FROM THE CEO

LIVE UNITED – you see that phrase on our cool Tulsa flag t-shirts, in our social media posts, and on our brochures, but the recent historic windstorm gave us a chance once again to demonstrate what those words truly mean in our community.

On June 1, 211 Eastern Oklahoma (211EOK) transitioned to Tulsa Area United Way (TAUW). Living united meant that our board had voted for TAUW to take on the ownership and operations of 211EOK when Community Service Council determined that changes to their nonprofit meant they could no longer sustain the program. We know that 211EOK is a critical front door for services, a 24/7 response for those in need across 37 counties. We navigated the transition with no service disruption. Then 17 days later, 100+ mph winds tore through our region. Call volumes to

211EOK doubled throughout the following week as temperatures rose and people reached out for services.

I’m grateful for the employees keeping the database of resources up to date, along with the call specialists who strive to connect people with the services they need, whether to find a cooling station or to replace lost food and medication.

Your support empowers us to show up and live our mission, uniting people and resources to improve lives and strengthen communities. I recently told our summer intern that living united for me means waking up every day looking for an open door even when another one has closed. Living united means going through those doors with courage, even when we don’t always know what is on the other side, because we’re united in purpose with you.

Some doors closed during the pandemic, but TAUW emerged on the other side with strong financials and prepared for the future with the digital expertise and tools to reach the growing remote and hybrid workforce. Living united on the other side of the pandemic means now we organize multiple Days of Caring each year, mobilizing 9,000 volunteers in 2022. Our volunteers showed up to build wheelchair ramps, help kids catch up on reading skills, do makeovers for women in recovery, and more. Some of our volunteers helped 2022 Campaign Chair Peggy Simmons and our team raise more than $25.5 million in a tough economic year, and 180 volunteers spend 5,000 hours to ensure the dollars raised were invested wisely.

Helen Keller once said, “Often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.” We walked through the open door to take on the work of 211EOK, collaborating to solve problems with compassion because we know our neighbors are experiencing hunger, homelessness and underemployment –and more recently, unexpected after-effects from high winds and power outages.

Out of crisis comes opportunity, and we’re committed to working together with community partners to understand what solutions are working – what efforts and programs should be expanded and what new approaches could make a bigger impact with increased funding. In this magazine, you’ll read about three programs changing lives – programs your donations support.

After 99 years of advancing positive change in our community, TAUW excels at bringing people together across sectors to clarify and solve problems. As we face the next hundred years in our community, we’re opening doors to new ways of thinking, and we ask for your help. Not only are your financial contributions essential to our work, but you are some of the brightest, most creative people in our community, and we would love to hear your ideas for addressing the critical needs we face.

As you read this issue of Philanthropie, my hope is that you are more committed than ever to continue through the open doors with us, living united as our most generous donors and sharing your innovative ideas back with us of how we work together, united in purpose.