Nursing home giving back to homeless

By Melissa Maynarich, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- In the metro, even those who need help living are now helping others. Residents at the Grace Living Center started packing lunches for Oklahoma City's homeless.

The residents got the idea after being challenged during a bible study group and they haven't stopped making the lunches since.

Coming together at the table for residents at the Grace Living Center isn't to eat a meal with family, it's to make a meal for people they don't even know.

"I'm just happy to be alive, because I didn't have to be here," Evelyn Labrew, a Grace Living Center resident said.

They focus on the sandwiches, packing up toiletries and stick in words of inspiration for Oklahoma City's homeless, all while overcoming obstacles themselves.

"They just looked at me, and said ‘What can we do? We're in wheel chairs. We can't even move our right arm or left arm,'" Kellie Prather, the Grace Living Center Activities Director said.

Every other Wednesday the sacks are given out with no questions asked. The meals are making a difference in dozens of people's lives who live outside, including Kimberly who is homeless in the metro.

"God bless their souls, ‘cause a lot of people don't think of homeless people like this and everything that they're doing," Kimberly said.

At the same time, their good work is making a difference in their own lives, because they know they're helping others help themselves.

"Feel like I've maybe accomplished a little something for one day," Labrew said.

"Our nursing facilities are not the end zone. It's only a new chapter in everyone's life," Prather said. "Everyone can give back, even people in a nursing home."