The Oklahoma City Community Foundation trustees and staff send our deepest condolences to family and friends on the passing of William “Bill” O. Johnstone.

Mr. Johnstone was a Foundation trustee from 1994-2003 and served as the chairman of the board in 1997.  He led several initiatives at the Foundation, including the Oklahoma City Disaster Relief Fund created for victims and survivors of the Murrah Building bombing.

In addition to being a leader in the banking industry, Bill Johnstone supported many civic projects, including the original sales tax campaign to support MAPS projects in Oklahoma City, as well as serving numerous charitable organizations. In 1998, Bill and Ann Johnstone established a fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to support their charitable interests, which include the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, Allied Arts of Oklahoma, Heritage Hall and Mount Saint Mary’s high schools as well as Possibilities Inc., and OKC Educare.

Services for Bill Johnstone will be held in Oklahoma City on March 5^th.

^ Above: Established in 1915, the Griffin Memorial Hospital, formerly Central State Hospital, in northeast Norman will be relocated to The Donahue in Central OKC. Photo Credit: Aden Choate/OU Daily

Courtney, Sarah Smith and family.

When the topic of health arises, many of us think of physical health, common conditions or access to a doctor or nurse. Increasingly, these discussions also include mental health, and much like the topic of health, mental health is a complex issue, and the people impacted vary greatly.

For Courtney, life changed in 2016 when she was 41 years old. She was at Lake Texoma with family and friends when she saw three children go under the water and not come back up. She was able to help save two – but the third child died while she was helping perform CPR. Her sister Sarah says Courtney was never the same.

The trauma caused Courtney to start behaving erratically. She lost the job she’d proudly held for 21 years and her home that she lovingly cared for. Even though members of the Smith family tried multiple private, public and nonprofit mental health organizations for resources and treatment, nobody could find the right combination of services to help stabilize Courtney. She would walk away from each facility, and there was nothing her family or case managers could do to stop her.

“Navigating Oklahoma’s mental health treatment system has been a never-ending nightmare for my sister and our family,” Sarah Smith said. Sarah is the legal guardian for her sister Courtney, who has struggled with schizophrenia and homelessness since 2016.

“There is very little communication between service providers and almost all of Courtney’s worst problems have come in gaps in care,” Sarah added.

In 2023, Oklahoma took a major step forward in addressing systemic issues related to mental health treatment. The Oklahoma City Community Foundation joined with government agencies, nonprofits, private foundations, corporate partners and individual donors to support the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives Foundation. In September, the partners announced the development of the Donahue Behavioral Health Center housed at OSU-OKC in Oklahoma County.

“We knew if we could help create some synergy – bring together state, federal, local, nonprofit and corporate entities seeking real solutions to our mental health and substance abuse crisis – we would have an opportunity to make real changes that impact people statewide,” said Carrie Slatton-Hodges, former Commissioner for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. “The Donahue facility and this public/private collaboration are huge and will change the face of mental health and substance abuse treatment in Oklahoma for the next 50 years.”

The $147 million, 200,000-plus-square-foot facility will serve 275 adults and 55 adolescents daily, increasing the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health’s operational capacity by 100 beds and includes an Urgent Recovery Center for Oklahomans experiencing a mental health crisis. In addition, it will create an estimated 250 jobs for the local economy and a training ground for quality healthcare providers through a partnership with OSU-OKC.

“Bringing people together to address key issues facing our community is at the core of what we do at OCCF,” said Trisha Finnegan, President & CEO of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. “We are honored to not only be part of this but to be part of raising awareness and encouraging others to join in. The Donahue will be a unique collaboration that improves our entire community, and this would not have been possible without many partners working with stamina and intention to contribute to this important issue.”

