Jahaziel Hiriart
Guest columnist
Last summer, Gov. Kevin Stitt authorized $15 million in federal relief funding for Oklahoma Department of Human Services to launch Community HOPE Centers, an initiative designed to support kids and families hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis.
DHS identified partners that were serving communities with high rates of poverty and granted them resources to develop programs to meet kids’ needs during the pandemic. Afterschool programs like Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs and organizations like the Urban League were selected for their track-record of serving their communities and their flexibility to swiftly expand offerings and transform their operations.