CREOKS Insight e-news January 2024

Supporting Your Community During Freezing Temperatures

As our communities experience harsh weather and freezing temperatures, we are reminded of the importance of supporting neighbors and vulnerable members of the community. By offering assistance and checking in on those who may be more susceptible to the cold, we can support their safety and well-being during harsh weather conditions. When possible, support your community in the following ways:

Check-in with elderly or vulnerable neighbors. In preparation for harsh weather, offer assistance preparing their home for freezing temperatures, stocking extra groceries, or gathering warm weather gear and blankets. During the extreme weather event avoid risking your own safety, but show that they are not alone and prevent feelings of isolation by making a phone call to check in.
Rally resources for the unhoused community. Support members of the community experiencing homelessness by donating warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to local shelters or outreach programs. Gathering essential warming supplies or sharing information about local resources can provide much-needed assistance and comfort to those without shelter.
Consider your furry friends. Provide adequate shelter and warmth for outdoor animals to ensure their safety & well-being. Consider short-term fostering shelter pets to make more space for the influx of stray animals expected to be rescued when temperatures drop or donate blankets, warm weather resources, or food to local animal shelters.

CREOKS Catoosa’s Gifts of Hope program provided holiday gifts to over 100 children this year, doubling last year’s numbers. Organizer Leslie Bertrum also reported they were able to serve 21 families with groceries, clothing, personal hygiene products and laundry supplies through our Community Storeroom. Special thanks to all the CREOKS elves who helped, the generous donors and our partnership with Catoosa Walmart.

CREOKS Tulsa Angel Tree was a huge success. Through generous donations, the team was able to purchase, wrap and provide gifts for over 50 children. Organizers Cindy Marsh, Office Manager and Nola Dillard, Case Manager, also reported they were able to provide 26 families with laundry baskets filled with detergent, beauty items and hygiene products provided by Community Storeroom.

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The CREOKS McAlester Housing and PATH team supported their community members who are experiencing homelessness this winter by collecting and distributing warming resources and cold weather gear.

With the help of donations from the McAlester community, Alissa Tinney, CREOKS PATH Case Manager, and Aaron Duff, CREOKS Housing Specialist, created resource backpacks including hygiene items, sleeping bags, hot warming pads, medical supply kits, emergency blankets, standard blankets, and water and distributed them to the unhoused community. Alissa & Aaron also lead a Winter Supply Drive, gathering over 200 items for cold weather including hoodies, jackets, socks, beanies, gloves, scarves, and blankets.

In addition to distributing warming resources, the team also connected with the individuals experiencing homelessness and offered additional services available at CREOKS. In an area with limited resources available to the unhoused, the CREOKS McAlester Housing and PATH team was a vital resource during the harsh temperatures.

CREOKS Okemah Angel Tree brought smiles to a lot of children this year. The team was able to provide gifts to over 100 kids this year! More than 70 angels were adopted by the community and generous monetary donations allowed the team to purchase gifts for the rest of the children. Thanks to our many local business donors and our partnerships with Toys for Tots.

CREOKS Tulsa/Broken Arrow attended the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Resource Fair. The event hosted families who have an incarcerated loved one, usually a father or mother, with a fun evening where they were provided a holiday meal kit and learned about community resources. Housing Specialist, Sharonde Hunter, and IPS Specialist, Maddisen Bracken handed out candy, information, and informed the families about CREOKS Services.

The Community Storeroom Food & Resource Pantry has continued to grow, now offering food & resources to CREOKS clients at the Catoosa, West Tulsa, and Wagoner clinics.

The Catoosa Community Storeroom has also added cold storage, making it possible for them to accept and offer fresh & perishable food items including fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat products.

The Wagoner Community Storeroom has currently secured 10 locations within the Wagoner community to collect non-perishable foods and resources to support the future needs of the resource pantry. A similar model will be implemented to support the needs of the food and resource pantries in Catoosa and West Tulsa.

Personal care resources donated to the Community Storeroom have also helped support additional community outreach projects at CREOKS, including Broken Arrow’s “Hope for the Holidays” initiative, and Tulsa and Catoosa’s Angel Tree.

