Jesus House marks 40 years serving Oklahoma City's homeless residents

Executive Director Richard “Rick” Denny said he and the shelter's board of directors decided it was vital that the organization celebrate four decades of ministry and tell supporters and others about new programs and ministries there.

The Jesus House opened in 1973 as a nondenominational Christian shelter by Ruth Wynne and Betty Adams. The two, now deceased, became known around the metro community simply as “Sister Ruth” and “Sister Betty.”

Denny, who took the organization's helm in October 2011, said the organization was started to spread the love of Jesus through outreach to the city's poor and homeless each day of the year.

He said the anniversary dinner's theme, “The Reality of Love,” was created with this in mind.

Denny said the shelter draws a flood of volunteers during the holidays, and staff members and volunteers always appreciate the help. However, he said the people who need the shelter's assistance are there all the time. The reality of their lives is that they need aid in the form of food, clothing and shelter, Denny said.

He said the Jesus House provides 85 emergency shelter beds each night and serves more than 10,000 free meals each month. Denny said the shelter also distributes free clothing and provides groceries for more than 300 households each week.

“We're here 24/7, 365 days a year — we're feeding hungry people, sheltering people. It's always there for us,” he said.

Denny said the Jesus House has put together several reality TV-style vignettes that show the stories of real people whose lives have intersected with the homeless shelter. He said the video vignettes showing the day-to-day operations of the shelter, along with acoustic music performances, will be presented throughout the evening.

“We'll spend the night talking about the Jesus House and the different ways the organization expresses love in the community,” he said.

“That's what we expect to be the star of the show — what we do.”

Reason to celebrate

Denny said he is proud of the way the shelter, led by its loyal supporters, volunteers and a new board, rebounded after a crisis in 2010 led to a drop in donations.

In August 2010, the Jesus House became immersed in scandal when an anonymous letter was sent to the attorney general's office and news organizations alleging financial misconduct. The state attorney general's office investigated the organization, and the shelter's board at that time asked the person who served as director to retire.