Tulsa Nonprofit Hopes To Use Challenge Grant To Update Facilities

A Tulsa nonprofit that helps women and children facing domestic violence hopes to put its quarter-million dollar 'challenge grant' towards some big upgrades that are decades overdue.

The Mabee Foundation’s challenge grant will go towards 'phase two' of The Spring's 'Remodel and Restore Hope Campaign.'

The Spring said it truly is a challenge; prior to applying they had to raise a certain percentage of their project total in commitments.

A current guest at The Spring said she came from a place where she was scared to move and speak.

Because of safety concerns, we are not disclosing her name nor showing her face and also distorted her voice.

“You feel like you lost everything. You don't have no clothes. You don't have no food. You don't have nothing and you're like, how am I gonna make it?” said the guest.

The Spring said most of its guests are forced to flee life-threatening situations.

“They have made me feel very safe from my husband,” said the guest. “They show you that you can make it, and it's gonna be okay."

“I can't imagine being in their shoes and thinking, 'I have to go to a shelter.' ... We want them to encounter a home,” said Leslie Clingenpeel, Executive Director of The Spring.

Clingenpeel said the Mabee Foundation's Challenge Grant will go towards renovating guest rooms in the right wing, finishing remodeling their commercial kitchen, adding a child play therapy room, plumbing and electrical renovations, a new roof and new HVAC system.

She said these energy saving upgrades will be more cost efficient and environmentally friendly.

“The building is so old and so large that it truly costs us a lot of money to maintain it, and so we are actually saying, ok now's the time. We have a large space. We don't want to go smaller. So, we have a great space. We just want to get this space new again so that it costs us less to maintain it moving forward,” said Clingenpeel. "We've been kind of putting band aids on the facility for many, many, many years and those band aids are starting to fail."

They have about $700,000 in commitments so far, and must raise an additional $487,000 by next July for the Mabee Foundation's $250,000 portion to kick in.

“A woman in this position, this is the only kind of place they can get to,” said the guest.

"We are always full. We stay full. That's kind of the double-edge sword of this work… we do have a place for people, we always are full, and people are always calling needing the help and truly escaping life or death situations. So yes, we have to have a facility that can house and hold as many people as possible because there are so many people that need help,” said Clingenpeel.

Right now, The Spring can accommodate 63 women and children.

"If someone was in a bad place I would recommend this place, I would,” said the guest.

At the beginning of last year, the shelter started phase one of its ‘Remodel and Restore Hope Campaign,’ which includes remodeling the entire south wing of guest rooms, brand new tile, paint, light fixtures, window coverings, furniture, and mattresses.

Once phase two of the remodel is complete, it’ll have room for 70 guests.

“It's different from where I live from here. Night and day,” said the guest. “First, I was really nervous. Really scared. But now I feel more at home than I have ever felt at home."

“We want them to be a little surprised at how nice it is, because we want them to see that we believe that they have value and that they deserve the absolute best, and that they deserve a place where they feel like they can just sit, breathe, rest and heal; and then get what they need to be able to stay safe,” said Clingenpeel.

To help The Spring, you can donate on its website and specify what the donation is for. Clingenpeel said you can also help by donating items and volunteering.