Around 300 homeless Tulsans got a hot, holiday meal Tuesday from Mental Health Association Oklahoma, and 250 of them got new backpacks filled with things to help deal with falling temperatures.
This is the fifth winter Mental Health Association Oklahoma has handed out backpacks filled with socks, gloves, scarves, hand warmers and hats. Director of Recovery Services Beth Svetlic said they’re needed because local shelters are nearly always at capacity.
"Especially with the colder temperatures, it's vitally important that our folks have enough things to layer up and stay warm, because there isn't always a warm place to go," Svetlic said.
Bethany Willyard manages the association’s Denver House drop-in center. She was once on the receiving end and said the gifts do more than help the homeless physically deal with the cold.
"Over the years, this has made each and every one of these individuals feel important, feel like somebody cares about them, so they're not alone for the holidays, and I think that's major, to have somebody out there that cares about you that doesn't even know you," Willyard said.
Mental health association can use more warm items to distribute. Donations from Bank of America and Merrill Lynch paid for the backpacks and items inside, and Avalon Exploration sponsored the meal.