Over 100 CREOKS clients have utilized the Community Storeroom across its three locations over the past six months. If you would like to get involved with the Community Storeroom, email dan.ziriax@creoks.org

Ways You Can Help

Those interested in donating to the Community Storeroom can do so at the links below:

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Tips for Dry January

Dry January is a popular campaign that encourages people to abstain from alcohol for the entire month of January. The campaign has varying goals, which can include exploring sober curiosity, seeking health and wellness benefits, or combating the stigma around reduced alcohol consumption. Originating in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, this growing campaign is being adopted all over the world and had over 175, 000 participants in 2023. Try these tips for Dry January:

Be prepared. Establish a strong support system by informing your friends and family about your commitment and asking for their encouragement or to join in on the challenge. Additionally, create a detailed plan outlining alternative activities or hobbies to replace drinking, ensuring you have healthy distractions readily available. Check out these additional tips for Alcohol Change UK: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/10-tools-for-a-successful-dry-january
Mix it up with mocktails. Mocktails are quickly becoming a mainstream trend because they offer a healthier, more inclusive, and more creative alternative to traditional cocktails. The popularity is driven by a growing awareness of the health risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption and a desire for more mindful and inclusive social experiences. Check out ODMHSAS’s Dry January series on mocktails: https://www.tiktok.com/@odmhsas/video/7321821378359987499
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You might find that Dry January is harder than you thought, and that’s OK. If you’re having trouble not drinking and recognize that this could be more of a problem than you’d initially thought, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Mental health care and peer support are available at CREOKS.

CREOKS and the Jenks Police Department partnered in a presentation to the Jenks Kiwanis Club. Captain Aaron McNulty with Jenks Police Department and CREOKS Holly Trunk, Director of Specialty Substance Use Programs, and CREOKS Brian Ormsby, Clinical Director of Crisis Services educated the club about Narcan and provided free Narcan Kits to those in attendance.

“Our focus was educating about the life-saving drug, Narcan. We were glad to be able to offer training, complimentary Narcan kits, and additional resources to members of our community.” – Captain Aaron McNulty.

CREOKS Housing and IPS teams collaborated to participate in the Grinchmas Carnival in Wagoner, hosted by the WRAP Project and Boys & Girls Club of Wagoner. The event featured cookie decorating, carnival games, ornament decorating and lots of fun things for families to do while also learning about Community Resources. Housing Specialist, Kaitlyn Soldier, and IPS Specialist, Skylar Rose, hosted a hot chocolate bar and educated families about CREOKS services! There were an estimated 450 people in attendance for this fun event.

CREOKS Diversity Council

Poverty Awareness Month is observed in January every year. This important endeavor is observed in America all month long. Did you know that the U.S. ranks second highest in poverty rates among its peer countries? Poverty Awareness Month is about taking an opportunity to learn more about this social ill, raise awareness among others, and understand how everyone can help.

Turning a Snow Day into a Wellness Day

During freezing temperatures and snow days, it is crucial to support children's mental and physical health. This can be achieved by engaging them in activities that promote movement and exercise, as well as providing opportunities for relaxation and mindfulness to help alleviate any stress or anxiety caused by the weather conditions. Turn a snow day into a wellness day in the following ways:

Plan wellness activities. Encourage physical movement and relaxing activities that are intentional for their physical and mental wellness. Avoid excessive screen time and plan activities that are engaging and beneficial for children. Some examples include kid-friendly dance or exercise videos, coloring, building, playing musical instruments, reading, or safely enjoying outdoor activities like getting sunlight and playing in the snow for short periods.
Encourage extra sleep. Catching up on sleep is incredibly valuable as it allows our bodies and minds to recharge, boosts our immunity, and reduces our stress. In addition, maintaining a relaxed schedule for kids on snow days not only ensures that they get the rest they need, but also promotes a healthy balance between following a traditional schedule and practicing self-care.
Engage with your child’s mental health. By actively engaging and being mindful of your child’s feelings, you can create a safe space for open conversations about emotions, fostering a healthy environment for growth and well-being. Encourage your child to be mindful of their mental health by trying out journaling or writing prompts, opening up the discussion as their parent or caregiver, or encouraging them to share their feelings with a trusted adult.

Support For Our Future

CREOKS provides comprehensive school-based behavioral health and substance abuse services that help resolve issues that are creating difficulties in a student's life. Our services are geared toward promoting the student's emotional well-being and behavior, leading to enhanced school performance.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us provide these important services to our communities youth! Contributions through the link below will go to our front-line services in an effort to take positive steps in the lives of those we serve. Thank you.

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CREOKS Health Services is a Non Profit 501(c)(3) organization.

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Spring Creek is a community-based crisis stabilization facility that provides a broad array of services designed to assist individuals with their mental health stability and recovery.

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CREOKS is certified, and partially funded by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and is accredited by CARF International.