Whatever It Takes (WIT) is a community-based initiative designed to create systemic and sustainable change for children, families and neighborhoods. Throughpartnerships and community engagement, WIT’s place-based strategy is focused on the four target zip codes that comprise northeast Oklahoma City (NEOKC): 73104, 73105, 73111 and 73117. This traditionally African American community has a rich history and cultural identity; unfortunately, it also consistently has some of the worst socioeconomic indicators in Oklahoma. The WIT neighborhood includes:
- Douglass Middle and High Schools
- Edwards Elementary School
- F.D. Moon Academy
- Martin Luther King Elementary School
- Thelma R. Parks Elementary School
- KIPP Reach College Preparatory
- Metro Tech Career Academy
Alongside community leaders such as It’s My Community Initiative, SandRidge Energy and Inasmuch Foundation, Public Strategies has adopted a strategy that includes building bridges among existing neighborhood assets to ensure seamless transitions along our pathway to success (see below), and adding new resources where gaps exist. The following pathway illustrates the components that are helping us to achieve transformational change in NEOKC.
WIT Theory of Change
