$20K Grant Will Feed Tulsa-Area Homeless Youth

Youth Services, a program serving Tulsa and surrounding communities, will receive a $20,000 grant as part of a campaign to fight hunger sponsored by Walmart and Feeding America.

The grant will be used to fund the agency's runaway and homeless programs for young people between the ages of 12 and 18, according to Jim Walker, Executive Director of Youth Services. The agency estimates that there are between 1,000 and 1,500 homeless young people living in Tulsa.

"They're living on the street, staying in abandoned houses or sleeping in cars," Walker said Monday morning. The homeless youth can find temporary housing in the agency's emergency shelter. They can also drop in for showers and hot meals, to do laundry and get clothes, blankets and other supplies.

"Our shelter food bill two years ago was $50,000," Walker said. "When you have 17, 18 teenagers a night, you can go through a lot of food."

If the young people stick around long enough, the agency  helps them get identification. Most don't have Social Security cards or other ID, which makes it hard to find a job.

The agency's drop-in street program also gives out food packs of items that don't spoil, so the kids can take another day or two of food with them when they go. The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma sells Youth Services food at very low prices, Walker said, and was responsible for nominating them for the Walmart grant.

Members of the community logged into Facebook and voted daily during the month of April to put Youth Services in the running for the $20,000.

"We really thank everyone who took the time every day to log in and vote for us, it's great to have that kind of support in the community," Walker said.

Loaves and Fishes of Northwest Oklahoma in Enid and Christ's Food Center in Hodgen also received $20,000 each.

To learn more about how you can help Youth Services support the area's young people, go to their web site.