Tulsa Day Center

10/09/2026

Not every champion of the Tulsa Day Center grew up here. Some find their way to Tulsa and then find they can't leave.

Danny Boy O'Connor is best known as a founding member of House of Pain, the hip-hop group behind the 1992 anthem "Jump Around." But his connection to Tulsa runs much deeper than music. It started in 2009, when he passed through on tour, took a cab to some filming locations from the 1983 movie The Outsiders, and fell in love with a city he had never expected to care about. When he learned the house used in the film was in danger of being torn down, he stepped up — with very little money and no plan — and bought it. He turned it into The Outsiders House Museum, a beloved Tulsa landmark that earned him a key to the city.

But Danny Boy's connection to Tulsa goes beyond film preservation. He has gotten to know this city deeply through its leaders, its neighborhoods, and its people, including those experiencing homelessness. He has shared his own story of struggle and recovery openly, having been sober since 2005, and has worked with youth programs to show young people that a different path is possible. In February 2024, he served as one of the three celebrity judges for the inaugural Big Show Off, the Tulsa Day Center's signature fundraising talent event, helping introduce TDC's mission to an entirely new audience.

10/08/2026

We get to meet the best people at the Day Center! Alyssa Xiang is a high school sophomore who founded Sweet Impact Collective, a student-led project dedicated to spreading kindness one homemade treat at a time. One Sunday a month, she arrives at the Tulsa Day Center with freshly baked cookies to be distributed to our neighbors in need. She has made a commitment to continue this every single month until she graduates from high school — and she is just getting started.

Join her for the next delivery and learn more: sweetimpactcollective.framer.website. 🍪 🍪 🍪

Cakelab creates handcrafted cakes, desserts, and celebration treats for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and every special moment. Freshly baked, beautifully designed, and made with love.

09/30/2026

Last week, 115 people learned what it looks like to reach out to its most vulnerable members in a meaningful way.

LEAP — Listen, Empathize, Agree, and Partner — is a research-based communication approach for working with individuals who have anosognosia, a condition that prevents people from recognizing their own illness. The Tulsa Day Center's Blue Team helped bring this critical training to Tulsa's first responder community, including Tulsa Police Department , Tulsa Fire Department , and EMSA OKLAHOMA. Mayor Monroe Nichols spoke as a powerful show of our citywide commitment.

The results were remarkable:
🎓 115 people attended and rated the training 9.8/10, and 97% of them called it “extremely useful” for their roles
🏅 12 new trainers were certified, 60% law enforcement, an impressive group who will truly make a difference

Big thanks go to Gail Richards, The Maxine & Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, OU-Tulsa, GRAND Mental Health, and the Tulsa Police Foundation for helping making it possible. It takes all of us. 💙

09/23/2026

Kat Eller Murray | Youth Philanthropy Pioneer

In the summer of 1993, eleven-year-old Kat Eller and her siblings set up a lemonade stand in their front yard to donate to Tulsa Day Center which was housed in a small, cramped warehouse at the time. She raised $26.27 at that first lemonade stand, but she knew she could do more.

The following year, Kat launched Lemon-Aid, a city-wide event where kids across Tulsa set up lemonade stands every Labor Day weekend to raise money for the homeless. What started as one girl's response to something she couldn't unsee grew into one of Tulsa's most beloved philanthropic traditions. Over seven years, with the help of more than 10,000 youth volunteers, Lemon-Aid raised over $350,000 for the Tulsa Day Center.

Kat went on to graduate from Emory University, and founded her own public relations firm, ROAM Communications. In 2019, on the 25th anniversary of Lemon-Aid, Kat returned and launched a Lemon-Aid cookbook at Mother Road Market, and revived the event at Guthrie Green. The Tulsa Day Center honored her ongoing legacy by presenting her with The Youth Philanthropy Award at Day Center’s Heart of Henry event in 2016.

More than three decades later, the lemonade stands are still pouring, and Kat’s kindness and generosity lives on through new generations ready and willing to raise funds for Tulsa’s non-profits.

09/18/2026

This is Wendy. 💙

Wendy's road to stability reminds us why ongoing support matters.

After years of homelessness, and the risk of losing housing again, Wendy reached out for help. She connected with weekly case management, received budgeting support, and created a foundation that would help her find stability that lasts.

