Season of Giving: Tulsa Area Holiday Gifts and Donations

Is your family interested in helping those in need throughout the Tulsa community? Many of these organizations need year-round assistance, but the need is even greater during the holiday months. Find a charity and/or organization in Tulsa that your family can donate items, time or money this holiday season in our list of places to give in Tulsa:

Amplify Youth Health Collective

1601 S. Main St., Ste. 200, Tulsa
info@amplifytulsa.org
Follow us! @amplifytulsa
amplifytulsa.org

Amplify is advancing youth sexual health and well-being through collaboration, education, and advocacy. Amplify is the collective impact agency for adolescent sexual health in Tulsa and provides training and resources to school and community-based organizations to educate and support youth, parents, and other trusted adults. 

Tulsa County’s teen birth numbers have declined 56% in the last decade, alongside the expansion of effective, evidence-based sexual health education programs and services. When young people are given accurate information, they make the healthiest decisions for themselves. Our vision is to create vibrant communities with informed youth and equitable access.

The Arc of Oklahoma

Oklahomans of all genders, racial backgrounds, ages and financial situations are touched by disability. When we build a better community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), we build a better world for all of us.  For 70+ years, we have provided supports, services, advocacy, and programs for Oklahomans with IDD and their families. With your help, we grow stronger.  Give today at TheArcOK.org.

The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges

The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges’ mission is to “provide opportunities for persons with physical disabilities to enhance the quality of their lives.” Center services include youth programming, adaptive sports, support groups and more.

This season, consider donating to The Center to help them continue offering these programs. Learn more at tulsacenter.org/get-involved/donate.

Child Advocacy Network, Inc.

Every donation counts! CAN helps stop the hurt and begin the healing of children going through a child abuse investigation. Items on the Wish List include: New Blankets, New Stuffed Animals, disposable masks for kids and adults, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and more. View the full Wish List  here.

Click here to make a donation online.

The Christian Ministers Alliance INC.

Each year, The Christian Ministers Alliance hosts a Thanksgiving Giveaway, where they adopt public schools in low-income communities to supply Thanksgiving meals. This year, they are asking for donations of turkeys, hams, whole chickens, corn, green beans, sweet potatoes, 20 lb. bags of potatoes, greens, cranberry sauce, onions, bell peppers, bacon, sausage, cream of mushroom soup, lite bread, rolls, rice, celery, cereal, half-gallons of milk, chicken wings, chicken thighs, drumsticks and chicken broth.

For more information, call 918.902.1374 or 918.951.7407.

Circle of Care

6910 S. 101st E. Ave., Suite 130, Tulsa
918.549.0088
circleofcare.org

On any given day in Oklahoma, between 400 to 500 children are waiting to be placed in a foster home. Circle of Care provides help, healing, and hope to these children and families to ensure safe, healthy, and spiritual futures.

Circle of Care is a faith-based agency providing foster care and prevention services. Our vision is to see and serve the wholeness of people to empower thriving individuals throughout the state of Oklahoma. We are committed to keeping families together through intervention, prevention, and restoration.

Help us today at circleofcare.org/donate

City Year Tulsa

15 E. 5^th St., Suite 1621, Tulsa
918.986.1940
cityyear.org/tulsa

At City Year Tulsa, we believe that all children have tremendous potential, and in collaboration with educators, schools, and families, we work to ensure that every student has the resources and support they need to fulfill that potential in school and beyond. Incorporating individualized and small-group supports, our programs empower student achievement in coursework, attendance, and behavior and help students stay on-track to graduation.

During this season of giving, give the gift of a brighter future. Support City Year and help students succeed: support.cityyear.org/TulsaKids

Clark Youth Theatre

4825 S. Quaker Ave., Tulsa
918.596.1412
clarkyouththeatre.com

Clark Youth Theatre is Tulsa’s longest-running youth arts program outside the public schools. We offer a full season of main stage productions, a full lineup of improv and acting classes on Saturdays, homeschool weekday classes, as well as camps. Youth ages 8-18 can participate, and all skill levels are welcome.

