Thoughts from the President and CEO
April 24, 2018
Wow! It is only April, but what an eventful year!
First, we revealed our exciting news about our name change from Youth Services for Oklahoma County to Pivot with the tagline “A Turning Point for Youth.” Thank you to everyone who came to our Open House and Big Reveal celebrations!
It was great to see so many of our friends a few weeks ago at The Criterion for
Reach for the Stars!
It was an evening full of great food, fun times and games galore. We are so thankful for the compassion and generosity of those who support our mission, and most importantly the youth we serve.
On behalf of Pivot, I am excited to share with you that we have been named a 2018 finalist for Impact Oklahoma. We are honored and humbled to be among such an outstanding group of finalists. We present tonight, so be sending good thoughts our way!
And finally, this time of year is a memorable time for teenagers everywhere, with many milestones happening. Teens are dressing up for prom, donning caps and gowns for graduation and planning their future. Because of you, the teens we serve have an opportunity to be ‘a kid.’ To attend prom, stay in school, earn their diploma and have hope for a bright future.
Through Pivot, youth are equipped to dramatically change the trajectory of their lives — helping them transition from a life of fear and instability to that of hope and opportunity.
While our name and look may be different, who we are has not changed. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Kami N. Kuykendall
President and CEO
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A Turning Point
For more than 45 years, Pivot has been “
A Turning Point for Youth
” by helping youth in our community who lack stability in their lives. They are sometimes homeless or couch homeless, alone or disengaged. Many live with damaging labels and shame.
We hope you will take this opportunity to hear from three resilient youth we work with. They bravely shared their stories and wanted to share how Pivot and friends like you have been a positive force for change in their young lives. Special thanks to our friends and partners at ICG for helping
share their stories
.
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The Big Reveal and Open House
We were thrilled to reveal our new name and look in February and so thankful to have such a big turnout for our Open House. It was wonderful to see everyone who stopped by, curious about what was going on at 201 NE 50
th
Street and to hear such great feedback from the community.
Our new name better describes our organization’s philosophy and the positive outcomes we are able to accomplish for the youth we serve, as well as the impact we make on our community. This past fiscal year, we were able to serve more than 2,000 young people and their families, and we look forward to reaching even more in the years ahead.
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Prom and Pomp and Circumstance
Students from across the metro made their prom dreams come true during our annual Prom event at Pivot. Our prom closet was stocked with everything a young person would need. Smiles were all around as our youth found the perfect outfit for their big night.
Volunteers and staff members helped the prom goers find the perfect dress, tuxedo or suit. Mary Kay consultants provided makeup makeovers. Members of the Kappa Epsilon Psi sorority assisted with hair and nails, while Aundre Powell assisted with tuxedos and suits. Our teens also heard about building self-esteem, healthy identities and relationships from the University of Central Oklahoma’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Studies and Pivot staff.
Pivot's annual celebration of our graduating high school seniors is also just around the corner. It’s an especially important time for the youth we serve. These teens prove that even with all the odds against them – they can overcome. They realize they are so much more than their current situation and are worthy of a future full of opportunity.
This would not be possible without donors like you. We are still seeking financial support for our graduation celebration. If you would like to help our kids as they move toward reaching their education and employment goals, you may donate through
this secure
link
or call 405-235-7537. Thank you for investing in their future.
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It was Game On! at
Reach for the Stars!
What a night! We would like to thank everyone who joined us at the 16
th
annual
Reach for the Stars!
Because of the support of generous friends like you, this year’s event successfully raised much needed funds, allowing Pivot to provide critical services and resources to teens in our community!
It WAS
Game On!
for lots of fun, delightful food, cool beverages and of course, the games. There were board games, full-size arcade games, corn hole, giant Plinko and Connect 4 games, as well as a wine toss and the ever-entertaining game of Heads or Tails. There were some amazing trips in both the silent and live auctions, a puppy named Bingo and some fun family packages and original art from local artists!
A special thank you to this year’s wonderful sponsors. Our Champion Sponsors: Birchall & Hampton and Sonic, America’s Drive-In. And, our Hero Sponsors: AmFund, BancFirst, BKD LLC, Jeff and Lori Blumenthal, OGE Energy Corp., Oklahoma Cogeneration LLC, Sweet Law PC, Stewart and Dee Terbush, Tinker Federal Credit Union and Tyler Media.
We had a wonderful committee of volunteers and, we would be remiss if we did not thank our longtime supporter, friend and Game Show Host for the evening – Mr. Jason Doyle.
There are plenty of photos to share of the night. Check out all the fun and festive
Reach for the Stars!
photos
here
and
here
.
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Calendar of Events
April 25 – Oklahoma Nonprofit Advocacy Day at the State Capitol
Join us from 9 a.m. to noon at the State Capitol to get to know our state legislators and discuss the mission and needs of Pivot.
May 10: Senior Graduation Celebration
Celebrating our seniors who graduated in December and May. If you would like to make a gift to support our graduates, follow this secure
link
or call 405-235-7537.
May 18: Teen Service Board Applications Due
Know a teen who will be in grades 9-12 in the fall? Have them apply to be on our Teen Service Board. Applications available
here
or by calling 405-235-7537.
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201 NE 50th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-1811
Phone: 405-235-7537
pivotok.org
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