Businesses and nonprofit organizations in Norman provide a wide array of resources for residents in need, including emergency shelters, food pantries and additional resources.
Emergency shelters
City Care: City Care’s Norman shelter is a low-barrier emergency shelter located at 109 W. Gray St. The facility is currently owned by the city of Norman and operated by City Care, a nonprofit agency that offers services to those experiencing homelessness.
The facility holds 52 beds, with 22 female beds and 30 male beds. The organization also provides dorm rooms, housing navigation, benefit enrollment, a mailing address, case management, clothing and hygiene items, ID recovery, laundry, showers and transportation to partner services.
As a low-barrier shelter, City Care does not require documentation of identification, lack of a criminal record, a lengthy application or sobriety.
In October 2022, the city funded and facilitated the management of a temporary warming shelter at the property's location. Local nonprofit Food and Shelter was contracted to operate the facility under an emergency winter shelter services contract.
The shelter was approved for expansion and renovation in December 2023. Although work had begun to expand the facility, city officials continued to search for a permanent shelter.
The facility was operated by Food and Shelter, under the name A Friend’s House, until January 2025 when the contract was renewed with City Care.
Daily check-in time at City Care begins at 5 p.m. and more information can be found online.
Food and Shelter: Food and Shelter is a nonprofit agency committed to fulfilling basic needs such as overnight shelter, food and hygiene. The facility is located at 201 Reed Ave. and opened in 2017.
Food and Shelter offers dining room services, a food pantry and resource center, and a day shelter open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily with breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. and lunch served from 11 a.m. to noon.
Food and Shelter also operates a 32-unit shelter program for long-term emergency shelter for both individuals and families. Individuals who qualify for the emergency shelter program may stay as long as needed with the assistance of a case manager.
More information about Food and Shelter can be found online.
Salvation Army emergency shelter: The Salvation Army emergency shelter, located at 318 E. Hayes St., offers a daily community hot meal at 5 p.m. and has capacity for about 34 individuals.
The facility has space for 14 males and eight females and contains two family rooms with space for four to six.
More information about the Salvation Army emergency shelter can be found online.
Food and resources
Alameda Baptist Church food pantry: Alameda Baptist Church, located at 1503 E. Alameda St., operates a food pantry from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday.
Qualifying individuals may visit the food pantry by appointment three times a year.
More information about the Alameda Baptist Church Food Pantry can be found online.
Streams of Water Ministry: Alameda Church of Christ, is located at 801 E. Alameda St. The organization offers a community outreach program, Streams of Water Ministry, which provides a weekly food pantry, financial assistance for utility bills and a Christmas Angel Tree program for families with students in Norman, Noble, Robin Hill or Little Axe school districts.
The food pantry is open 10 to 11 a.m. every Wednesday, 9 to 11 a.m. the second Saturday of each month and 5 to 6:30 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month. Appointments are not required and visits are limited to one visit per month.
Streams of Water Ministry also offers utility assistance for qualifying individuals. Caseworkers are available to schedule an in-person appointment at 8 a.m. Mondays.
More information about Streams of Water Ministry and how to qualify for their programs is available online.
CrossPointe Care Center: CrossPointe Church operates a food pantry and clothes closet called the Care Center. The center is located at 2601 24th Ave. SE and offers services on Fridays.
The food pantry is open 9 to 11:30 a.m. and the clothes closet is open 9 to 11 a.m. for eligible individuals.
Individuals must present a picture ID and current proof of residence to be served.
More information on services can be found online.
McFarlin United Methodist Church: McFarlin United Methodist Church operates a food pantry at 401 S. University Blvd., as well as a mobile food pantry for Norman, Noble and Little Axe residents.
The McFarlin food pantry is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Individuals must present a picture ID and current proof of residence to be served.
The mobile food pantry delivers groceries to Adams, Jackson and Madison elementary schools and Irving Middle School monthly. Eligible families may pick up groceries at select locations from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on scheduled delivery days. Monthly delivery dates and more information on how to qualify for programs is available online. Grocery pick up is also available 10 to 11 a.m. Saturdays at the McFarlin food pantry location.
McFarlin also offers utilities assistance. Registration for utility assistance begins at 8 a.m. Thursdays and assistance will begin in order of sign-in at 9:30 a.m.
Meals on Wheels Norman: Meals on Wheels is a nonprofit agency that offers food delivery services for Norman residents over the age of 62 or those with a doctor's note supporting the need for meal services. The Norman agency has been open since 1972 and is currently located at 921 N. Lahoma Ave.
The agency partners with Norman Regional Health System to prepare all meals. Cost per meal is decided by client income, which is matched to a sliding fee scale.
More information on meal delivery is available online.
OU Food Pantry: The OU Food Pantry is available to all current OU students, staff or faculty with a valid OU ID, located at 331 Cate Center Drive.
The Food Pantry is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday. The pantry offers fresh produce, nonperishable foods, home goods, clothing and books to all current OU students, faculty and staff.