Clark Youth Theatre is also home to The Penguin Project each year. The Penguin Project is a free program where artists ages 8-18 with cognitive, learning, motor, hearing and visual impairments, genetic disorders, and neurological conditions have the opportunity to star in a full performance alongside trained mentors. Past productions have included Aladdin, Jr., The Music Man, Jr. and Seussical, Jr.

Support Clark Youth Theatre by donating today. You can find a “donate” button on our homepage at clarkyouththeatre.com.

Coats for Kids

The average daily temperature in Tulsa during the months of December and January is 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and thousands of Oklahoma families cannot afford to buy coats for themselves or for their children during these harsh months. Coats for Kids distributes used or new coats to these families in need and is sponsored by Channel 6, Yale Cleaners, and Catholic Charities. You can drop off your coats at any Tulsa Yale Cleaners location November 1 through December 31.

Counseling & Recovery Services

7010 S. Yale, Tulsa
918.492.2554
crsok.org

Counseling & Recovery Services helps make spirits bright through our Holiday Giving Program! Since 2018, the Holiday Giving Program has given gifts to over 350 families and children thanks to our generous donors. Each year, our program grows to include more children and families in need. If you are interested in adopting a child or family and providing gifts from their wish lists, please contact Lindsay DeWeese at ldeweese@crsok.org.

The Demand Project

thedemandproject.org

Did you know the largest capacity safehouse in the nation for survivors of sex trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children is right here in Oklahoma? The Demand Project’s Mount Arukah campus houses girls 11-17 free of charge, providing a comprehensive Journey to Freedom program that includes education, counseling, life skills, and much more! Your gift will help fully fund this campus while supporting free prevention programs that teach students, and the adults in their lives, how to protect themselves from online predators. 

Visit thedemandproject.org and learn more about how you can join the fight to end human trafficking. 

Discovery Lab

Discovery Lab opened a 57,000-square-foot world-class facility in Gathering Place park in January 2022 that is transformative for Tulsa’s children and families, and responds to a compelling educational need in the community. The museum projects to impact more than 300,000 children and families each year at the new site. Donate at discoverylab.org/donate.

D.V.I.S. (Domestic Violence Intervention Services)

D.V.I.S. accepts donations of new items Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at 3124 E Apache St. Items on their wish list include toys for children; art supplies that can be used during counseling sessions; home items such as trash bags, coffee makers and toilet paper; and more. View the full wish list on their website here. And check out their Amazon wish list if that is easier. Follow @divistulsa on Facebook for seasonal giving opportunities.

Emergency Infant Services

Emergency Infant Services is a non-denominational, non-profit organization which assists over 18,000 infants and toddlers annually. Funded through the generosity of the community, staff and volunteers work together to make sure that infants and toddlers have the essentials they need.

There are so many ways that an individual or a group can make a difference in the lives of these infants and toddlers. EIS accepts donations online, in-person, through their Amazon wish list or by mail. Key wish list items are diapers, wipes, clothing, formula, toys and books, car seats, etc. Learn more at eistulsa.org/donate

Family & Children’s Services

650 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa
918.600.3815
holidayassistance@fcsok.org
fcsok.org

Give the gift of joy to families in need this holiday season.

The FCS Holiday Assistance program turns a stressful season into a joyous one for overburdened families. You can help by adopting a family in need or donating items to our Santa Shop:

• Toys, books and games for kids of all ages
• Gifts for teens
• HUGS (hats, underwear, gloves and socks)
• Clothing, coats and pajamas
• Small household items and toiletries
• Monetary gifts/grocery cards

Donation Deadline

December 11, 2024
FCS Gail Lapidus Center
650 S. Peoria Ave.

