Oklahoma Standard: Groups Step Up To Help Storm Victims

Many Green Country businesses and organizations are stepping up to help their neighbors recovering from the storms.

Whether it is a temporary place to work or a cooling station for pets, we are seeing the Oklahoma standard.

Skillz on Wheelz is a mobile mental health clinic based in Tulsa.

Chief operating officer, Marcus Harper, said counseling is especially needed after devastation.

"When people get knocked out of their natural routine, their everyday routine, think about it, no power, that's going to be a big issue,” said Harper.

In the RV that has been turned into a free mobile counseling service, anyone can get counseling and other resources or simply cool off and charge devices.

Over at the Tulsa Dream Center near 46th Street North and MLK, staff and volunteers are serving meals and giving out groceries to those who lost their food in the power outage.

Tim Newton with the center said families can also enjoy different activities together and use the splash pad and pool.

"This is really important for Tulsa Dream Center to be able to stand up in the midst of when there's a problem,” said Newton. “We have a mantra: 'See a need and fill it, find a hurt and heal it,' and that's what we're doing right now. The need right now is a nice, cool place for our families to get out of the heat."

For pets, the Humane Society of Tulsa's transport rig with three air conditioning units inside is serving as a cooling station.

It is parked outside Crosstown Church of Christ, where there is a Red Cross shelter.

"So, we have no power, no food,” said Daniel Roland. “Now, there's nothing we have at all."

Daniel and his wife, Anita Roland, said they are grateful their 10-year-old cat, Cuddles, was able to cool off for a couple of hours.

"We have one more baby kitten,” said Anita Roland. “She's with a friend of ours at the trailer park."

Oklahomans are coming together in different ways to help people and pets during difficult times.

See below for more information on the services mentioned in this story:

Skillz on Wheelz: https://counselingskillz.com/

Tulsa Dream Center: https://tulsadreamcenter.org/

Humane Society of Tulsa: https://www.tulsapets.com/

Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/local/oklahoma/about-us/locations/Northeast-Oklahoma.html