Nonprofit Review: The Spero Project in Oklahoma City

Today, I met with a young professional woman who works for the Spero Project in Oklahoma City.

The Spero Project is a faith-based, non-profit organization that seeks to "Confront injustice and oppression by mobilizing the Church to fully engage in a Biblical response to under-resourced populations."

Basically, they are trying to help Christians really act like Jesus and love their neighbor as themselves.  As a Christian, this really inspires me.

The Spero Project has four main areas of focus:

1. Community development
2. Foster care family ministry
3. Marginalized women
4. International refugees

Each of these areas of focus has its own staff members, volunteers and projects.  

After I graduate, I would like to work in the nonprofit sector with international refugee resettlement, so I am most interested in their program for international refugees.

The Spero Project works closely with Catholic Charities who is the government-specified agency to filter international refugees in Oklahoma City.  The Spero Project fills in the gaps that Catholic Charities misses, such as developing lasting, meaningful relationships with the refugees.

Credit: Fort Worth World Relief

According to the staff member I met with from the Spero Project, the refugees area always appreciative for the physical gifts such as getting a job, apartment and furniture, but they find the friendships with the Spero Project staff and volunteers the most rewarding.

Since the Spero Project considers relationships a top priority, they offer volunteer opportunities related to building relationships, such as family sponsorship and learning center tutoring.

Through the family sponsorship program, local American families become host families for the refugee families.  They not only help them with practical things, such as learning English, but also invite them over for dinner and to celebrate holidays.

Additionally, volunteers can work as tutors at the learning center for the refugee children for an hour or two on Mondays through Thursday.

Credit: Fort Worth World Relief

Even if you're not Christian or want to get a career in refugee resettlement, you should still check out the Spero Project.  They're doing some much-needed, innovative service work that is much different from the typical volunteer opportunities.  

Through the Spero Project, you can learn much more about an issue in Oklahoma City and also meet people and learn first-hand from their experiences.

I highly recommend this nonprofit!