About Us

    Stillwater CARES, Inc. is a community benefit organization that meets an expressed need in our community for coordination among those who provide services to the disadvantaged.  Stillwater CARES will not provide services or resources directly to those in need.  Rather, we serve the leaders of social service agencies, charitable organizations, churches, and others who provide the disadvantaged not only with aid and relief, but also the dignity of empowerment through development, rehabilitation, training, and mentoring.  Stillwater CARES leverages it’s expanding sphere of relationships to find creative and collaborative solutions that make the most responsible use of available resources.

Quinn Schipper, Executive Director, with Robin Jones and

Deborah Price of FaithLinksOK.

visit:

Bridges

Our Journey

Our history is rooted in discussions that began in 2008 among pastors of local churches and other service providers.  That year, a survey helped ascertain how benevolence was being managed among Stillwater churches.  Subsequently, a meeting of interested parties examined the survey results and considered the viability of strategic collaboration.  In 2009, an ad hoc “Benevolence Initiative” formed to pursue working together.  In 2010, a feasibility study revealed that coordinating the efficient, effective management of communication, assistance, services, and resources is critical – as attested by 100% of participants in that study.  Based upon this growing momentum, Stillwater CARES pursued incorporation and obtained IRS Tax Exempt status, also in 2010.

The Challenge

A growing number of both permanent residents and OSU students are in need of assistance.  2008 government statistics indicate 27.3% of Stillwater residents are with income below the poverty level, while the state average is 14.7%.  The impact of both national and local economic downturn and other factors have increased the demand upon our community for needed services and resources. 

A predicament faced by many charitable agencies is that the daily demands of responding to requests often prevent many well-intentioned providers from doing little more than continue to supply the proverbial hand out, when what they also desire to offer is a genuine hand up.

Although a number of provider agencies in Stillwater provide food, clothing, shelter, and other resources, a coherent system of coordination will help circumvent unnecessary duplication, insufficient services, and needless waste.  Meanwhile, there are disadvantaged individuals and families in Stillwater who continue in cycles of systemic poverty and other hardships.

The Solution

Stillwater CARES, Inc. was created to address this dilemma by providing “Community And Resource Empowerment Solutions.” Stillwater CARES builds upon an enterprising network of already successful associations with at least 30 local churches, 26 agencies and organizations, as well as many motivated members of our community. Hard-working providers agree about the need for coordination. Stillwater CARES is postured to offer them practical assistance in ways that will support their respective missions and compliment their unique contributions that meet the needs of those who are variously disadvantaged.