Night Light Tulsa
What began as an 8-year-old’s wish has grown into a weekly outreach serving hundreds of Tulsa neighbors.
For Sarah and Ben Grounds, building bridges starts underneath one.
The mother-son duo can be found serving Tulsa’s homeless community under the Maybelle Avenue and Reconciliation Way downtown bridge every Thursday evening.
They lead Night Light Tulsa, a local outreach that offers warm meals, basic essentials and heartfelt connections — rain or shine — to those who are experiencing homelessness in the area.
The idea for the program, launched in September 2013, was sparked by an early birthday wish Ben made to see lives changed in his community. Turning 8 years old at the time, the philanthropic third-grader set out to make his dream come true and started a meal distribution line with his mom to feed their neighbors in need.
“I just wanted to help people out; my parents instilled that into me from a very young age,” Ben, now 21, said. “I just remember really enjoying seeing everybody’s smiles as we gave them the food, and just seeing how much they appreciated people talking to them. … It felt really good.”
“He’s always had a heart for others,” Sarah said of her son. “That early investment in our kids leaning into community in ways that they can serve, it’s been really cool as a parent to be able to watch that.”
Fast-forward to 2026, Ben’s vision — paired with his mom’s passion and leadership — has evolved into one of Tulsa’s foremost homeless outreaches impacting thousands of lives throughout the region since its inception.
Serving Guests from All Walks of Life
11-year-old Carlos Urosa Jr. regularly visits Night Light with his father, Carlos Urosa Sr., to get a fresh haircut and a warm meal.
Each week, Night Light provides a range of resources for guests, including warm meals and snacks; clothing such as socks, underwear, pants and shirts; hygienic items like soap, shampoo, sunscreen and dental supplies; and even foot washings and haircuts — a service that Carlos Urosa Jr. is grateful for.
“It’s pretty nice because it makes you look fresher,” the 11-year-old Tulsan said of the routine trim he gets from the on-site barber.
He and his disabled father, Carlos Urosa Sr., have been visiting Night Light every week for the last three years, and always walk away with not only fresh cuts but with clean garments, “because when you need clothes, it’s just good,” the boy added.
Shayla Muttart and her 5-year-old son, Ethan Muttart, started showing up at Night Light in mid-April after a move from Oregon to Oklahoma in March left them displaced and in need of support.
Shayla Muttart and her 5-year-old son, Ethan Muttart, started showing up under the bridge in mid-April after a move from Oregon in March left them displaced and in need of support.
“We’re here for the food; we’re hungry,” Shayla said. “There’s good people and it’s a good experience.”
“More popcorn and burgers!” Ethan exclaimed.
The Urosas and Muttarts are among the 300 to 350 guests of all ages and walks of life who come through Night Light to receive assistance from a team of around 70 to 100 dedicated volunteers every Thursday evening.
The staff’s influence goes beyond meeting people’s basic needs, however. Volunteers offer emotional and spiritual support through prayer, case management and conversations that continue to draw growing turnout at the downtown underpass.
In 2025, Night Light mobilized 5,666 volunteers to serve 10,910 guests and distribute 19,280 meals over 48 weeks in operation—a testament to the program’s ongoing impact.
Adairia Watts, 77, is a longtime participant of the Night Light program and has stood at both ends of the serving and receiving lines since her first walkthrough 11 years ago.
Adairia Watts, 77, is a longtime participant of the program and has stood at both ends of the serving and receiving lines since her first walkthrough 11 years ago. Previously unhoused, volunteering has brought her full circle to help those who walk in her former footsteps.
“I was homeless for two years eating out of garbage cans,” said Adairia, who regularly prays and talks with guests. “I’m here because I have compassion for who I once was.”
City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma
What started as a small initiative to feed a few hungry people like Adairia quickly turned into a community-wide movement that became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in December 2015 as City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma.
Night Light is now one of four core programs operating under the foundation, along with Mobile Outreach, bringing life-saving care and emergency shelter to neighbors in crisis; Housing Stability, providing ongoing support to help neighbors maintain stable and dignified homes; and City Lights Village, restoring stability and hope through safe, long-term housing.
Beyond Night Light, the foundation’s three other sister campaigns served around 560 additional neighbors through mobile pop-ups and residential provisions in 2025. The organization also raised over $21.5 million for its new 23-acre, 75-home affordable housing development under construction in north Tulsa.
“It’s really a beautiful thing,” Sarah Grounds said of those helped by the City Lights Foundation. “It’s been life-changing for me, in the way that I see our neighbors, and the way that I have been able to raise my kids, and just in the places that we’ve really made an impact.”
Ben, lead volunteer, added: “It’s really cool to see how big it’s grown and how many more people get served, even outside of Night Light. It just means a lot to me to see progress in these people’s lives.”
What’s more, that progress is especially evident in the lives of Tulsa’s younger generation. Children like Carlos and Ethan get to experience firsthand how the foundation — rooted in Night Light’s early grassroots efforts — is restoring the community one relationship at a time.
“Kids have such a different lens than us,” Sarah said. “I love having them out there because it really challenges us as adults to see the humanity in each other instead of just developing our own opinions of what somebody might have went through.”
Ben added: “They (children) can make a difference in somebody’s life. I think teaching kids what right and wrong is, where their value should be in helping others, is super important.”
Kids and adults of all ages are welcome to visit or volunteer at Night Light, which is celebrating 13 years of service this September.
Donations and sponsorship opportunities are also available for the foundation, including the nonprofit’s $26.1 million fundraising campaign for City Lights Village, which broke ground in the 1500 block of East 46th Street North last June. Just over $4.6 million is left to be raised.
Night Light partners with Grand Mental Health, Family & Children’s Services, OU Medical Street Outreach, Feeding the Pets of Tulsa’s Homeless and A Way Home For Tulsa.
How to Get Involved with Night Light Tulsa
Want to help? Night Light Tulsa welcomes volunteers of all ages each Thursday evening under the Maybelle Avenue bridge. Individuals, families and groups can jump in to serve meals, sort donations, hand out supplies or simply spend time talking with guests.
No long-term commitment is required — many volunteers show up once, while others return weekly.
When: Thursdays, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Where: 202 N. Maybelle Ave., Tulsa
Who Can Help: All ages (children with a parent or guardian)
Donations are also needed year-round, including socks, underwear, hygiene items and ready-to-serve food.
Learn more or sign up: citylightsok.org
Night Light By the Numbers
- 5,666 volunteers in 2025
- 10,910 guests served
- 19,280 meals distributed
- 300–350 guests each Thursday
- 70–100 volunteers weekly
Art Haddaway is a journalist and photographer with over 20 years of experience covering a wide range of subjects, with a passion for telling uplifting stories that highlight the best in people and communities.
