Nonprofit Helps Struggling Tulsans Get Back On Their Feet

A Tulsa group strives to treat their clients like family. The Merchant Tulsa is doing Something Good by helping people get back on their feet.

"We are a drop-in center for our friends who are living under the stars- who are homeless," said Pastor Paul Schmidt at The Merchant Tulsa.

Walking into The Merchant feels like walking into a home.

"We have services available to help them move up and out of homelessness," said Schmidt..

A home where everyone is seen and where everyone belongs. It's a family and that is exactly how Pastor Paul wants it to be.

"We are no-barrier. We don't care if you are drunk. I don't care if you are high. I don't care of your status; I don't care of your color- we want you to come to us so we can help you," said Schmidt.

The Merchant is the family you choose or the family who chooses you.

"When you are homeless, people look at you in a certain way, and you are judged, you lose your dignity really quick- that is the first thing to go out the door," said Amy Eastham, receptionist at The Merchant.

Amy Eastham met Pastor Paul years ago when she and her late husband were homeless. He gave them a pair of shoes.

"I didn't have a lot of people in my corner and to have someone like Paul and Debbie, who are so respected, just engulf you in a big hug," said Eastham.

Now she is sober, she has reconnected with her family, she has a place to live, and she works as a receptionist at The Merchant, helping people get the same resources that she used to get back on her feet.

"There needs to be more places like this- a safe place for them to go, where they can charge their phone, relax, get food coffee but also where they can receive these services," said Eastham.

There are services for veterans, for sex trafficking survivors, spiritual guidance, housing services, medical help - a safe place to sleep.

The Merchant is a space you can walk into when you don't know where your story is headed; where you can learn to turn a page, start a new chapter, and find a group of people who will walk with you every step of the way.

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