The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma

1304 N. Kenosha Ave., Tulsa
918.585.2800
okfoodbank.org

Nearly 1 in 5 children in Oklahoma is at risk of going to bed hungry. The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma provides much-needed relief to families struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table.

Our Food for Kids programs focus on ending childhood hunger. We fight hunger year-round to get families the food they need.  Join by donating, volunteering, or advocating.  Learn more at okfoodbank.org.

Fostering Hope

Fostering Hope is a non-profit organization with a desire to aid children from birth to 18 when placed in foster care. The Bag Full of Hope program provides much-needed emergency supplies and bridges the gap from when a child is removed to when families receive state funding. Fostering Hope House is a newer program. Here, we provide bathing facilities and a safe place for foster children to await placement.

Fostering Joy

Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma

4810 S. 129th E. Ave., Tulsa
800.707.9914
gseok.org

Empower Girls to Make a Difference

Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma (GSEOK) empowers girls to become courageous leaders who give back to their communities. Through programs like Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (reuniting girls with incarcerated parents), Staff-Led Troops (providing access to girls in underserved communities), and the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (fostering confidence and character), GSEOK is building the next generation of changemakers.

This holiday season, you can help by:

• Donating items for GSBB welcome baskets, hygiene packs, or holiday gifts.
• Making a direct donation to GSEOK to help girls reach their full potential.
• Volunteering your time or expertise to mentor girls.

Your support makes a lasting impact.

Learn more at GSEOK.org

Goodwill Industries of Tulsa

Goodwill Industries of Tulsa empowers members of our community by providing job training, job placement, financial counseling, access to banking and free income tax services. By donating to our attended donation centers, shopping in our retail stores, or giving a financial gift, you can directly help fund those services.

Green Country Habitat for Humanity

Green Country Habitat for Humanity (GCHFH) is a nonprofit organization devoted to building quality, affordable homes for hardworking families in the Tulsa area.

This season as always, your donations help us build homes. When you donate clothing, furniture, appliances and household goods, we resell those items at our retail outlets, which in turn supports our mission of providing affordable housing. Donated items may be dropped off at all four of our ReStore locations. Learn more at GreenCountryHabitat.org and follow @HabitatTulsa on Facebook.

Hunger Free Oklahoma

hungerfreeok.org

Iron Gate

John 3:16

575 N. 39th W. Ave., Tulsa
918.857.8750
john316mission.org

Strengthening Our Community 

It starts with a meal, but it doesn’t end there. In addition to emergency care at our shelter, we provide residential recovery, job training, community life skills classes, and more. 

The Family & Youth Center’s ministries offer at-risk Tulsans a chance to break the cycles that can create homelessness. Our programs, including after-school tutoring, teen leadership training, and parenting and budgeting classes, help kids and families plan for a better future. 

Be a part of supporting the community through John 3:16 Mission. 

The Lemon-Aid Project

thelemonaidproject.org
lemonaidproject25@gmail.com

THANK YOU, TULSA!! Over Labor Day Weekend, 170+ Tulsa-area youth  – our next generation of impactful entrepreneurs and philanthropists – volunteered their time running 26 Lemon-Aid stands sprinkled across Green Country, raising more than $20,000. Nearly a dozen restaurants joined in on the fun with week-long promotions of Lemon-Aid-inspired treats and beverages, while another 24 sponsors and partners supported in other ways.

We could not be more grateful for the collaborative effort of this community to back our youth as they help support their peers in need – kids helping kids. Help us end this year and start 2025 off strong!

Learn more and get involved by visiting our website or emailing lemonaidproject25@gmail.com

Little Light House

5120 E 36^th Street, Tulsa
918.664.6746
littlelighthouse.org

Little Light House is a tuition-free, Christian, nonprofit Developmental Center that provides education and therapy services for children with special needs. Our mission is to glorify God by improving the quality of life for children with special needs, their families, and their communities. Our transdisciplinary team of teachers and therapists maximizes the potential of every child by providing best-practice tools and personalized support tailored to individual needs. 

