OKC’s Sisu Youth Services receives $1.5 million gift to expand support for unhoused youth
The Arnall Family Foundation has awarded a $1.5 million grant to Sisu Youth Services. This grant will help the local nonprofit expand services and resources for unhoused, transition-age youth in Oklahoma City.
Sisu currently serves about 65 young people each night, offering emergency shelter, case management, access to education, mental and physical health care, and multiple housing opportunities.
The planned expansion will add a dedicated classroom and conference space, therapy offices, additional case management space, shelter for parenting youth, and more areas for group programming and supportive services. These additions will allow staff and services to operate more efficiently while increasing Sisu’s ability to respond to a rising number of youth seeking stability and support.
“This generous contribution from the Arnall Family Foundation is an incredible opportunity to expand programs that provide one-on-one case management support, workforce readiness programming, and education and health services,” said Rachel Bradley, Sisu Youth Services Executive Director. “With this support, we can prepare youth to build the lives they want and deserve.”
The Arnall Family Foundation views the partnership as part of its mission to strengthen families and improve outcomes for underserved youth across Oklahoma.
“Sisu is filling a critical gap in services for transition-age youth,” said Sue Ann Arnall, president of the Arnall Family Foundation. “This expansion will provide the resources these young people need to gain independence and thrive as members of our community. Our support for Sisu is an investment in the future health, education, and well-being of our city, and we hope that many more will join us in supporting their valuable work.”
The donation propels Sisu into Phase II of its $6.5 million capital campaign, a transformative effort designed to expand the organization’s footprint and deepen its impact across the community. Phase II will create new youth-centered spaces, add administrative offices, and significantly increase Sisu’s capacity to deliver critically needed programs for young people experiencing homelessness.
To learn more about the campus expansion and the capital campaign, visit www.sisuyouth.org/campaign.
About Sisu Youth Services: Sisu is a low-barrier, identity-affirming space in Oklahoma City where unhoused transition-age youth find the shelter and support they need to pursue the life they want. They offer overnight emergency shelter, a drop-in resource center, case management services, and transitional living programs for unhoused youth between the ages of 15-24.
About the Arnall Family Foundation: Founded in 2015, the Arnall Family Foundation seeks to make lasting, transformative improvements to the systems and programs in Oklahoma that interact with youth welfare and juvenile legal systems, criminal legal systems, homelessness and northeast Oklahoma City through results-driven investments and strategic convening of community partners. For more information, visit www.arnallfamilyfoundation.org.
The Gayly online. 7/27/26 @ 2:36 p.m. CST.