Support from an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit is being used to boost rental assistance through service providers tackling homelessness and mental health needs in the city.
The Oklahoma City Community Foundation awarded in July a total of $794,750 to a coalition of organizations working to reduce long-term homelessness locally, spokespeople announced Wednesday, Aug. 12. The funding was designated through the foundation's Bridge OKC Fund, which had been established to help bridge gaps in nonprofit support and meet pressing community needs in central Oklahoma.
Of that nearly $795,000 in funds, Oklahoma City's Key to Home Partnership ― a collective comprised of dozens of local agencies, nonprofits, and private sector partners ― is using $305,500 to expand its Coordinated Adaptive Response and Engagement, or CARE, Team.
The team was launched in 2026 to create new pathways to housing for people with complex mental health challenges. Its staff is experienced in street outreach, first response, mental health, and clinical care, according to a news release Wednesday.
"The CARE Team project represents exactly the kind of collaborative, community-informed solution that meaningful change requires," Oklahoma City Community Foundation CEO Trisha Finnegan said in the news release. "Investing in a team that can connect with our most vulnerable neighbors is how we support lasting stability. We're proud to help the Key to Home Partnership grow this work."
More: Key To Home Partnership reaches goal of rehousing 500 homeless in OKC
Key to Home officially began in 2023, with the goal of rehousing 500 people experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City by the end of 2025. As of December, the partnership had rehoused at least 502 people through the initiative.
Jamie Caves, the Key to Home Partnership manager, said service providers "work incredibly hard" to provide support for residents experiencing crises, but that the local system hadn't had the resources available to meet the need in the past.
"We're excited to be able to provide a higher level of care for our neighbors that have more complex needs," Caves said in a statement Wednesday. "Thanks to the support of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, we are able to dedicate the resources to finally make meaningful progress for this population."
With funds from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, the CARE Team will expand efforts to secure rental aid for clients while case managers work with them on plans to stabilize housing and affordability.
Numerous service providers collaborating with the Key to Home CARE Team include the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Catholic Charities; SSM Health; Diversion Hub; NorthCare; OU Health; Red Rock Behavioral Health Services; HOPE Community Services; and the Downtown OKC Green Team.
In addition, $250,000 of Oklahoma City Community Foundation funds were awarded to Mental Health Association Oklahoma, while $239,250 also went to The Homeless Alliance.
Amy Coldren, director of advocacy and communication for Mental Health Association Oklahoma, said the funds allow the organization to sustain and expand its eviction prevention program. Through the Shelterwell initiative, case management and mediators will work through disputes between landlords and tenants and help create payment plans.
"The goal with the pre-filing mediation is that the tenant avoids having an eviction on their record, because that eviction can be very, very damaging," Coldren explained. "Just the filing alone can cause a long-term impact. In court language, it will come up as "forcible entry" in (the online court records database), and it remains on their record forever."
"We want to see the relationship between the tenant and the landlord improved to where they can work through any other issues that come up in mediation," Coldren said. "That mediator can help come up with a solution."
Portions of the funding are also expected to go toward The Homeless Alliance's Day Shelter and its mental health and employment programs, according to the organization's CEO Meghan Mueller.
She calls the shelter "the front door to services," connecting people experiencing homelessness not only to meals and showers but to other supportive services that can move them toward housing and stability.
"This funding will help us make critical improvements to our facility as we work toward becoming a certified behavioral health provider and expanding access to mental health care right here on our campus," Mueller said. "By bringing more services directly to the people we serve, we can help remove barriers to care and better support our neighbors on their path out of homelessness."
Another grant will be awarded at a future date, according to the news release, bringing total funds invested by Oklahoma City Community Foundation trustees and donors to more than $1 million.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC homelessness groups get funds to fight evictions, aid mental health