In 2020, the State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse’s report ranked Oklahoma fifth in the nation with more than 25% of our population suffering from some sort of mental illness, putting numbers behind an already apparent problem and sparking a fire for change. When the city, county and state officials had the opportunity to commit funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, State Senator Julia Kirt and County Commissioner Carrie Blumert, who represent the area of OKC where the Donahue will be built, recognized it as a perfect multi-faceted financial and resource partnership opportunity.

“When we got this big influx of federal dollars, we wanted to put it into something that would last another century to help people in our communities,” Kirt said.

OCCF’s Trisha Finnegan, Kelley Barnes and Shree Ledford present a check to Oklahoma Department of Mental Health’s Heath Hayes for the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives Foundation.

“The Donahue Behavioral Health Center will change thousands of lives for the better,” said Blumert. “My mom’s life was saved in 2004 because she had access to a mental health crisis center. Many Oklahoma families can’t say the same thing, and they tragically lose their loved one. I am so proud that we invested funds from Oklahoma County in this project, and more Oklahomans will have access to treatment.”

But as a hub for mental health treatment, the facility will do far more than serve individuals. Addressing mental health is at the core of many issues facing our community.

“Mental illness not only impacts individuals experiencing it, but it also impacts that individuals’ entire community. How we as a community treat those experiencing a crisis reflects our values,” said Sue Ann Arnall, Founder and President of the Arnall Family Foundation, which provided $5 million for the project through its fund at the Community Foundation. “This collective endeavor and commitment to fostering a society that values and supports mental well-being instead of resorting to criminalizing some of our most vulnerable citizens is extremely important.”

The Donahue is slated to open in 2026, and that day cannot come soon enough for Sarah Smith, her sister Courtney, and thousands of other individuals and their families who are hopeful that it can help fill the gaps and improve mental health care for our community.

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation trustees and staff offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mr. James H. Holloman, Jr.

Mr. Holloman served as a foundation Trustee, as Chairman of the board from 2003 – 2006, and on the foundation’s Investment Committee during his total tenure from 1997 – 2006. His expertise helped lead OCCF during times when our organization excelled and in times when the national landscape for community foundations experienced significant changes. His contributions extended well beyond his leadership and expertise. He was instrumental in securing the site of our current offices and helped create a culture at OCCF that matched his personal beliefs in giving back to his community. Beyond his contributions, of which there are many more, he was known by our staff as a kind, lovely, caring, committed person who was widely respected and admired. Mr. Holloman will be missed by many, but his contributions and kindness will endure.

You may find Jim’s obituary and information on tomorrow’s services, here.

The words and deeds of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed a nation and inspired a generation—especially in Oklahoma City.

Stirred by the work of Dr. King, Oklahoma City teacher Clara Luper started a series of sit-ins at local restaurants and lunch counters in 1958. This six-year movement was the first of its kind in the United States and resulted in the desegregation of many of Oklahoma City’s eating establishments before the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In 2008, to help tell this story, Julia Clifford began working on the documentary Children of the Civil Rights. For Julia, it was a project she believes would not have been possible without the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Thanks to a community activity fund, individuals were able to make charitable contributions that helped defray the film’s costs and allowed Julia to complete the documentary. The film was first screened on Feb. 1, 2015; to learn more, visit childrenofthecivilrightsfilm.com.

Jenny Love Meyer,
Executive Vice President, Chief Culture Officer of Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores.

Nearly 60 years ago, Tom and Judy Love leased an abandoned filling station in Watonga, Oklahoma. Little did they know this single purchase would spark an empire that now includes more than 600 stores operating in 42 states known throughout the country as Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores. As the success of the Love’s franchise grew, the family looked for ways they could give back to the communities that supported them, creating a lasting impact on the community.

We sat down with Jenny Love Meyer, Executive Vice President and Chief Culture Officer of Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, to discuss what it means to her family to support the community and the people who live here and how her family’s partnership with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation is making that possible.

Q: Jenny, your parents, Tom and Judy Love, worked hard to grow their business into one of the most respected and largest companies in Oklahoma. What did they teach you about hard work as you were growing up?

