Key to Home Partnership expands efforts, raises awareness

Launched in 2023, Oklahoma City’s Key to Home Partnership is a public-private collaboration focused on preventing and ending homelessness. Its action plan targets two subpopulations and seeks to improve overall system performance. 

The partnership has rolled out several recent initiatives, including upcoming events, a volunteer coordination platform and more. These announcements reflect the growing momentum behind the effort to prevent and end homelessness in the city. 

State of Homelessness Address 

The Key to Home Partnership will host its State of Homelessness Address, presented by the Inasmuch Foundation, on April 29 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive. 

The free event will share findings from the 2025 Point in Time count, offer updates on the status of homelessness in OKC and outline ongoing strategies to improve the city’s homeless response system. 

Speakers will include Mayor David Holt, city leaders and members of the Key to Home Partnership management team. A panel featuring subject matter experts and individuals with lived experience will share perspectives and take questions from the audience. 

“Homelessness affects us all, and it’s important that we come together as a community to better understand the issue and to discuss meaningful solutions,” said Aubrey McDermid, assistant city manager for Oklahoma City. “This event offers an opportunity for residents to learn about the progress being made, the work still to be done and how we can work together as a community to be part of the solution.” 

Volunteer Platform 

The Key to Home Partnership also recently launched a volunteer platform to coordinate opportunities across its more than 50 partner organizations. 

“People want to help solve homelessness in Oklahoma City, but they don’t always know where to start,” said Jamie Caves, homeless strategy implementation manager. “They can now visit our website to find volunteer opportunities across the city.” 

Local agencies can create profiles on the platform to post needs and receive responses from individuals or teams looking to volunteer. 

Sisu Youth Services is among the organizations using the portal. Sisu operates a low-barrier overnight shelter and drop-in resource hub for unhoused and at-risk youth. Current volunteer needs include meal preparation and support for its Redbud Classic fundraiser on April 5-6. 

The platform was developed through an in-kind donation from the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors (OKCMAR). 

“OKCMAR members continue to rank homelessness as the local cause most important to us,” said Vanessa Johnson, OKCMAR board president. “Helping the many community agencies working to solve homelessness by making it simpler for volunteers to join in will be a huge boost to their efforts.” 

The State of the Homelessness Address is open to the public, and registration is not required. For more information about the event, contact Erika Warren at [email protected]. To learn more about the volunteer platform, visit keytohomeokc.org.