01/16/2026
Our Executive Director, Tara, attended Night One of Getting Ahead in Kay County. This program helps individuals gain insight, build skills, and take steps toward lasting change.
At United Way, our core focus areas are education, financial stability, and health because they are all connected. When we work together to address the root causes of poverty, lives improve and communities grow stronger. United is the way to create a healthier Kay County. đź’™
NIGHT ONE RECAP: WE DID IT!! 🎉11 Investigators have officially signed up to take the Getting Ahead class!
Night one was last night, and the energy in the room was both exciting and powerful. We kicked off the evening the same way every class will begin—with a delicious meal, this night's menu was chili, cinnamon rolls, and fruit. Families and children ate together, creating a welcoming and connected atmosphere.
After dinner, Christopher with New Emergency Resource Agency of Ponca City shared what NERA offers and gave a powerful personal testimony about his own journey through poverty. Following that, class began, and the kiddos headed to the childcare area where they played games and enjoyed snacks.
During class, investigators connected, collaborated, and shared openly. There were many aha moments—one of the biggest being the realization that they are not alone. They discovered that poverty doesn’t have one single look and that others share similar challenges. Most importantly, they already feel a sense of hope.
This has been a HUGE project for our community, with many logistics to work through. Like any new program, it would not be possible without the dedication of our coalition volunteers and the committed individuals taking this class.
We want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to:
đź’›Ponca City First United Methodist Church for providing the space
đź’›Our incredible childcare workers
đź’›Our Sponsor of the Night, Audra McKinnon with First Baptist Church, Ponca City, OK
đź’›Volunteers for the evening Derion Schieber with Community Health Foundation of Kay County, Tara Goldman with United Way of North Central Oklahoma, Inc., Kelli Northcutt, Kerry with Coryell Cupboard , Jermey Jones with Family Resource Center
Our facilitators: Lacey Boiling with City National Bank & Trust and Charles Rickman with The Lost Gent
Each investigator will receive a $25 gift card for every class they attend as a thank-you for their participation.
đź’™ Interested in helping or providing a sponsorship?
Please reach out to GettingAheadKayCo@gmail.com
We still need funds to help cover the cost of participant stipends—and we truly could not do this without community support.
Stay tuned for our next recap next week!
