have a chance at a thriving life.

Miracle Hill Childrens Home

This arm of the Miracle Hill organization focuses on children between the ages of birth and 18 years old. They also train and empower foster parents in this brance of Miracle Hill.

Homes for Life, and Foster Care are both separate components, yet they interact with the other brances of Miracle Hill MInistries. Homes for LIfe, provides homes for young men aged 16-21, while the Foster Care seeks to empower and equip families to provide stable and loving homes for homeless children.

 

Website:  https://miraclehill.org/children/foster-care/

 

 

 

Upstate South Carolina Homeless Organizations

Homelessness is the extreme form of social exclusion. It is injustice. Homelessness prevents and limits individual ability to participate in society in ways such as but not limited to social, economic, political and cultural life. There is not just one group of people or one type of person that is affected by this life changing experience. People of all ages, race and background have the capability of being subjected to this circumstance.  Homelessness affects the mental and physical health challenged, those with addictions, those with criminal backgrounds, domestic abused, unemployed and the poverty stricken. The above named groups that have children are automatically impacted with this illness. Homelessness is not just an illness in the community, states and the world but it is an illness to people and families which shortens the life-span of the wearer. The instilment of personal gifts, life skills and entrepreneurship of people as children are needed. Training and molding in these areas will give individuals the organization and strength to combat homelessness. The more we push for individuals to get a job which simply means a journey over broke many will always be one check away from being homeless.

These are the 4 Coalitions in my area Upstate South Carolina

1. Upstate Homeless Coalition of S.C. Homeless Peoples Action Network

150 Executive Center Drive, Boxc-211 Greenville, S.C. 29615

Upstatehomeless.com

They provide services to families and individuals providing intensive case management to help become self sufficient, while building safe, decent affordable housing through social service programs. They provide emergency shelter but not transitional and permanent housing. They have availability in seven counties and work with over 100 human service providers in 13 counties of Upstate South Carolina. Advocacy for homeless issues at all levels of government is their niche. They manage continuum Care for the region.

2. South Carolina Council on Homelessness Department of Mental Health they started in 1996

2414 Bull Street, Columbia S.C. 29202

Assessment and resource center for mental health

Children’s Advocacy

Art of Recovery

Client Advocacy and Independent Advocacy

Client Affairs

Employment

Clinical Care Coordination

Community Residential Care

Death Services

Housing

School based services

Telepsychiatry program

Jail and correctional services

3. Midlands and Consortium for the homeless

1917 Harden Street, Columbia S.C. 29204-1015

Aid those at risk and are homeless providing community solution to reduce the time spent in homeless situations while promoting self sufficiency and independence.

4. Megs House

P.O. Box 3410 Greenwood, S.C. 29648

They provide for Women and children of Domestic violence that need shelter and protection. Case management, computer and parenting, and basic life skills, empowerment, transportation, self esteem support, court advocacy, and referrals to other social service agencies are provided. They provide counselling, food and clothing.

 

 

 

Happy Father’s Day

This is a day that we celebrate the men in our lives who have guided us into adulthood. Our Heavenly Father is the first example of a true father. Today, while we are celebrating all of the men in our lives, let’s take a moment to think about the homeless men and women in our country. What can we do today, to help someone who is homeless? What can we do today, to help prevent someone from becoming homeless? The best gift that we can give to our Heavenly Father is to do one small thing today to help a homeless man, woman, or child.

Proverbs 19:17

¹⁷ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

More Than One Way to be Homeless?

It is not a well known fact to those who have not experienced homelessness, but there are groupings of homeless individuals. These groupings are used to determine how long these people will be homeless. The urbanplanner blog, discusses the four general groupings of homeless individuals.

By far, individuals with mental or emotional disabilities make up the largest portion of homeless people. This group, sadly, also makes up the biggest portion of abused homeless people.

The UHCSC.wordpress website discusses the popularity of “tent cities” which consist of homeless people in various tents. These people endure all types of weather conditions.

 

 

 

 

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National Alliance to End Homelessness

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is an organization that crosses racial, gender, and party lines to confront the major issue of homelessness. This group has worked tirelessly to bring about a change in attitude and laws concerning homelessness.

This organization began in 1983 and currently works in particular with lawmakers concerning the Federal Homelessness Policy. One major area that the National Alliance for Homelessness focuses on is the cost of being homeless. According to their website, lawmakers are often unaware of exactly how much homelessness truly costs.

The website discusses the common  misconception that shelters are the most cost effective way of dealing with homelessness. According to the website, an estimated 7.4 million dollars in underestimated costs result from homelessness. (National Alliance, 2014)

The National Alliance to End Homelessness also equips people all over the country to be champions in the fight against homelessness. The problem of homelessness can seem so great, that it is difficult to know where to start. Lending support to organizations like this one, is a great way to do your part to combat homelessness.

 

 

 

What is Homelessness? Who does it affect?

 

(image taken from New York times)

As we approach Father’s Day, we hope that all of the homeless men, women, and children are close to your heart. So we ask the simple question, What is homelessness?  Who does it affect? Does it have a certain appearance, race, sex, or upbringing?

There are an estimated 3.5 million homeless people in America as of this post. This number includes an estimated 1.5 million children.

The Shocking Truth

1/3 of Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless. Two percent of all homeless are unaccompanied minors. Of course, these statistics stood out the most to me, but this organizations webpage is full of statistics that might help us with our campaign.

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/How_Many.html

Some additional sobering facts:

EconoMonitor : EconoMonitor » One Third of Americans One Paycheck Away From Homelessness. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.economonitor.com/blog/2011/10/one-third-of-americans-one-paycheck-away-from-homelessness/

Facts and Figures: The Homeless . NOW on PBS. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/526/homeless-facts.html