Community Involvement
A Community That Walks Together
Good Samaritan Outreach is more than a program — it is a community. From shared meals and volunteer partnerships to our thrift store and aquaponics system, the people of McAlester walk alongside the men we serve. Every hour, every dollar, and every act of kindness matters.
Why Community Matters
Transformation happens in relationship.
Mission Alignment
No man rebuilds his life alone. The Thrive Program is held up by neighbors, churches, civic groups, local businesses, and volunteers who show up week after week. Community involvement is not an add-on to our work — it is the foundation of it.
How the Community Shows Up
- Volunteers teaching classes, mentoring, and sorting donations
- Churches and businesses sponsoring men through the program
- Partners offering jobs, training, and second chances
- Neighbors donating essentials and supporting the thrift store
Shared Meals
A table for the men in the program — and the community walking with them.
Shared meals are part of daily life inside the Thrive Program. Men in the program cook, serve, and eat together with staff. This isn't a soup kitchen — we don't run daily street feedings, because recovery breaks when stability gets handed out for free. We'll feed a person passing through who genuinely needs a meal, but the table is built for the men we walk with.
What we love is when churches, small groups, and neighbors come share a meal with the men — bringing food, but more importantly bringing presence, stories, prayer, and encouragement. The men need to know the community is walking alongside them in the change they're working toward.
Following a family crisis, Micheal turned to GSO for support. With guidance and care he transitioned into assisted living and found meaningful work — proof that walking with a man through change carries him further than handing him a meal and sending him back out.
Ways to Participate
- 🍽️ Serve a meal with your small group or church
- 🥬 Donate ingredients or sponsor a meal night
- 🤝 Sit down and share a table with the men we serve
The Thrift Store
The store that funds the mission.
Our thrift store is a workforce training site and a sustainable funding engine for the Thrive Program. Men learn customer service, inventory, and sales while every purchase helps fund meals, shelter, and training for the men in our care.
Eric advanced from Thrive client to Transition House Manager, and now serves as Thrift Store Manager — playing a leadership role in the very organization that once supported him. Transformation can come full circle.
How You Can Help
- 👕 Donate clothing, housewares, books, and furniture in good condition (see donation guidelines →)
- 🛒 Shop the store — every dollar goes back into the mission
- 📦 Organize a donation drive with your workplace or congregation
Every shelf, every donation, every shift — funds the mission.
Aquaponics & Plant Sale
Growing what we need — and sharing it.
Our on-site aquaponics system and seasonal plant sale teach the men a sustainable trade, put fresh food on our tables, and invite the community in. From seed to sale, these projects turn classroom skills into hands-on confidence.
Get Involved
- 🌱 Volunteer with the aquaponics team
- 🪴 Support the seasonal plant sale
- 🧑🏫 Share horticulture or trade expertise with the men
Volunteer With Us
Be part of someone's turning point.
Volunteers are the heartbeat of Good Samaritan Outreach. Whether you're serving meals, teaching a class, mentoring, or supporting Thrive Program activities, your presence brings encouragement, stability, and dignity to the men we serve.
Churches, Businesses & Civic Partners
Doing this together.
We partner with churches, employers, civic groups, and local government to expand opportunities and remove barriers. Partnership can look like sponsored meals, volunteer teams, job placements, in-kind donations, or financial support — whatever fits your organization.
Partnership Opportunities
- 🤝 Employer partnerships (hiring, apprenticeships, training)
- ⛪ Church and small-group service days
- 🏢 Business sponsorships and donation drives
- 🎯 Foundation and civic grant partnerships
Connect With Us
We'd love to hear how you want to get involved.
Address: 20 E. Cherokee Ave., McAlester, OK 74501
Phone: (918) 429-7773
Email: thrivesupport@thrivegso.com
A Community Strengthened Together
When men rebuild their lives, families stabilize. When families stabilize, communities grow stronger. Your time, your gifts, and your presence make that possible.
Get Involved Today