A: They taught us a lot about hard work. When I look back, that was probably one of the biggest lessons that both my dad and mom really showed us. And it goes beyond what they talked about; it’s also how they lived. Dad’s hard work was one of the keys to him being successful. And mom’s hard work and tenacity is seen a lot in her community efforts, especially her willingness to take on capital campaigns.

Q: In 1999, the Love Family established the Love Family Affiliated Fund with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Why was OCCF chosen, and how has that partnership grown over the years?

A: It was decades ago when we thought about how we would scale our charitable giving dollars and be able to have a sustained funding mechanism so that we could grow it while also having that baseline foundation. We look to the outcomes, and the Community Foundation helped us enable that growth. The stewardship we saw and how the organization really helps administer funds was really the first thing we looked to, to be able to say this could really be a good partnership.

Q: The Love family has directed a number of their Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores locations to the fund with OCCF. The monthly lease income then generates cash that is later used for charitable donations. Can you tell us a little bit about the process?

A: The idea is essentially the sale-leaseback. Being able to donate the stores to the Community Foundation helps generate a rental income we can utilize to be able to make those charitable donations to other nonprofits. It’s been a great way to have that sustainable source.

Q: Your family’s given back so much to the community. Why is this important – giving back to the community? Why is it important to the family?

A: It really started with my parents. My dad always felt we needed to be involved with the community. We’ve now got over 640 locations, and being able to be part of the community was something he felt was important. My mom liked the JFK quote, “To those whom much is given, much is expected.” This resonated with her, so she felt it’s important for us to be not only be a part of the community but also to give back and make the community better.

Q: On the wall behind you is one of your dad’s mottos, “Yesterday’s trophies don’t win tomorrow’s games” – what did he mean by that?

A: It’s a great quote that people talk about a lot. Really, it means you can’t reflect back on accomplishments of the past to help you win accomplishments of the future. It was his way of saying we cannot rest on our laurels. Every day, we need to be better as an organization and as a people.

Tom and Judy Love and the Love family, 2021.

Q: How can businesses best support our community?

A: There are always going to be needs or opportunities in each community, and the magic happens when businesses are able to recognize needs in partnership with nonprofits to really make things better and create opportunities for the people who live in the community.

Q: What are your hopes for the future when it comes to the role philanthropy plays in our own community?

A: I would just hope that we, the donors who have been active in the community, will continue to make things happen. There is a future with younger entrepreneurs, and as they grab the gavel and understand the importance of this, they will feed the pipeline of donors investing in the community. We really need those younger businesses to be able to do that well and in their own way.

Hip Hop Nutcracker

This sentiment resonates with people from so many walks of life, reflecting a universal desire to be seen and understood. Sadly, many cultures, traditions and individuals often remain overlooked or disregarded. At the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and so many nonprofits throughout our community, we believe embracing these differences is at the heart of what makes our community unique.

When the RACE Dance Collective team heard the student’s statement, it hit especially hard. As an organization that lives up to its name – Radical Application of Creative Energy – it has become known for its intentional and authentic efforts to engage with communities. Hearing these words from one of their dancers really reinforced the team’s mission to connect with as many young dancers as possible.

In the spring of 2022, the RACE team was discussing how they could leverage the 10th anniversary of their annual Hip Hop Nutcracker to attract a more diverse audience when they realized they had the answer all along. Their unique rendition of The Nutcracker brings together professional dancers and Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) students to present a fun and compelling twist on this classic show, but it’s more than just a show. The collaboration builds a bond between dancers, inspiring students and helping them to find their place in the world.

As part of this collaboration with OKCPS, the RACE team works with a significant number of Hispanic students, so they started tossing around the idea of a Spanish-translated show. The idea quickly took hold, gaining momentum as they brainstormed.

