Mission of Hope: A Night That Revealed the Heart of Our City…read moreReflection by George Majoué On the evening of September 17, 2026, my wife Mary Alice and I walked into The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for City Rescue Mission's annual Mission of Hope fundraiser. I expected an inspiring program, a few heartfelt stories, and the familiar rhythm of a charitable event. What I did not expect was to witness a living portrait of hope -- one painted not by speeches or statistics, but by the quiet courage of families who had walked through darkness and found their way back into the light. The most striking part of the evening was who the Mission chose to honor. Not donors. Not sponsors. Not civic leaders. Instead, the spotlight rested on parents and children who had once stood at the edge of homelessness and despair. They were welcomed not as recipients of charity, but as members of a community whose resilience deserved celebration. Their presence changed the room. It reminded us that hope is not an abstract virtue; it is a lived experience, often carried by those who have suffered the most. One mother spoke about arriving at City Rescue Mission with nothing but her children and a determination to keep them safe. Her voice trembled as she described the fear of not knowing where they would sleep, yet it strengthened as she recounted the staff who greeted her with dignity, the volunteers who offered encouragement, and the programs that helped her rebuild her life step by step. Her story was not polished. It was real -- and that authenticity made it powerful. Another family shared how the Mission helped them move from crisis to stability. Their young son, no more than eight years old, stood proudly beside his father as he talked about finding work, securing housing, and rediscovering the confidence he thought he had lost forever. The boy's smile said more than any speech could. It was the smile of a child who finally felt safe. Throughout the evening, I was struck by the way hope moved through the room. It wasn't loud. It wasn't dramatic. It was steady, like a heartbeat. You could feel it in the way donors listened with genuine compassion. You could see it in the way staff members embraced the families they had walked alongside. You could sense it in the quiet gratitude of parents who had once wondered whether anyone cared about their future. City Rescue Mission's work is not glamorous. It is slow, patient, and often hidden. But on this night, its impact was unmistakable. The fundraiser did more than raise money; it revealed the soul of a community that refuses to let people fall through the cracks. It reminded us that homelessness is not a statistic -- it is a human story, and every story deserves a chance to be rewritten. As Mary Alice and I left the museum, I felt a renewed conviction that hope is not merely something we talk about. It is something we build, one life at a time. The Mission of Hope fundraiser was a testament to that truth. It showed that when a community chooses compassion over indifference, and dignity over judgment, miracles quietly unfold. City Rescue Mission does not simply provide shelter. It restores humanity. And on that September night, surrounded by families who had found their footing again, I saw what hope looks like when it becomes real.

Where should I start? Most of the case managers don't know what they're doing except maybe two…read more They don't even know how to do a simple intake interview. They spend more time sitting in their offices gossiping with residents than housing them. They gossip about other residents and staff. There is no time limit on how long you can stay there so most just use it as a flop house. The addiction program is a joke, the lady teaching the classes is on drugs herself, there is no licensed addiction counselor, no NA/AA, no sponsors, nothing, just worksheets printed out. If you're an employee and your employment is terminated, they terminate you and then say "are you okay?" "We'll be praying for you" to everyone so I've heard, like a well rehearsed skit. Well if they were really8:01 on drugs herself, there is no licensed addiction counselor, no NA/AA, no sponsors, nothing, just worksheets printed out. If you're an employee and your employment is terminated, they terminate you and then say "are you okay?" "We'll be praying for you" to everyone so I've heard, like a well rehearsed skit. Well if they were really concerned about that person's well being they would lead with that and saying you'll be praying for someone you just fired is an insult because not everyone prays for good. Some pray on your downfall. The kitchen serves molded food and serves huge portions of food to the men (that eat first by the way) and very small portions to the families with children ( who eat last by the way). There is a mice infestation in the women's part and a bedbug infestation in the men's part.

