Give a Little, Change A Lot with the Power of Twelve
By K. J. WEBB
Contributing Writer
HUNGRY FAMILIES: The Power of Twelve is an ambitious comprehensive program that focuses exclusively on helping those in the community who need it most: the homeless, impoverished and hungry families, children and individuals and the thousands of at-risk youth who encounter challenges on a daily basis.
Courtesy Salvation Army
The Salvation Army of Metro Tulsa has launched the Power of Twelve, an ambitious comprehensive program that focuses exclusively on helping those in the community who need it most: the homeless, impoverished and hungry families, children and individuals and the thousands of at-risk youth who encounter challenges on a daily basis.
The Power of Twelve concept is simple: commit to donating $12 a month for 12 months. The cumulative effect of small, consistent giving produces significant results. The program goal is 12,000 members.
“People often question whether their small donation can make a difference but it can through the Power of 12,” says Captain Ken Chapman, Tulsa Area commander, The Salvation Army. “Even a small gift, combined with thousands of others giving on a regular basis, make a big impact. If we can hit our goal, or even go beyond it, the assistance we could provide to the needy and suffering in our community would be tremendous.”
These numbers of those needing help can be overwhelming. There are 50 children every single night of the year at The Salvation Army Center of Hope (), northeastern Oklahoma’s largest homeless shelter; the average age of homelessness is nine years old. In 2016, the provided nearly 110,000 nights of safe shelter and served 358,000 warm, nutritious meals to the hungry, many of them children. The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Tulsa serve over 18,000 at-risk children every year by providing safe, structured afterschool and summer youth development programs. These programs educate and empower the area community’s youth to make positive life choices and develop the skills they need to do well academically and succeed in life.
“The Power of Twelve is positioned to make a significant impact on the efficiency and reach of these important social service and youth development programs,” Chapman says.
Captain Chapman explaines the inspiration for the Power of Twelve concept: “It’s about power, the tremendous power that results when people come to together to serve the greater good,” he says, adding, “The number 12 can be found 187 places in Scripture. There are 22 occurrences of the number in the Book of Revelations alone. The Biblical meaning of the number 12 is God’s power and authority. It is considered a perfect number, a number of power.”
The number 12 is also significant in secular areas of life: there are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 people on a jury, a carpenter’s ruler has 12 subdivisions, pharmacists and jewelers use the 12-ounce pound.
“The beauty of the Power of Twelve is its simplicity,” Chapman says. “For as little as the cost of a movie ticket or a few gourmet coffee drinks, anyone can change a life for the better.”
By joining the Power of Twelve, metro Tulsa residents become an important part of a powerful mission of “Doing The Most Good” and make an ongoing positive impact where it is needed most, in the local community.
Register to donate online at Powerof12Tulsa.com. Donations or $12 a month or more may be made monthly, quarterly or in a single annual donation.
For more information visit salarmytulsa.org or call D.J. Morrow at (918) 587-7801.
Donate at Powerof12Tulsa.com
Updated 03-15-2017
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