This Is Us – More Than a Meal

When a student’s basic needs are not met, the challenge to succeed becomes extremely difficult, whether their struggle is in academics or athletics. Hunger and food insecurity can completely debilitate a child’s ability even to achieve. Food and faith have been at the heart of This Is Us, a nonprofit organization that provides meals and mentorship to students in parts of Tulsa that see higher rates of poverty and destitution, building a community bridge that uplifts these students’ possibilities with love and compassion.

Recognizing a need

In 2014, four moms from Metro Christian Academy became aware that the football players of McLain High School in north Tulsa were taking the field hungry. Where many schools have booster clubs to provide pregame nutrition to their teams, these students had none. It was further discovered that most of these players received free or reduced meals at school, and for some, that was their only meal of the day. The first meal that the “Metro Moms,” as they became known, served was a spaghetti dinner for 35 members of the team.

“We heard of the need for the pregame meal, and that football coaches there were taking money out of their own pockets for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to feed them,” said Heather Parmley, board member and co-founder. “Sometimes a church or organization would serve a meal for them, but it wasn’t consistent. We just knew that’s where we were supposed to be. We asked if we could keep coming back, and that’s how it all dominoed, then rolled into basketball season right after that.”

The moms built a connection with the team, and after a few weeks of serving the students, the kids realized they were there to stay. The group of moms then began providing Friday food bags for sustenance over the weekends and realized the need for food bags over extended breaks as well. When Christmas time rolled around, they decided to provide students with a gift and a bit of cheer, too.

This Is Us reports that McLain High School serves 745 students, of whom 85% are at or below the poverty level, with a graduation rate of 59.3%. The dropout rate is 17%, and there is an exceptionally high rate of absenteeism. Many students struggle with home displacement, hunger and the threat of gang violence. Mentorship within the school is crucial for the well-being of individual students as well as for community engagement.

“When the founders first started, we were serving 35 players on the football team, and now we feed over 60,” Board Member Alana Kennon said. “We are feeding teenagers, but it’s more than that because it’s had a spiral effect. They have someone who shows up for them consistently every week and cares for them, and they have a reason to make it.”

Success and growth

The program has demonstrated proven success in the school’s athletics and academic programs, as well as in attendance and graduation rates. It has created a ripple effect in a multifaceted outreach that can not only change a young person’s life but can branch out into the community in which they live. Through the organization’s growth, it is also branching into other schools in the area, such as Central, Rogers and Hale High Schools. This Is Us officially became a nonprofit in 2019, with a name that would embrace the entire community.

“To see the kindness, appreciation and excitement from these kids, knowing someone cared enough to help has been the great blessing of my life,” said Mandy Stewart, board member and co-founder. “They are just teenage kids like any other and want to be taken care of like all other kids.”

“Boots, Jeans, and This Is Us Dreams” Fundraiser

To fill an even greater need within the community, This Is Us will host its annual fundraiser on July 25, featuring an evening of “Boots, Jeans, and This Is Us Dreams.” The Second Annual Fundraising Event will be held at The Lodge at The Herman and Kate Kaiser YMCA from 6 to 9 p.m.

“This is truly an event to celebrate the accomplishments of these students and schools, and what we have done,” Kennon said. “We will be raising money for the upcoming school year to feed the student athletes, other students and the school. Food brings people together, and it builds trust. You can never go wrong with a meal.”

Monetary donations and volunteers are invited and welcomed at This Is Us. Through the organization’s growth, more students can receive the crucial services provided by This Is Us. “One meal can truly turn the course of a teenager’s life,” Kennon said. “It’s a full circle moment when some of these kids come back to volunteer with us, and it shows you how important this mentorship is to these students.”

For tickets, corporate sponsorships or donations, email thisisus.tulsa@gmail.com. For more information about This Is Us, visit thisisustulsa.org.

Macy Goodnight is a freelance writer and photographer from Broken Arrow. She loves spending time with her family and friends, and has a keen interest in studying history, gardening, hiking, and traveling.