Our History

In 2004, a Tulsa family returned from mission work at a Denver shelter. They asked their church, First Presbyterian of Tulsa, “Why must we go to other cities to meet the needs of homeless families?” The church’s response was the creation of a committee that began exploring both the needs in our community and similar programs across the nation. It became clear to the committee that mothers with children experiencing situational homelessness had very few resources in Tulsa.

Five years later, an independent Board of Directors was formed to incorporate Transitional Living Centers of Oklahoma, Inc. as a nonprofit organization in March 2009. After further planning and fundraising, Transitional Living Centers of Oklahoma opened its first program in February 2010 after purchasing the former Saint Elizabeth’s Lodge from Catholic Charities. The doors of Lindsey House, named after Lilah Lindsey, to mothers with children within weeks of acquiring the facility.

In 2020, Lindsey House moved to its new facility north of Downtown Tulsa. The new facility, made possible through the generosity of the community, includes 24 apartments and doubled the organization’s program capacity. Today, Lindsey House is home to 24 women and more than 40 children.