Noble Foundation is Improving the Health and Safety of Many Municipalities
The Good Shepherd health clinic in Ardmore has recently received $90,000 from the Noble Foundation.
Oklahoma is very fortunate to have many non-profit organizations and foundations that are always very generous to help meet various needs within our communities. Often times, these non-profits step in to assist community groups that would otherwise be unable to fund important projects and services for the citizens within their communities. OML is very proud to feature these generous organizations as they are making a big difference across our State. Today, we are honoring the Noble Foundation.
Beyond the work of city officials, police officers, firefighters and other municipal employees, the work of nonprofit plays an important role in the health of any municipality.
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation is one of the state’s largest funders of nonprofit organizations through an annual grant program that focuses on operations that improve health and education, which in turn has improved the quality of life in many cities and towns across Oklahoma.
“In addition to agricultural research conducted by Noble Research Institute, the Noble Foundation’s granting focuses on charitable organizations that cultivate good health, support education and build stronger communities,” said Stacy Newman, director of philanthropy for the foundation.
One of the recent grant recipients is an Ardmore organization that works with victims of domestic violence and is often a partner with local law enforcement.
Serving a six-county area surrounding Ardmore, the Family Shelter of Southern Oklahoma offers counseling and crisis services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“It’s definitely proven that advocacy centers save lives because we do extensive safety planning,” said DeeDee Hunter, the shelter manager, speaking with the Daily Ardmoreite.
“Whether we have to get the police involved for court, to escort us, to have extra security. We keep their confidentiality and their privacy key with their safety.”
In the Ardmore area, there can be as many as 50 domestic violence calls each month, creating a challenge for local police and the court system, which may not be equipped to provide the supportive services victims often need.
Last year, the Family Shelter of Southern Oklahoma received a $15,000 grant from the Noble Foundation.
Another program that partners with police, Oklahoma City’s A Chance to Change nonprofit, has also received support from the Noble Foundation for nearly 30 years, totaling $620,000.
A Chance to Change offers addiction and mental health education services, with a focus on individuals from low-income communities who may lack the insurance coverage or funds to obtain care.
The Oklahoma City Police Department’s youth gang prevention program has partnered with A Chance to Change, which has a specific program called A Chance to SUCCEED.
“For our Juvenile Intervention Program, A Chance to SUCCEED staff have provided substance use lessons and have come in to do exercises with our students,” Sgt. Tony Escobar with the Oklahoma City Police Department told the Noble Foundation. “Their staff has been an incredible asset to our team over the last three years. A lot of our kids are able to identify with the stories that the staff bring because they are going through it with a parent or are going through it themselves. To provide that avenue and to provide mentorship for these students is incredible.”
Building healthy cities
Last year, the Noble Foundation awarded $7,500 to The Grace Center of Southern Oklahoma, Inc., a nonprofit that works to prevent homelessness and increase self-sufficiency.
Earlier this year, as many Oklahomans struggled to make utility payments because of the coronavirus-caused recession, The Grace Center, along with other nonprofits, provided relief payments based on the individual need.
“We take the time to understand what’s going on, and we want to ask questions to find out about their financial situation,” said Laura Eastes Akers, executive director of the Grace Center. “Because of that, the amount we may choose to apply on a water bill or OG&E bill is based on the person’s situation, their financial situation, and how many people are involved. Is it a family? Is it a senior citizen? Things like that.”
More than $450,000 in grants were issued to nonprofits in the Ardmore area last year. But the Noble Foundation also supported charities in many other towns, including the Center of Family Love in Okarche and the Great Expectations Foundation in Tahlequah.
“The Noble Foundation allows us to keep our doors open,” said Teresa Myers, CEO of Good Shepherd health clinic in Ardmore, which received $90,000 from the Noble Foundation in 2019. “We’re a service-based organization, which can make it difficult to find support. Many foundations want to see a project created or something new to give money to. But it’s people that do things. Noble has supported us so we can take care of others.”
In an article published by the Noble Foundation, Myers discussed how important it is for a city to have nonprofits like Good Shepherd. Social factors like transportation, food, housing, literacy, mental health and addiction determine the health of a community, Myers said, and through donations and grants, the overall health of a city is improved.
"There is nothing more important to our families and communities than our health," said Newman, the Noble Foundation’s director of philanthropy. "This one project will impact thousands of lives each year and better our communities in a meaningful way."
Nonprofits play an important role in many municipalities and can be partners for cities trying to tackle their biggest challenges. For many of these nonprofits, the Noble Foundation has offered critical funding that has changed lives and improved communities.
Guidelines for grant seekers can be found here.