Online order forms are available on OU Engage for qualifying individuals and are due Mondays at noon. The OU Food Pantry also offers The Red Pantry, a monthly period product service, through OU Engage.
In August 2022, the pantry moved to its current location in hopes of adding additional resources, according to their website. The pantry is currently staffed by 90 students and is an entirely student-led initiative.
More information on the OU Food Pantry can be found online.
Mission Norman: The Mission Norman is a nonprofit organization that operates a food pantry and provides additional services for individuals in need located at 2525 E. Lindsey St.
Individuals seeking services may visit the pantry 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to noon Friday.
More information is available online.
The Share Center: The Share Center at Food and Shelter is a free grocery store and resource center for Norman, Noble, Lexington or McClain County residents. The facility is located at 213 Reed Ave. and opened in September 2023.
Qualifying individuals may shop at the Share Center from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 2 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month.
More information about the Share Center can be found online.
Additional assistance
A Better Way: Opportunity Knocks: A Better Way: Opportunity Knocks is a two-week work program for individuals while providing mental health resources and case-management support.
A Better Way partners with the city of Norman and Mental Health Association Oklahoma to provide participants with wages for a day’s work, a meal and access to supportive services.
To participate in A Better Way, complete the referral form online.
Bridges of Norman: Bridges of Norman's mission is to support high school students experiencing family crises to pursue education without obstacles at 1670 Stubbeman Ave., with extensions of their services provided at Norman high schools.
Bridges assists students with school supplies, extracurricular equipment, ACT and SAT registration fees, food, hygiene items and clothing, as well as aid in making medical, dental and eye appointments.
The organization removes barriers to graduation by providing students with mentors who help them navigate life decisions, tutors and lifeskill classes led by community business leaders. Bridges also partners with local businesses to host students and give them career experience.
Bridges operates 20 one-bedroom apartments for eligible students. Rent is calculated on a sliding scale at 30% of income, plus utilities. Students can remain on the property until they graduate high school or until they are 21 if in higher education.
Information on how to qualify and apply for Bridges services is available online.
Center for Children and Families: Center for Children and Families is a nonprofit organization that supports Cleveland County children and their families who are experiencing or at-risk for child abuse, neglect or other adverse experiences located at 210 S. Cockrel Ave.
The agency operates a baby pantry that offers baby supplies, such as diapers and wipes, to families whose resources are extremely limited. The baby pantry is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Families can visit twice a month.
The nonprofit partners with Period OKC, a nonprofit dedicated to working for menstrual equity, to provide free menstrual products. Supplies are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
The nonprofit hosts monthly Infant Crisis Service's BabyMobile in their parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dates are available online.
More information on the Center for Children and Families and how to qualify for their services are available online.
Cleveland County Health Department Services: The Cleveland County Health Department offers a variety of health services at little to no cost at 250 12th Ave. NE.
The clinic offers COVID-19 and flu testing and vaccines and immunizations for children and adults, as well as free STI testing, evaluation and education.
The office is available by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The clinic is open 8 to 11 a.m and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
More information and appointments are available by calling 405-321-4048 and online.
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma is a nonprofit organization that provides civil legal assistance and education to low-income individuals. Their Norman office is located at 2227 W. Lindsey St.
Qualifying individuals who are struggling with a civil legal issue may apply online or by calling 1-888-534-5243 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The Norman office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
More information is available online.
Public food pantries and community fridges: Public food pantries and community fridges are available across Norman. For information on public pantry locations and updates, visit Norman’s pantry Facebook page.
Sanctuary Women's Development Center: The Sanctuary Women’s Development Center is a day shelter for homeless or at-risk women and children located at 425 E. Tonhawa St. that offers social services, support and advocacy for those in need.
Sanctuary Women’s Development Center offers qualifying individuals with case management referrals, job and life skills development, employment resources, trauma counseling and linkage to mental health resources.
The organization aims to alleviate the effects of poverty by providing individuals with access to showers, laundry and a community food and hygiene pantry.
For more information on how to receive services, visit the center’s website.
Women's Resource Center: Women's Resource Center is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and advocating for domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors, located at 222 E. Eufaula St.
The center offers counseling, domestic violence education classes, support groups and court advocacy for clients, as well as a mobile advocacy program and an emergency domestic violence shelter.
More information on the Women's Resource Center and services are available online or call 405-310-3131. Those experiencing domestic violence and need assistance, call the 24/7 domestic violence crisis line at 405-701-5540.
Hope Pregnancy Center: Hope Pregnancy Center is a nonprofit agency that assists those facing unexpected pregnancies with pregnancy confirmation at 1624 82nd St. SW.
Free pregnancy tests, pre-abortion ultrasounds and abortion information for individuals considering pregnancy options are available by appointment online.
The clinic is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.
More information about Hope Pregnancy Center and its services are available online.
This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Madisson Cameron. Larkin Bock, Vanessa Essien and Gretchen Schultz copy edited this story.
