On February 26th, a Faith-Based Community Meet & Greet with the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) was hosted in Muskogee by D’Elbie Walker, OSDH Community Engagement and Health Planning Coordinator, along with Pastors Ron and Derryl Venters, Co-Pastors of Christ’s Kingdom Builders Church International. The event had a strong turnout, including seven pastors, a dedicated community member, representatives from two non-profits, Dr. Rodger Cutler (District 7 Community Engagement and Health Planning Manager), Deputy Mayor Derrick Reed, Brian Bobek (OFBCI Executive Director), and Andrea Stasyszen (OFBCI Deputy Director).
During the meeting, the OFBCI team shared Governor Stitt’s vision for the office, emphasizing his hope that it will be a lasting part of his legacy and his commitment to partnering with Faith-Based organizations. Attendees received a resource guide outlining available programs at OSDH. Additionally, community leaders discussed the work they are already doing, the resources they need, and the gaps that still exist.
The event fostered several meaningful connections. For example, Annie Czaruk with Fostering Hope, a non-profit supporting foster child, highlighted their ability to help foster children in 50 counties across the state receive resources but they have inability to provide car seats. In response, Dr. Cutler connected them with the Muskogee County Health Department, which can provide car seats to families qualifying for other services. This was a powerful example of how our agency can directly link communities to essential resources.
Next steps:
• Launching an OFBCI Community of Practice (CoP) pilot in Muskogee via TEAMS, meeting monthly in March and April. Each session will feature a resource spotlight, with Andrea Stasyszen presenting statewide resources.
• Expanding outreach: From June through August, Brian, Andrea, and I will visit other districts interested in hosting meet-and-greets with their Faith-Based communities and local non-profits.
• Building a long-term network: The ultimate goal is to establish a larger, more connected Community of Practice across the state, enabling ongoing resource sharing and collaboration.
This event demonstrated the power of faith, community, and strategic partnerships in meeting local needs. We’re excited to see how this initiative grows!
