2007 Finalists
Health and Wellness
Oklahoma Community Health Services - Oral Health Program for Low Income Pregnant Women and Their Babies
Oklahoma City
Periodontitis is at epidemic levels among women who live in poverty in Oklahoma and nationally. During pregnancy, due to hormonal changes and increased bacteria in the mouth due to vomiting, this condition worsens and leads to adverse conditions. Maternal infection is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. For years, evidence suggested that chronic oral infection in pregnant women led to preterm birth and/or low-birth weight infants. As important, is new evidence that proves that the pregnant woman actually pass oral health disease to the child as a contagious disease--not through genetics. Dental Caries remains the number one childhood disease and accounts for a loss of 51 million classroom hours each year.
Oral Tooth Decay is almost 100% preventable. When the mother's mouth is restored during and shortly after pregnancy and parent education is provided to the new mother, the child's risk for tooth decay goes down significantly. Community Health Centers nationwide have evidence based clinical outcomes that prove this model will work. The change in clinical results in children for the better is a suggested 500-800% improvement shown in similar collaboratives serving the same population. Our medical and dental providers working together we can expand the availability of prenatal and infant oral health care and education to those that are uninsured and underinsured living at 100% of poverty.
Currently, we provide pre-natal care to 1,200 pregnant women each year with 400 deliveries. In our current population, over 90% of pregnant women need treatment for disease. The Impact of this grant over 5 years would touch the lives of 1,600 children and their siblings estimated at 6,400. Through this proven model of integrated care we can impact these families for a lifetime in school work, activities, socialization, job prospects and self esteem. It starts with Mom getting what she needs.
Education
Positive Tomorrows – Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness – One Family at a Time
Oklahoma City
Positive Tomorrows is an education and family support center for homeless and low-income children and their families. We offer regular school classes for students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. Classes are designed to facilitate individual learning styles and skills-level in order to help each student reach their age-appropriate grade level in basic skills after being at Positive Tomorrows for one year.
During our 17 years of experience working with homeless children and families, we are aware that helping only the children is not enough. As a result, we have developed a parent education program that enables parents of the children enrolled at Positive Tomorrows to raise their basic skills levels to a place where they are able to function adequately in everyday life. We enroll the whole family in our wrap-around service model – children in the school, parents in the Parent Education Center and intensive case management services.
At enrollment, each family sets goals for Education, Employment, Housing, Health and Mental Health, and Life Skills. Case managers monitor the progress in each of these areas to help the family be successful in meeting their goals. Parents attend Life Skills classes at Positive Tomorrows, which include such practical skills as opening and maintaining a checking account, reading and understanding rental contracts, using coupons at the grocery, reading to your child and helping with homework. Parents volunteer a minimum of 1 hour each month in a classroom at Positive Tomorrows to become comfortable in working in a school setting so that when their child transitions to a public school, the parent feels comfortable becoming increasingly involved in the child’s education process.
Positive Tomorrows’ services are geared to offer hope to the children of homeless and at-risk children. There is never a charge for our services.Environment
Rebuilding Together
Oklahoma City
Imagine being 72 years old, a widow and having $1,100 per month income. You have bills to pay, medical expenses and a house to maintain. You are proud of the home you have earned and raised your family in, and you want to stay there forever. There is a good chance you are raising some grandchildren. It is a difficult choice when it comes down to paying for food, medicine or home repairs. You are the average client of Rebuilding Together OKC... and many survive on much less. Rebuilding Together helps by providing free repairs and modifications to keep low-income seniors safe, warm and dry. To qualify, a person must be at least 55 years of age, own and reside in the home, and be financially unable to make the repairs. Originally Christmas in April, the name changed in 2001 to “Rebuilding Together” to better reflect our work and our expanded ability to provide year-round emergency repairs and simple modifications. Our work is done mostly by volunteers (approximately 2,500 per year) with donated and purchased materials, always at no cost to our client. Since 1992 we have worked at over 1,000 homes. Impact dollars would increase our capacity to repair/modify kitchens and bathrooms. We could convert bathtubs to showers, make more extensive adaptations for physically challenged seniors, and provide major plumbing repairs and appliance replacements. Imagine the gift of being able to bath regularly and safely, to prepare your own meals – essentially to take care of yourself and stay in your home. These projects drastically improve daily activities and increase independence. Your support can have tremendous impact, especially when combined with varying contributions of in-kind labor and materials. We believe all people deserve to age independently, with grace and dignity and you can help them do so.
Culture
Studio 222
Oklahoma City
Studio 222 is a tuition free after-school program targeted at inner city middle school aged students from Taft Middle School. Taft Middle School is a high-challenged, inner city Oklahoma City public school. The mission of Studio 222 is to provide a safe, positive environment where inner city youth can develop strong, healthy self-esteems and hope for their future.
Studio 222 began in the fall of 2004 and is currently in its third successful year offering a quality program that supports and promotes the arts culture. The program runs four days per week during the school year from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Students are allowed to choose from activities such as: hip-hop dance, drama, computer animation, photography and creative writing all taught by professional artists employed by the program.
Early this year, Studio 222 acquired a building located on the southeast corner of 14th and Robinson (1500 N. Robinson) to conduct its program. This building is in need of renovation for the program. The building project will include adding a kitchen, updating restrooms, creating space for classrooms, a computer lab and a gallery to display art. The proposed budget for the project is $135,000.00.
Many of the students have little or no family support. By having their own building, we hope to help them acknowledge their importance and contribution to our community. We run program evaluations yearly and have seen that the program has helped increase school attendance, decrease trouble after school and improve academic scores.
Because of the success of this program, the long-term goal of Studio 222 is to increase the number of students served not only at a new location but also in other locations throughout the metro area.Family
Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Oklahoma City
Darrell’s father passed away when he was seven. Chelsey’s mother is raising three children while working two jobs. D.J.’s mother had him when she was sixteen and his father wants no responsibility for him. This is why Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma is so important in the lives of children who need caring adult role models.
With a history of more than 100 years of establishing one-to-one relationships for children who need positive guidance, BBBSOK targets low-income, single-parent children who most often live in single-mother households where the father has little or no contact with the child. As the numbers of at-risk children continue to grow in Oklahoma, the need to provide a mentor takes on an ever-growing importance.
Our professional staff members are highly trained in all aspects of one-to-one mentoring. They take extra care to match children based on their unique needs. Each volunteer we match meets rigorous standards and successfully passes extensive background checks.
Each match is supported by a professional who offers ongoing support, consultations, and several planned monthly activities. That’s what sets BBBSOK’s program apart from other mentoring programs and because of this, our program is recognized as the country’s gold standard in mentoring.
Last year we served nearly 1000 children in Central Oklahoma. With the assistance of Impact Oklahoma we can increase this number by 300 - so the Darrells, Chelseys and D.J.s of the state can have the caring adult in their lives who will positively influence them to become productive, contributing members of society. As they move into adulthood, chances are that their own children will get the kind of nurturing and childhood that every child deserves and is entitled to experience.