Little Light House’s services are made possible by the generosity of donors. With your donation, big or small, monthly or annually, you can make a lasting impact on the disability community of Tulsa.

Living Arts of Tulsa

Living Arts’ mission is to present and develop contemporary art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We believe boundary-breaking art is essential within a diverse arts-ecology and a catalyst for social change. We are interested in evolving ideas, engendering new art forms, exploring the relationship of art to other disciplines and fields of knowledge, and empowering the community through creative workshops, performances, exhibitions, films, demonstrations of current art, lectures and educational activities. Since 1969, Living Arts has been a platform for artistic integrity and experimentation. We produce cultural history-in-the-making.

Make A Wish Oklahoma

There are many ways to donate to Make A Wish Oklahoma, from donating airline miles or hotel points, to Adopt-A-Wish, to general monetary donations and charity streaming. If you’re interested in hosting an online fundraiser, Make A Wish Oklahoma will help you get started at secure2.wish.org/site/SPageServer/?pagename=wish_your_way_fy22. Learn more at wish.org/ways-to-give.

Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa

Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals, wellness checks and caring contact to the elderly, disabled, homebound and others in the Tulsa area. Monetary donations help provide meals. For example, a donation of $50 provides one week’s worth of meals. There are also volunteer opportunities available for children and teens as well as adults. Learn more at mealsonwheelstulsa.org/volunteer and mealsonwheelstulsa.org/donate.

Opp Project LLC

We’re on a mission to ensure that all Tulsa youth have access to high-quality afterschool experiences. Through Tulsa EnrichED, we pay educators $25/hour to create and lead clubs at no cost to families. As one club leader shared: “I hope that my students will feel loved and valued for their unique selves.”

Through Tulsa EnrichED, The Opp Project will put $180,000 into the pockets of Tulsa’s educators this year and provide youth with dynamic clubs, like Culinary Arts, Drone Racing, Watercolor Club (above), and Bug Club!

A $25 gift provides one hour of afterschool programming. Donate today!

907 S. Detroit Ave. STE 1100A, Tulsa
info@theopp.org
theopp.org

The Parent Child Center of Tulsa

The Parent Child Center of Tulsa’s mission is “To prevent child abuse and neglect through education, treatment, and advocacy.” Their wish list includes developmental toys and books for children ages 0-12, diapers, formula, breast pumps, family outing passes to Tulsa Zoo or Oklahoma Aquarium, etc. Find the full list here: parentchildcenter.org/giveget-involved/wishlist.

Reading Partners

Looking back on our ten-year journey, we’re inspired by the progress we’ve made and excited about the future. We’re committed to continuing our mission of empowering students to succeed in reading and life, and we invite you to join us in this important work. Together, we can ensure that all children have the individualized support they need to thrive.

This giving season, you can join Reading Partners in transforming futures through the power of literacy. Donate today or sign up to become a volunteer. Visit readingpartners.org or call (918) 949-1979.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army assists approximately 23 million Americans annually. From homeless shelters, to disaster relief, to holiday giving, we exist to meet human need without discrimination. While we serve our community year-round, the holiday season is especially special to us! We believe every child deserves to experience the joy of Christmas morning. Through our Angel Tree program, we can provide this to thousands of kids in our community. To pull this off, we need YOU! To easily shop and ship a gift for the Angel Tree program, please visit salarmytulsa.org, and click on the Registry for Good button.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots collects new, unwrapped toys each year and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. Get more information about what and where to donate at broken-arrow-ok.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx?nPageID=0&nPreviewInd=0&nRedirectInd=3

Tristesse Grief Center

The Grief Center is a nonprofit providing individual counseling, group counseling, and loss-specific groups at its clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Off-site services include community crisis response and grief outreach to local organizations.

