Our final partnership highlight is Serve More. This partnership has existed since the start of Next Step being in Oklahoma. Serve More began as a small group of friends and churches that wanted to respond after the May tornado in 2013. Using the hashtag #servemoore they quickly acquired a following and volunteers started showing up daily to help in the response efforts. The numbers of volunteers was in the thousands and people turned to Serve More as a way to help their neighbors in need. This giant spark of interest led to the official start of Serve More as a nonprofit. With the goal of connecting those who need help to those who want to give help, Serve More quickly found its place in the nonprofit world.

Since 2013 there have been floods, more tornados, and even house fires. All to which Serve More has responded to. However that’s not the only thing Serve More does now. During the chaos of disaster relief, Serve More realized the need for things unrelated to natural disasters. Things like disability and accessibility, and even general home repairs and beautification. These were all needs which led to Serve More’s diversification. Now they run three distinct programs including: Disaster Relief, Accessibility and Disability, and Neighborhood Renewal. These programs have allowed them to reach all throughout the metro of Oklahoma City, leading to the name change from Serve Moore to Serve More, allowing them to have a a greater impact on central Oklahoma. Serve More is a public non profit ran by three believers that see the model of Serve More fitting perfectly into the verse found in Matthew 22:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”  -Matthew 22:36-40

It all goes back to loving your neighbor. This simple truth, when practiced, can help unite a city and restore what was lost.