The Homeless Alliance began as a group of Oklahoma City community volunteers concerned about the fractured system of care for people experiencing homelessness in the area. These volunteers visited communities that had implemented collaborative efforts and studied the strategies used by cities that had reduced their homeless populations. The group then conducted an extensive analysis on Oklahoma City to identify areas for improvement and missing services.
Today, the Homeless Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rallying Oklahoma City to end homelessness through collaboration with service providers, government agencies, and the community. It operates several housing programs for families with children, veterans, people who are HIV-positive, and the chronically homeless. In 2019, the Homeless Alliance helped 754 people work their way out of homelessness.
The organization owns and operates the Westtown Homeless Resource Campus, which includes a Resource Center with offices for multiple nonprofit and government agencies, a housing complex, and Oklahoma City’s only low-barrier Day Shelter serving an average of 350 people each day.
The Day Shelter serves breakfast and lunch, provides showers, access to computers, phones, mail, and access to needed services including mental and physical healthcare, budgeting assistance, legal support, and multiple classes and programs.
The Day Shelter also welcomes those who have a companion animal from which they will not be parted, so that people with pets aren’t shut out of the system of care. In 2019, the Day Shelter served 6,950 individuals.
In addition, the Homeless Alliance runs several programs to employ the population it serves and provide them with financial literacy. Learn more at HomelessAlliance.org.
