Our Day Shelter is more than just a place to get a meal or a shower - it’s a place for our neighbors to access supportive services while making meaningful connections with people who care about them. Community can take a lot of forms. In this case, it appears in our Day Shelter’s weekly karaoke sessions! These have become part of the weekly routine at the shelter, which serves an average of over 400 people each day. Guests are able to take a shower, eat breakfast and lunch, visit with advocates, access mail services, and more. But what started as a fun way to fill the afternoon soon became a weekly highlight. With the help of staff and partner volunteers, participation grew and people began to notice what these moments of joy actually meant to the people in the room. The guests love the opportunity to get on the mic. We’ve seen people who barely spoke all day pour their hearts into a song! The guests love cheering each other on and singing along when they know the words. And then there are the song requests—songs we listen to every day, the same ones playing in our cars on the way home. It’s a reminder that the people we serve aren’t any different from you or me. They have favorite songs, inside jokes, and dreams for the future. We’re able to provide this space for our neighbors thanks to support of our community. Every contribution no matter the size makes an impact for our mission of rallying the community to end homelessness. To learn more about how to get involved visit: https://www.homelessalliance.org/get-involved (fb)

A huge shout out to this group of young philanthropists from Westminster School! As part of their 7th Grade business project, these students sold custom socks to their classmates. At the end of the sale, they had raised nearly $1,500 dollars to support our mission of ending homelessness in Oklahoma City. They also worked closely with their wholesale company to negotiate a 1 to 1 in-kind donation! Because of this creative idea, we were able to restock our shelter's sock drawer ahead of the upcoming summer season. Kids are naturals at giving back. They're observant about the world around them and have a curiosity that allows them to think about big things in unexpected ways. We love finding ways to collaborate with students in our community through our Family Volunteer Days, collection drives, and projects like this one. Stay tuned to our social media and newsletter to learn about new opportunities coming later this year! Our message remains the same - your actions have an impact no matter your age! To get involved, visit: https://www.homelessalliance.org/get-involved (fb)