Grieving Oklahoma children and teens receive support through the clinic or school-based grief services like Healing Hearts Club, a school-specific loss group partnering with five area school districts. Additional youth outreach includes Camp Erin Tulsa, a free weekend summer camp for grieving youth.

This holiday season, give the gift of hope of healing to grieving hearts across Green Country by supporting The Grief Center’s mission.

Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium

3624 N. 74th E. Ave., Tulsa
tulsamuseum.org

With a mission of “Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium (TASM) has been engaging students with hands-on STEM learning since 1994. Each year, more than 35,000 students participate in museum tours, interactive exhibits, and planetarium programs, inspiring their interest in STEM and aviation.

As Oklahoma’s second-largest industry, aviation is rapidly growing, creating a demand for skilled workers in all sectors of the industry, including aircraft maintenance, unmanned aerial systems, general aviation, and beyond. Your support helps fund scholarships for area students and schools to visit TASM, providing experiential learning opportunities and potential career pathways in aerospace and beyond.

Tulsa Ballet

Contact: Clifton Baker, Development Manager
1212 E. 45th Place S., Tulsa
918.749.6030
bit.ly/tulsaballethopefor

Hope for the Holidays is Tulsa Ballet’s special performance of The Nutcracker dedicated to underserved children and their families. Each year, we provide thousands of free tickets to local social service partners who, in turn, distribute those tickets to their clients. For many attendees, this will be their first experience with ballet. The evening features photo opportunities with fun, costumed characters, and each attendee receives a cookie, juice and a special gift. We request monetary donations to ensure Tulsa Ballet can continue to host this program this year and for years to come. Donate $25 today to sponsor a child to attend Hope for the Holidays! bit.ly/tulsaballethopefor

Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless

The Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering programs such as case management, community voice mail, day center clinic, life skills classes, and onsite access for other service providers. Monetary donations can be made at tulsadaycenter.org and other volunteer opportunities can be found at tulsadaycenter.org/give-help/volunteer.

Tulsa Higher Education Consortium

Tulsa Symphony

A leader in classical music and music education, TSO presents over 30 major performances per season, which touch over 55,000 people in the Northeast Oklahoma region. For additional information about TSO, please visit our website at TulsaSymphony.org.

Tulsa Youth Symphony

Entering its 60th season, the Tulsa Youth Symphony is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1963 with a stated mission to provide advanced musical training and exceptional performance opportunities to our community’s future leaders. Check out our website to explore new opportunities for young musicians through TYS!  tulsayouthsymphony.org

Tulsa Zoo

6421 E. 36th St. N., Tulsa
918.669.6600
tulsazoo.org/holiday

You can help enrich the lives of Tulsa Zoo animals! From Art Untamed, to our ADOPT program or our Animals’ Amazon Wishlist, each one provides a unique form of enrichment for animals to enjoy!

Enrichment is fun to watch, but it’s also part of the daily care of the animals at the zoo. Enrichment helps to encourage natural behaviors, keep animals mentally and physically healthy while creating an engaging experience for zoo guests.

This year, consider purchasing our second annual holiday ornament featuring footprints from River the African penguin. This 2024 limited edition ornament, which features specialty artwork from our Art Untamed program, is only available now through December 31, 2024.

On behalf of Tulsa Zoo, thank you for your commitment to wildlife, education and conservation.

Youth Services of Tulsa

Contact: Caroline Olsen
311 S. Madison Ave., Tulsa
918.582.0061
giftsofhope@yst.org
yst.org/giftsofhope

Help a youth experiencing homelessness have a happy holiday!

Give the gift of hope to a young person in crisis by supporting Youth Services of Tulsa, the only agency in the area devoted solely to meeting the needs of youth ages 12-24. Here are three easy ways to help:

• “Adopt a Youth” by fulfilling their personalized wish list with two needs, one special wish, and their favorite snack.
• Drop off adult sleeping bags, tents, and heavy blankets to keep youth warm on the streets.
• Donate cash to make sure no youth is left behind.

Thank you and happy holidays!