Our Story
Our Story
Imagine looking out your office window and seeing men, women, and children pulling food out of your trash because they are starving. Imagine families with no place to call home and children who cannot enroll in school because they have no address. In 1983, these things inspired our founders to find a solution to homelessness and hunger. Food and Shelter started as a once-per-week lunch for people who were homeless and has since grown into a fully operational soup kitchen and shelter program.
For over 30 years, Food and Shelter has been feeding hungry women, children, and men and housing families in crisis. Food and Shelter are core components of our services and what we believe to be the fundamental human rights of every individual in our community. We serve the most disadvantaged residents of our community, many of whom live on little to no income.
Our food program, funded by United Way of Norman, is second to none in Cleveland County. Hundreds of women, children, and men rely on Food and Shelter for daily nutrition. We serve breakfast and lunch seven days per week to any hungry person. On average, we serve 250 meals per day. In 2018 alone, we served over 180,000 meals. On top of this, we provide food baskets to hungry families who may have to choose between buying food and paying rent. Food is a necessity, not a privilege.
The shelter component of Food and Shelter is a multi-faceted program. We provide short-term, long-term, and supportive housing for individuals and families who are homeless. We own and operate a transitional housing program where families with children can live for up to two years with the care and support of a case manager to empower and encourage them to build stronger, healthier families. We provide housing for medically vulnerable, chronically homeless single individuals with the support of a case manager to ensure they maintain stable, healthy lifestyles. Because we do not have facilities for families who need emergency shelter, we provide emergency placement for families who are homeless through motel stays. Our prevention program is a new and unique strategy for tackling homelessness. By avoiding homelessness, we save our community money and reduce the trauma moms, dads, and children experience with homelessness.
We recently expanded our campus with a completely new kitchen and dining room, additional office space, and 32 beautifully crafted homes for women, children, and men experiencing homelessness. It is a dream come true. Visit the village and see what you can do to be a part of Food and Shelter.
