Can you imagine having to live out on the streets now, as hot as it’s been in Tulsa for much of the summer? As I’m writing this in mid to late August, we’re experiencing day after day of brutal triple digit heat. For most of us, while it’s hard on the electric bill and somewhat hard in just getting out in the head for a while, it’s not life threatening. For our workers outside, athletes such as our twin girls out playing softball in this heat, it’s brutal.
What about all these folks we drive past every day, out in the sunshine and heat, just trying to survive? Unless they stay in an overnight shelter, which many of them won’t or can’t do, it’s hard to even get a good night’s sleep in this heat. Having to survive in the heat, on the streets, and without a home is one of the many reasons why on average one person dies per week in Tulsa while living on the streets.
We can do better than this as a community. Sure, we can give a cold bottle of water to our homeless friends on the streets, which is good. I did that today, giving one to, let’s call him Kevin, as he was trying to stay cool in the shade. But this is not the ultimate solution. They need a safe home to live in, with the many services and help they need to help them overcome their many issues.
Our Vision is to help make Tulsa a city where no one sleeps outside, and we need your support towards making this happen.