Their partners at OKCPS and Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) were extremely supportive, helping them find creative ways to reach and connect with more diverse audiences. Lemuel Bardeguez, the Director of Cultural Programs at OCCC emphasized that access to a performance like this is a rarity for the Hispanic community, making this project particularly impactful. With the support of a Culture & Community iFund grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, RACE was able to offer two free Spanish shows and humanities panels as part of their December performance schedule, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the community. 

“This was the first time we had applied for a grant of this magnitude, and OCCF’s support is so humbling,” said Sheri Hayden, RACE Dance Collective’s Executive Director. “I wish more people could be in the lobby after a show and feel that energy or be in that ‘Break A Leg Circle’ before those performances. To see the kids grow and the impact this process has on them from their first rehearsal to that final performance – it’s impossible to put into words how amazing that feels.”

Bringing people together for a shared experience that engages participants, audiences and communities and strengthens the quality of life for our community is exactly what the Oklahoma City Community Foundation had in mind when we established our Culture & Community grant program in 2022.

Since 2010, Oklahoma’s population has grown by 5.5%, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, and with that, the face of Oklahoma is changing. Oklahoma’s diversity is on the rise, and Oklahoma County now includes a Hispanic population of nearly 20%. With the rapid growth of both our city and our state, OCCF saw a need to embrace what helps make this such a special place, both preserving our history and embracing the changes to come.

“Our state holds such a rich diversity of people that helps shape who we are today – from our Native American tribes to our Central and Latin American populations to our vibrant Asian districts. There’s so much to learn and share with one another,” said Leslie Woodward, OCCF Community Programs Manager. “We are excited to help amplify the history and traditions that make Oklahoma so unique while uplifting those cultures we may have never even known were a part of our own community.”

Inspired by the collection of history, art and culture that could be found at the former Kirkpatrick Center in Oklahoma City, OCCF set out to encourage organizations to reach new audiences and share the many cultures that make up Oklahoma, and our community did not disappoint. Through OCCF’s field of interest funds, we were able to bring together resources to support cultural opportunities to maximize their impact and award nine organizations a total of $183,000 in grants in the fall of 2022 to support everything from festivals to dance performances and film premieres.

“These grants have sparked innovation and collaboration,” Leslie said. “Our grantees have extended their projects beyond their initial scope to forge lasting partnerships, which is something we always encourage.”

deadCenter Una Noche participants.

Oklahoma City’s deadCenter Film embraced the idea of collaboration with open arms, taking their concept of celebrating diverse worldviews and expanding past their annual film festival to a year-round, eight-film series called Continuum that goes out into the community to lay down a cinematic welcome mat for a wide array of people. Through the series, deadCenter highlighted the differences and beauty that can be found in our community by connecting films and filmmakers from different walks of life with people and organizations with similar experiences in culturally significant locations and districts throughout Oklahoma City.

“The beauty of film is that we can immerse ourselves in one another’s lives – we learn and grow from walking in their shoes, especially when their journey is unlike our own,” said Cacky Poarch, Executive Director for deadCenter.

In keeping with the idea that building community requires connection, Continuum provided an opportunity for attendees to participate in pre- or post-screening mingling and Q&As with the filmmakers – and each other. This added experience connected film-goers not only to the filmmakers and organization but also to the community itself.

“With our earliest intentions, we planned to bring the best of our film festival to Continuum programming, but we were pleasantly surprised to see Continuum fueled participation in the film festival itself,” Cacky said. “Not only was it our most diverse audience yet, but we also found that every group highlighted in Continuum had at least one representative who participated in the film festival. When nonprofits talk about full-circle programming, this is the goal – expansion into new audiences and individuals who are activated and engaged in new and existing programming.”

These grants have given us so many opportunities in the past year. They’ve given us the opportunity to learn and grow. They’ve given us the opportunity to understand and inspire. They’ve given us the opportunity to do more. But, above all, they’ve given us the opportunity to showcase our differences and help create a community where people are seen and accepted.

Learn how you can do more with us at
occf.org/communityneeds.