Texoma Gives Ends 10-Yr Run on Sept. 4

The clock is ticking on Texoma Gives, the regional day of giving that has funneled more than $13 million to 416 nonprofits across North Texas and Southern Oklahoma since 2016. On Thursday, Sept. 4, Olney’s six participating organizations will make their final push in the online fundraiser before transitioning to a locally run effort next year.

After nearly a decade of building awareness and teaching small nonprofits how to raise money online, organizers at the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation announced that this year will be the last Texoma Gives event. That news has prompted Olney’s nonprofits not only to sharpen their 2025 goals but also to begin planning how to carry on the tradition of a united annual giving day under local leadership.

Donors can participate by visiting texomagives.org and selecting their favorite non- profit. Each of Olney’s organizations has outlined specific projects that will be supported by donations this year:

Senior Cub Center

Director Angela Lockard said the Olney Senior Cub Center hopes to raise $10,000. The center’s needs include a five-well steam table and the construction required to install it at the serving counter, a nugget ice machine, storage shelves, and funding for affordable meals for low-income seniors.

Olney Volunteer Fire Department

Fire Chief Clint Pulliam said the OVFD’s $10,000 goal will cover repairs to the department’s water truck and brush rigs. “We will be grateful for whatever we receive,” he said, noting that the work must be done in the coming months.

Olney Community Library and Art Center

Library director Lori Cox said the library is aiming for $8,000 to help complete its first major facelift since opening in 1979. The redesign includes new shelving, furniture, flooring, and paint. A glass divider will allow schoolchildren to use the library during the school day while maintaining community access.

Olney Education Foundation

OEF chairman Kelly Mahler said the foundation hopes to raise $10,000 to $15,000 to support local students in reaching their educational and career goals. One-hundred percent of donations go to help Olney’s graduating seniors and college students. Donors may give through the Texoma Gives portal, mail contributions to OEF at P.O. Box 68, Olney, TX, 76374, or drop off donations Sept. 4 between 9 and 11 a.m. at the foundation’s new home at 109 W. Main St., where refreshments will be served.

House of Mercy

Directors Preston and Trena Crow set a goal of $20,000 for the Christian- based drug rehabilitation program. The money will support the End of Payne program, which helps clients without income secure a place in the program and vital documents such as Social Security cards, Texas IDs, and birth certificates— steps that prepare graduates for employment and housing.

The Refuge

Co-directors Kristi and Rodney Nance said Texoma Gives is both a fundraising day and a celebration of community. The Refuge will host a donation-based breakfast and lunch at its center on Sept. 4, serving breakfast burritos in the morning starting at 6 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m of pulled pork sandwiches. Funds will support after-school programs, summer meals, exercise classes, camps, and the daily operations of the community center.