Neighborhood Services Organization Inc

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ORGANIZATION, INC., WAS FOUNDED IN 1920 AND INCORPORATED ON AUGUST 19, 1969 AS A FAITH-BASED NONPROFIT CORPORATION. ITS MISSION IS TRANSFORMING LIVES AND ENCOURAGING INDEPENDENCE THROUGH SAFE, HEALTHY HOMES, DENTAL CARE, AND NUTRITION.

4A: WIC - WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN NSO'S WIC CLINIC IS THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT WIC CLINIC IN OKLAHOMA. THE CLINIC PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD VOUCHERS, HEALTH CARE REFERRALS AND NUTRITION/HEALTH INFORMATION TO LOW-INCOME PREGNANT, BREAST-FEEDING, AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN AND THEIR INFANTS/CHILDREN UP TO AGE FIVE. OUR WORK IS ROBUST: IN 2023, WE HAD A CASELOAD OF MORE THAN 58,000 WHILE FIELDING 117,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE. OUR PROGRAM GIFTED FAMILIES WITH LIFE- CHANGING KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO ADEQUATELY NOURISH BODIES AND IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN ADDITION, WE SERVED AS A SUMMER FOOD SITE, PROVIDING MORE THAN 2,300 MEALS.

4B: HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1920, NSO HAS SERVED CENTRAL OKLAHOMA'S MOST MARGINALIZED NEIGHBORS - THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY, THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED AND THOSE AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS AND HUNGER. AS NEIGHBORS FACE MOMENTS OF HOPELESSNESS, WE RESPOND WITH HOPE, DIGNITY, AND A PATH FORWARD. NSO'S HISTORY PAINTS THE PICTURE OF A DYNAMIC ORGANIZATION THAT IS AGILE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF ITS COMMUNITY. THROUGH OUR DECADES OF SERVICE, NSO HAS INCUBATED INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT MEET EMERGING AND UNMET NEEDS. SEVERAL OF THOSE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE OKC FOOD BANK AND OTHERS, WERE FOUNDED AND NURTURED AT NSO BEFORE BECOMING INDEPENDENT, SUCCESSFUL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. TODAY, NSO LEADERS CONTINUE TO SERVE AS A LEADER IN RESPONDING TO THE HARSHEST CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY. WE COLLABORATE WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND ELIMINATE DUPLICATION OF EFFORT. IN 2023, NSO'S HOUSING PROGRAMS INCLUDED HOMELESS PREVENTION, EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE WITH RENT AND MORTGAGES, TRANSITIONAL LIVING, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. POPULATIONS SERVED INCLUDE YOUNG MEN AGES 18-23; MOTHERS AND CHILDREN; AND CHRONICALLY UNHOUSED ADULTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. THE CAROLYN WILLIAMS CENTER (CWC) IS A 24-MONTH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM SERVING UNHOUSED YOUNG MEN AGES 18-23. MANY CWC RESIDENTS HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE. THE CWC'S GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE, HEALTHY HOME FOR THE YOUNG MEN, WHILE HELPING THEM DEVELOP THE RESOURCES AND SKILLS NEEDED TO TRANSITION INTO A PERMANENT HOME. IN 2023, THIS PROGRAM SERVED 24 YOUNG MEN, PROVIDING 1,000 HOURS OF CASE MANAGEMENT. NSO HAS TWO TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAMS FOR UNHOUSED MOTHERS AND CHILDREN. AT MARTHA'S HOUSE, WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN HAVE A FURNISHED THREE-BEDROOM APARTMENT. AT GATEWOOD, MOTHERS WHO ARE PREGNANT OR HAVE A YOUNG CHILD HAVE A FURNISHED ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT. THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE MOMS AND THEIR CHILDREN HAVE A SAFE, HEALTHY HOME FOR UP TO 24 MONTHS WHILE THEY GAIN THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING. IN 2023, OUR MARTHA'S HOUSE AND GATEWOOD SERVED 24 MOMS AND 50 CHILDREN. PALO DURO IS A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM SERVING ONCE UNHOUSED ADULTS WITH CHRONIC MENTAL ILLNESS. MANY PALO DURO RESIDENTS LIVED ON OKC STREETS FOR YEARS BEFORE COMING TO NSO. OUR GOAL IS FOR RESIDENTS TO MAINTAIN THEIR PERMANENT HOUSING, STAY HEALTHY AND BE PART OF THE PALO DURO COMMUNITY. IN 2023, PALO DURO GAVE 36 ADULTS A SAFE, HEALTHY HOME. IN 2023, NSO HELPED 68 FAMILIES - OR 160 ADULTS AND CHILDREN - STAY IN THEIR HOMES BY PROVIDING ONE-TIME RENTAL OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. ALL NSO HOUSING PROGRAMS WORK TO HELP RESIDENTS LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

4C: NSO LOW-COST DENTAL CLINIC: HISTORICALLY, OKLAHOMA HAS RANKED AT OR NEAR THE BOTTOM FOR ADULTS WHO HAVE APPROPRIATE ORAL HEALTH CARE. SINCE 1969, NSO HAS OFFERED SERVICES THROUGH ITS LOW-COST DENTAL CLINIC. IN 2023, NSO'S LOW-COST DENTAL CLINIC MADE SURE THAT ORAL HEALTH CARE IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERY PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNICITY, OR ECONOMIC STATUS. OUR LOW-COST DENTAL CLINIC SERVED 1,600 PATIENTS, PROVIDING 11,700 PROCEDURES. WE ALSO TOOK THE MESSAGE OF ORAL HEALTH OUTSIDE OUR CLINIC WALLS THROUGH OUR ORAL HEALTH OUTREACH PROGRAM WHICH TRAVELED TO SCHOOLS, SENIOR CENTERS, NONPROFITS, DAYCARES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SITES, SERVING 27,000 CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIORS.