Harvest House - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Providing food, clothing, vision care, utility assistance, transport help, and infant services.
Phillip - Volunteer
We have a federal government and a welfare system and all of that other stuff, but the best care and the best help these people get doesn't come from those programs, it comes from these kinds of places all around the country. I guaranty it and they will tell you that.
Doing this has kept me really connected. The interview process I've been doing for 18 years, I love doing this because this is where you make that contact. This is where you sit there with the real person, with the real household, find out the real problems, and make a difference. There's nothing more rewarding on the face of the earth than that. You couldn't pay me money not to do this, I wouldn't take it. When you help people, you watch them walk out of here with hope and kind of a good attitude. They walk in carrying the cares of the world and they leave feeling they see an answer, see a path forward, see a solution and that's what we do, we give them a solution. I get to do that everyday, you can see why I get excited about what I do. All of us feel the same way.
Adam - Volunteer - I have been volunteering here for 3 years. Before volunteering here, me and my mom actually came here to get food and I was like, you all helped us so much, is there any way I can repay that? I was thinking of volunteering, I talked with Phil, he told me how to do it and I've been loving it ever since. I just like helping clients. I got my mom to volunteer here. I was a client here and I loved how they were helping so many people...I came here and I've loved it ever since.
Tina - Volunteer - About five years ago I was a client here. Then he started volunteering and I saw what great things he was doing and I thought, I need to be a part of that. I volunteer here every week. He picks up the bread from Panera on Monday nights, I come in on Tuesday, divide the bread up and put it on the shelves and then he and I stock all of the shelves,
Michele - Volunteer
What I like about volunteering here is the difference this place makes in people's lives. It's not every single client, even if it's one in a day that you can tell that you changed their outlook on how things are going to go in their lives. It's amazing the little things that can do that. Them coming and finding a great outfit to wear to an interview, or to church, so they have something new and fresh, it just makes them feel so much better about themselves. Seeing the light in their eyes when they find that, just makes me happy. That's what I really like about it, it's wonderful to be able to make an impact.
Ling - I come here every two or three months to get clothing and groceries. It helps a lot especially the groceries. The things they have here are very fresh are very useful for my family, things that I need. I have three children. Every month expenses... the money that comes in the household is not enough.
Shammaria - This place helps me out tremendously. They have a large selection of clothes. I have three daughters and one son.