South Tulsa Community House

South Peoria Neighborhood Connection Foundation (SPNCF), dba South Tulsa Community House (STCH), is a social service hub in one of Tulsa's most underserved areas, the Riverwood Community. Covering a geographic span of four square miles from 51st to 81st streets and from Riverside Drive to Lewis Avenue, we also include the 61st and South Peoria quadrant within our service area. Over the last fiscal year, we have fluctuated in serving between 800 to 1,300 individuals, supporting approximately 440 families, including low-income seniors, veterans, and other individuals and families who depend on our resources for immediate needs.STCH operate five days a week, providing a range of direct services directly at STCH. These services include the distribution of food and hygiene items, access to computers, bus tokens, and a computer center, designed to meet the needs of our community members. Our families rely heavily on the multitude of direct services offered at STCH. From a well-stocked food pantry to comprehensive case management and community navigator, STCH is designed to meet immediate needs while fostering long-term empowerment. The community engagement coordinator plays a crucial role as a liaison, ensuring that the voices of Riverwood are heard and addressed.Additionally, through strategic partnerships, we have successfully extended our support to include legal aid, emergency infant services, tax filing assistance, help with internet connectivity, SoonerCare enrollment, and SNAP assistance. These collaborations have been instrumental in broadening the scope of our assistance, ensuring comprehensive support to those who rely on us the most.

In the fiscal year that concluded on June 30, 2023, STCH successfully provided services to 11,729 individuals across 5,298 households. Our organization serves a significant portion of the community, housing one-third of all Section 8 housing and supporting families within the two zip codes with the highest eviction rates in Tulsa County. This area faces poverty levels that exceed both the city of Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma, as indicated by the most recent census data.During this period, the primary demand from the community was for food assistance, largely driven by rising food costs and the prolonged economic effects of COVID-19. STCH managed to maintain its commitment to providing double the food provision every 30 days, equating to two meals per day over a span of 10 days. Through both donated and purchased supplies, our staff and volunteers were able to prepare a total of 206,269 meals. Furthermore, recognizing the challenges of limited mobility and inadequate transportation as significant barriers for community members, STCH distributed 954 bus tokens to facilitate access to essential appointments, job interviews, and resource assistance.In addition to these efforts, limited internet access and connectivity pose another substantial barrier, which we addressed through our Computer Center. Open daily, the center was frequently utilized by community members for activities such as resume writing, job searches, and service applications. Over the past year, 145 individuals used these resources in search of employment, bill payments, and other essential tasks. With the invaluable support of community partners, retail stores, and dedicated staff and volunteers, STCH remains committed to our mission of "Helping a Little, Empowering a Lot."