Eastside DUO Fund Changing The Game For OKC Nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of the community, but with all the good they do, few get the recognition or the funding that they deserve, and that’s where the fund comes in.

“Nothing like this has ever been done in Oklahoma and so, it’s just incredible to see something like this happen,” said Brittany Carter-Thomas with the Flourish OKC.

A group of community leaders within Northeast Oklahoma City were selected to help build the dreams of other nonprofit organizations, through a generous grant program. “There were one hundred and fifty-one applicants, and we had to narrow it down, ultimately to sixteen people and it was three hundred thousand dollars that we gave away,” said Carter-Thomas.

Each organization applied for the amount of money they needed for the specific needs of their program. “Our overall goal is really just to help mitigate the health disparities in northeast Oklahoma City,” said Elicia Pollard with The Clara Community Health Care Clinic.   

It is a free clinic, located at 2224 North Kate Avenue, in Northeast Oklahoma City. “We offer health care services to people who are uninsured or under-insured,” said Pollard.

The grant will allow them to help more people as well as employ more people. “Currently we are not open every day because we don’t have the staff, so, with this we’ll be able to hire staff, so we can open the doors more during the week,” said Pollard.

Felix Liden is Oklahoma City Public Schools teacher of the year, but his teaching won’t end when the school year ends. “We’re going to teach them lawn maintenance. We’re going to teach them how to maintain their own lawn, and other people’s lawn, and go out there and market their skills to churches and neighborhoods,” said Felix Linden with KAYSI – Kids At Your Service Inc.

Lisa Hill used hybrid teaching methods to homeschool her six children, having proved effective she will start a school in the Fall using those same techniques. “It’s going to help me be able to pay my teachers well, to hire qualified teachers,” said Lisa Hill founder of Hill Academy. 

Though the recipients came to be recognized, the luncheon became a meeting of minds on how they could all work together to make Northeast Oklahoma City better. “To see a room like this today is just mind-blowing,” said Carter-Thomas.

“I was just so grateful to be a recipient of the DUO Fund,” said Hill.  

This was the first grant program but not the last. For more information about the grant program and all the recipients visit www.eastsideduofund.com