Artful Askers exists to empower faith-based and community organizations with the knowledge, tools, expertise, and skills to access money and other resources to meet needs in their community. Artful Askers (relationship fundraising training) 2012 Oklahoma schedule:

   -Ponca City on October 12 (Friday), co-sponsored by OFBCI and Kay County
    -Tulsa on October 13 (Saturday), co-sponsored by OFBCI and Freedom Ranch and God's Shining Light Church

Training focuses on relationship fundraising and includes extensive resource material. For more information visit www.artfulaskers.com. 

  As of January 1, 2012 there were 8308 children in OKDHS state custody. Oklahoma churches and foster care ministries are coming together to address the many needs of these children, their biological families and foster families. 

    The 111Project mission is to recruit 1 church to recruit 1 family for 1 purpose: to leave no Oklahoma Child without a family. 

111 INFORMATION ORIENTATION, for families of faith interested in discovering the unique vantage point of interacting with the child welfare system, is being offered the third Tuesday evening in Oklahoma City and the third Thursday evening of each month in Tulsa. For more information visit here.

The 111Project is a collaboration between OKDHS, OFBCI, local businesses, and Christian ministries. If you represent another community of faith with a foster family recruitment effort, please email OFBCI at Faithlinks.  Visit here for more information on how to resgiter your family and church.

  TRUE Dads (Trust, Responsibility, Unity, Encouragement) is a state-wide comprehensive approach for mobilizing strategies and organizing the work necessary to increase awareness of and provide support to fathers and the institution of fatherhood in Oklahoma. More details coming.

For more fatherhood information visit www.fatherhood.gov (National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse’s web page).

  The Oklahoma National Guard and Army OneSource are creating Regional Resource Teams for Military Families who will assist veterans, service members and their families in accessing services and support. They are seeking members of the faith community across the state who have a passion and interest in assisting military families. For more information or to volunteer by providing your name, email, city and county to Paula - National Guard or Wendy - Army.   

  Oklahoma Bridges is a statewide campaign to address poverty using the Bridges Out of Poverty constructs. With the assistance of OFBCI and OKDHS, local initiatives have been launched in Stillwater, Muskogee and Grove. Many other grassroots efforts are being organized with formal launches being announced in 2012. 

The Furniture Bank of Oklahoma City is distributing furniture, by referral only from partner agencies Skyline Ministries (405) 632-2644 and Catholic Charities (405) 523-3000. Ongoing donations of furniture are needed.  Donations are accepted at 3922 NW 10th on Saturdays from 9 AM to 12 Noon.  For more information or to request a pick up for your donated furniture, contact Claire at (405) 905-5826 or email Furniture OKC. 

  Healing Communities is a program that includes structured dialogue, in a safe environment, between the offender and victim to facilitate healing, forgiveness and restoration. There are three pilot sites in metro Oklahoma City with additional sites being explored. For more information on Healing Communities, click here.

  “Bridges Out of Poverty” provides increased understanding of generational poverty and why middle class solutions just don’t work. The training provides mental models for each economic class, case studies, the hidden barriers to success, how to communicate more effectively, and other valuable information for assisting individuals and families as they transition out of poverty. This information is also effective for law enforcement and/or organizations working with individuals reentering society after incarceration. More details to come on future trainings.