I got there November 19th of 2025, I told him that I needed to get stable and get in to my own…read morehouse and work on getting my SSI started so I would have income coming in, they absolutely nothing to help me, not to mention every day there was nothing but drugs and drunks everywhere you turned, needles on the ground, it's not a safe place to be, and when I found out that the night shelter was closing on March 31st all I did was worry about the people that was there and that I had made friends with people with that were in wheelchairs and couldn't walk or didn't have legs or feet or who could even barely move that wheelchairs because when they kicked you out at 5:30 in the morning you had to have all of your belongings too or they would throw it out in 24 hours I had to stand in line for 2 hours one morning just to check in to eat breakfast pouring down rain or when that bad lizard came in when the temperature 40 and the minus Celsius was 40.

I came here to participate in serving lunch with a church group. There was a brief talk from an…read moreAdmin summarizing the Homeless Alliance's vision and it was very surprising to hear how unique their efforts were and how nobody else does what they offer. It is quite embarrassing for OKC imo to be honest that so little is done for the homeless community. We got to cook food, serve it, and assist with keeping the dining area organized and clean. There was a lot of interaction and everyone got food and drinks. It was a quick effort and gave some good insight into what happens at this facility. They offer more for the homeless than just a place to get food, and I totally recommend you to get involved.

More expensive that Hobby Lobby and antique stores. They have things that have been there for ages…read morebecause they are so overpriced. I thrift a lot and this is the most expensive store I have been to. I buy things at all the other stores but rarely here.

I love this place. You may see that with all my five star reviews. They employ special needs adults…read moreand it makes my heart full to be able to provide support for such a place. It's a used things store making a profit off donations. There are signs that say no haggling but they have sales and specials just like the rest. Currently, a mask is required and only 7 patrons allowed inside the store. You may be asked to wait outside but what a treasure you could find while waiting! The front door is also locked but you can access the side door through the outside gates. My favorite thing to do is find an old piece of furniture and flip it. This is the place to find just that. CARD ONLY. NO CASH AT THIS TIME. 8/14/2020

I picked up this freezing young woman with a terrible story of abuse hungry with no place to go…read more Tried to call them to see what help was available. Very rude. Kept hanging up on me. Offered counseling. I said she doesn't need counseling. Needs a place to stay and help to get on her feet.This place should not even be open in my opinion. I don't know anything about being young and homeless thank the good Lord but if I was, I wouldn't call them. Not worth the time!!! I normally only write good reviews but I took the time to write this one TERRIBLE!!

Wonderful organization with fantastic staff. So kind and absolutely nurturing. Happy to have had…read morethe opportunity to visit. So pleased with my experience. Look forward to working with them in the future; they do wonderful, beautiful things for so many people.

Great thrift store. A large variety of merchandise. Furniture is limited…read more They have half price sales during the week on specific departments and on Saturday the entire store is half price except for glass case items. A great little coffee shop inside the store as well. Proceeds go to treatment and recovery for substance abuse individuals is a plus!

I read the reviews b4 I went to this store n I was so excited but then I went n was very…read moredisappointed. The store was dirty & not very much to look at

Great program, very polite, very knowledgeable, excellent service. They really take the animals to…read moreheart.

This is a wonderful organization. At Winter Jam, which is a Christian music tour, we heard from…read moreFeed the Children representatives and like many others in the room, raised our hands to become sponsors. We've been sponsoring a child in Kenya and receive letters regularly. The Feed the Children customer service is excellent and the website is convenient for sponsors to login and even send email to their child. $30 a month is all it takes.

My wife and I come here as our massage therapist is located here. Monica is amazing. If you are in…read moreneed of a massage therapist, Monica is the one. Some of the other staff on the other hand aren't as welcoming. Most of the time my wife or I come here, because we aren't senior citizens, we get treated differently. We have had to bring my step daughter in a few times, I tend to book our massage appointments back to back. So that she can go with the other parent. This is a huge deal with the staff. My step daugher is always with one of us. We never go near any of the weights. We sent on a bench until either mine or my wife's massage appointment is over. Then she's out od the building. She's always quiet. She doesn't run around causing chaos. She might be in the building for 20 minutes max. There is nothing posted anywhere on ages that are allowed in the building.

This is an amazing place to workout, socialize, take a an art class, join a support group, learn a…read morelanguage , learn to dance, learn to make jewelry , all under one roof. Great staff and volunteers. The gym equipment are same quality and variety as expensive gyms at a very affordable price or free with some insurances.