Upward Transitions had a fantastic 2014 and we are looking forward to great things happening in 2015!
We kicked-off the year by being awarded a grant for $15,000 from the Kirkpatrick Family Foundation that will be used for assisting clients with services.
Our first big event of the calendar year is our annual Celebrity Wait Night which will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10th at the Hideaway Pizza in Automobile Alley. Greg and Judy Sellmyer are serving as the event chairs and report the “recruitment” of the celebrity waiters will be a “top ranked class”!
The first “How I See OKC” homeless photography exhibit was launched in 2014. We partnered with the Curbside Chronicle (a magazine sold on street corners by the homeless) and their vendors to take photographs of how they see OKC. On a very cold Friday night with snow still on the ground, over 200 people showed up at the Istvan Galleries to view photographs of life on the streets. The 2015 “How I See OKC” exhibit will be Thursday, April 9th at The Society art gallery at 1609 N Blackwelder Ave # 4 in the Plaza District. You will be receiving further information on both of these fun and unique events.
This past holiday season, Upward Transitions provided 319 Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and facilitated adoptions of 34 families or 140 people for Christmas. This would not have been possible without the support of the AFL-CIO, Homeland, United Way of Central Oklahoma and all the union members who supported this effort! We had a wonderful group of businesses, organizations, individuals and board members who selflessly adopted families to insure they had a Merry Christmas!
We had a banner year for publicity for Upward Transitions. We were featured on Found Causes in December. Indian Head Pictures created a fantastic video for our annual campaign and website. We have gone from just over 100 likes on Facebook to over 500 likes!
We have continued our partnership with Goodwill Industries in a collaborative effort to provide Supportive Services for Veterans and Their Families. This program is for homeless and rapid re-housing services for veterans and their families. Many veterans face challenges after serving our country and Upward Transitions is proud to working with those who sacrificed for our freedom. We welcomed Brittany Adams to our SSVF case management staff in September.
We also added a new Community Outreach Case Manager, Harold Powell. Leslie Guzman, our Executive Assistant is moving to Alabama where her husband has been transferred so we have hired Mary Kate Henson to take over the position.
Upward OKC held the second “Dodge for a Cause” this past August and raised over $5000! Upward OKC will be holding another event this spring. Upward OKC is for young professionals 21 – 36 years of age. They host monthly networking events. Membership is only $50. For more information, please contact Upward Transitions.
The Travelers Aid program at Will Rogers World Airport is in its 41st year! Since 1973, Upward Transitions has coordinated the volunteers who man the two information booths at the airport 365 days a year. These wonderful volunteers assist travelers and visitors with a variety of services. This past year, Travelers Aid volunteers contributed almost 7,000 hours of service and assisted more than 87,400 millions to Will Rogers World Airport.
Plans are underway for the 2015 American Tourist “Medieval Knights”. This year, we are excited to be honoring Meg Salyer, owner of Accel Financial Staffing and Ward 6 City Council representative. Meg is being honored for her efforts to help this less fortunate in the community. The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 13th from 6:30 pm until 11 pm at a new location, the Bricktown Chevy Events Center. There will be fabulous food, refreshing beverages, a silent and live auction and live entertainment from Banana Seat. For sponsorship and ticket information, please call Upward Transitions for more information.
All this would not have been possible without the wonderful staff of dedicated professionals who work hard every day to help make the lives of the less fortunate better. We served over 4,000 people with a variety of crisis services and over 87,400 at Will Rogers World Airport. I am very grateful to work with such a talented staff!
I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their support, time and contributions to ensure Upward Transitions continues for another 90 years serving the metropolitan area. I have been with Upward Transitions for over 7 ½ years and I am grateful to work for such a wonderful organization.
A big shout out to the United Way of Central Oklahoma for their support of Upward Transitions! We could not provide the services we do without them.
Dana Hope Chism
Executive Director