FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2013
Contact: Houda Elyazgi
helyazgi@saxum.com
(Office) 405.605.2003 or (Cell) 405.474.5789
Emergency Infant Services and The Parent Child Center of Tulsa campaign raises more than $215,000
Contributions will help provide essential services to Tulsa’s most vulnerable families
TULSA, Okla. – Emergency Infant Services (EIS) and The Parent Child Center of Tulsa (PCCT) have teamed up to provide essential services to children and parents at their new joint location, and the Tulsa community has welcomed them with open arms.
In the months of April and May, a challenge was issued to Tulsans to contribute up to $100,000 in support of the co-location project. George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) committed to matching increased and first-time contributions made to Project East Tulsa: Double the Difference dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000. Not only was that challenge met, it was exceeded.
The community contributed more than $115,000 to the campaign, which was matched with $100,000 from GKFF for a total of just over $215,000 to support the co-location.
“We continue to be amazed by the dedication of the Tulsa community to supporting essential programs like those provided by Emergency Infant Services and The Parent Child Center of Tulsa,” said Phil Lakin, board chair and trustee of GKFF. “The mission of our foundation is to break the cycle of poverty, and these groups are essential in providing services to help families, mothers and children overcome the difficulties they face in their daily lives. I want to thank Tulsans, again, for their generosity and thank these organizations for providing an outstanding example of partnership and collaboration to help those in serious need.”
EIS serves pregnant women and children who are 5 years of age or younger and provides basic essentials, including food, formula, diapers, clothing, cribs and car seats. The organization assists more than 14,000 children each year. EIS has no waiting periods or income qualifiers, operating on the theory that a hungry child cannot wait. Families may come for assistance up to four times in a calendar year.
“The Emergency Infant Services’ board, volunteers, staff and clients are so appreciative of the collaboration and partnership that the Project East Tulsa: Double the Difference matching grant has provided,” said Tom Taylor, executive director of EIS. “We are excited to be able to provide direct client services in an East Tulsa area that needs our help with basic needs. George Kaiser Family Foundation and Tulsa Community Foundation, along with several generous donors, have been instrumental in helping EIS meet this need. We want our donors to know that .92 cents of every dollar donated and matched goes directly to providing clients in the Tulsa area these basic needs.”
Serving more than 46,000 parents and children last year, PCCT provides a wide array of services focused on strengthening families to prevent and end child abuse and neglect in the community. Among other services, PCCT offers programs including SafeCare, a voluntary parenting program that offers support and education for pregnant women and parents of children from birth to 5 years old, and Great Beginnings, a voluntary home visiting program that focuses on positive parenting and encourages child health and development.
“The generosity of our community is amazing,” said Desiree Doherty, executive director of PCCT. “We are very grateful to George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa Community Foundation and all those who contributed. As a result, The Parent Child Center will be able to extend vital home visiting and parenting education services to more families of infants and young children than ever before. Over the next three years, several hundred little children will be safer and more nurtured thanks to this campaign’s success.”
The joint location opened in east Tulsa in January 2013 at 9910 E. 42nd Street, Suite 100 in Tulsa.
About Emergency Infant Services
Emergency Infant Services (EIS) meets the basic human needs of infants and children through 5 years of age whose families are in crisis or emergency situations. EIS assists more than 14,000 children each year with the basic necessities of food, formula, diapers, clothing, cribs and car seats. For more information about how to help, visit www.emergencyinfantservices.com.
About The Parent Child Center of Tulsa
Serving more than 46,000 parents and children last year, The Parent Child Center of Tulsa provides a wide array of services focused on strengthening families to prevent and end child abuse and neglect in our community. For more information about how to help, visit www.parentchildcenter.org.
About George Kaiser Family Foundation
George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) is a charitable organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through investments in early childhood education, community health, social services and civic enhancement. Based in Tulsa, Okla., GKFF works primarily on initiatives developed in collaboration with Tulsa-based direct service organizations. For more information about George Kaiser Family Foundation, visit www.gkff.org.
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