George Kaiser Family Foundation presents $5,000 to Panhandle Services for Children

GUYMON, Okla. – George Kaiser Family Foundation presented Panhandle Services for Children with a $5,000 donation during an awards luncheon Friday, Aug. 19 at the Woodward Church of Christ.

With the nearest youth shelter in Woodward, community leaders throughout the panhandle have been working around the clock for the past two years fundraising, working with state and local agencies, communicating with legislators and obtaining a building to bring a youth shelter and additional services to assist children in the panhandle communities.

“We commend Panhandle Services for Children’s vision to provide quality services to the children of Texas County,” said Ken Levit, executive director of George Kaiser Family Foundation. “We hope this grant will help them provide their clients with the services they need to succeed in the future.”

Projected to open in the fall of 2011, the Panhandle Services for Children will provide services to the youth of Texas County from birth to age 18. Although a structure is not yet complete, Panhandle Services for Children in Crisis has begun to offer services through a pilot program for school based behavioral health counseling.

“These additional funds will help us continue to make strides to complete our youth shelter and extend services to children in Texas County and throughout the Oklahoma panhandle,” said Shanon Butler, president of Panhandle Services for Children board. “We are so grateful for this donation because we know that providing these services is essential to children in our community.”

Oklahoma Sen. Bryce Marlatt also joined the celebration.