In June 2026, Wendy received the keys to her new apartment. 🔑

Wendy's story is more than a housing milestone; it is a reminder that with consistent support, our clients can move toward a thriving future. Wendy kept going every single time life pushed back. She addressed her barriers head on and never stopped moving forward. Thank you for helping make stories like Wendy’s possible. 🏡

09/17/2026

We are so proud to share some exciting news! 🎉

Our Executive Director, Mack Haltom, has been named Patriot of the Year by Oklahoma Veterans United, and we could not think of a more deserving recipient. 💙

Oklahoma Veterans United is committed to serving Oklahoma's veteran community through housing services, su***de prevention, and employment opportunities. Their program, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), has been key in re-housing homeless veterans.

At the Tulsa Day Center, veterans are among the neighbors we are most honored to serve, and Mack's recognition by OKVU speaks to the deep commitment he brings to ensuring that those who have served our country always have a safe place to rest their heads.

Mack, this award reflects what everyone who works alongside you already knows: you show up for this community every single day with humility, passion, and purpose. We are so proud to call you our leader. Congratulations! 🌟

Thank you to Oklahoma Veterans United for this meaningful recognition and for everything you do for Oklahoma's veterans. Learn more about their work at okvetunited.org.

09/17/2026

This is not a drill: It's a cereal emergency.

Every morning, 100+ neighbors who slept safely at the Tulsa Day Center need breakfast before they face the day, and our cereal supply is looking a little too much like the bottom of an empty box.

🧦While you're already in the giving mood, we also need new underwear and socks in all sizes for both men and women. 🩲

Grab an extra box (or five) and drop it off anytime at 415 West Archer. This is one request we hope you flake on, preferably with frosted ones. 💙

09/16/2026

Next up in our series of 40 Faces of the Tulsa Day Center...

CASHnip Kitty | Director of Paw-lanthropy 🐾

Not all heroes wear capes. Some have whiskers.

Meet Sir Whines A Lot — better known to the world as CASHnip Kitty — the rescue tabby who became one of the Tulsa Day Center's most faithful and famous supporters entirely by accident. Sir Whines A Lot is the office cat at GuRuStu, a professional services firm in downtown Tulsa's East Village, adopted from the Tulsa Animal Welfare Shelter in 2015. Everything was purrfectly (wink) normal until the day his owners started finding cash near the front door and couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Business owner Stuart McDaniel got a call from his dad saying there was money on the floor near the glass door slot. Once they figured out what was happening, McDaniel put a sign on the door: "Kitty donates all funds to the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless." And just like that, a legend was born.

As news of this philanthropic feline spread, people came from all over to see the famous Tulsa cat. He appeared on sites like Bored Panda and The Dodo, caught international attention, and began receiving cards and donations from all over the world. By 2022, donations totaled approximately $11,000 for the Tulsa Day Center, which includes funds snatched through the door, money raised online through Facebook and a dedicated website, and gifts sent in cards from around the globe.
The former shelter kitty knows the meaning of a second chance, and he has been returning the favor ever since by helping humans in need. As our Director of Development Monica Martin put it, "Never in our wildest dreams did we think CASHnip Kitty, who is now known worldwide, would continue to be one of our most faithful supporters. He's a great promoter for the needs of the homeless."

09/16/2026

We have a very special message for you from Teresa Knox, CEO of Tulsa's iconic Church Studio! 🎶

Teresa is returning as a judge for The Big Show Off, and she wants YOU to audition. Whether you are a musician, a comedian, a dancer, or something we've never seen before, it's time to take your shot. Submit your audition now at TheBigShowOff.org and you could walk away with $10,000 while supporting the Tulsa Day Center's mission to serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

If anyone knows talent, it's Teresa Knox. Don't let this opportunity pass you by!

09/15/2026

⏰ Don't wait too long — auditions for The Big Show Off are only open until November 2! Submit your online audition now at TheBigShowOff.org and take your shot at the $10K grand prize. Tulsa wants to see what you can do. 🎶

The Big Show Off is Tulsa Day Center's annual fundrasing event that showcases local talent, of any kind! Our mission is to empower people to change their lives and envision brighter futures. Prizes include $10,000 for 1st place!