Always an advocate with a heart for the vulnerable, especially children, Elizabeth Beck serves as the Director of Development for Lions Meadows of Hope. After being a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for 10 years and becoming a foster parent in the process, Elizabeth was offered an opportunity for a new position being created at our local foster agency. She loves connecting with people and bringing awareness of their mission to our community.
Many people I’ve spoken with didn’t even realize Stillwater had a foster care center, which is why I wanted to bring awareness to this amazing agency and its stellar staff! I’ve passed by their (now former) location on Main Street thousands of times and noticed the blue and gold logo, but just assumed it had something to do with the high school. It wasn’t until two dear friends of mine, Elizabeth and Terrie Kerr (Director of Operations) took on roles with Lions Meadows of Hope that I realized what that space actually was. Both women served as CASA volunteers for several years, so going to work for a foster care center made perfect sense.
Lions Meadows of Hope, formerly known as the Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch, is a licensed foster care agency and official project of the Lions Clubs of Oklahoma that was established in 1938. They contract with Oklahoma Department of Human Services to recruit, train, certify, and support foster parents. With a vision of ending the cycle and abuse that can pass from each generation to the next, keeping siblings together is a top priority. This foster care agency is also committed to providing necessary support and stable environments to foster families. In Oklahoma 75% of first placements are disrupted in some way, but with the proper training and support at Lions Meadows of Hope, their placements have a 96% success rate, which is approximately 19x better than the state average.
In the time that Elizabeth has been the Director of Development, she has seen many beautiful changes at the center. The most recent change is the agency finding a home of its own in a new location at 623 S. Western Rd in Stillwater. She raves about her dynamic team that is committed to serving families of Payne County and surrounding areas. The number of foster families that LMOH supports continues to rise. They have witnessed children reunite with their biological family, as well as find their forever families through adoption. The agency completed a $1M Capital Campaign and was able to build a new Lions Meadows of Hope Family Center located south of Perkins, OK.
Aside from the Capital Campaign, LMOH received grants from the Mabee and Lions Club International Foundations and a donation from the downtown Oklahoma City Lions Club to complete the Family Center where foster parents and children can live together as a family unit. With support from fellow Oklahomans – State Rep. Kevin Wallace and being chosen as an honoree by Sen. James Lankford for Angels in Adoption award – LMOH will continue to thrive. They were also a finalist for the OKCNP ONE Award.
As with many local agencies and organizations, there is always a need for donations and volunteers. The LMOH 31st Annual Golf Benefit which will take place on Monday, June 26. Several sponsorship opportunities are available for the benefit and/or you can join me in donating raffle prizes and snacks for the golfers. They could also use some cheerleaders! (Does golf have cheerleaders??) Visit lionsmoh.org for more information on how you can serve our foster care agency and get involved with your community. Stay tuned for details on the LMOH grand opening at their new office later this year.
