Pathways Needs a Permanent Home to Serve More

Adults with I/DD

Pathways has experienced steady enrollment growth of 10-30% each year for the past eight years. Today, we’ve outgrown our leased basement space in a Tulsa Church and have reached full capacity.

At the same time, more than 1,000 students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) graduate from Tulsa-area high schools each year – many with few post-secondary options. Our growing waitlist and constant stream of inquiries reflect the urgent, unmet need for lifelong learning opportunities. It’s time to expand.

Thanks to three generous lead gifts, Pathways purchased a   35,000 sq. ft. building in August 2024 – marking the start of our journey toward a permanent, purpose-built home.

The Building Blocks of Expansion

Our $13 million Building Pathways to Lifelong Learning capital campaign is an effort to transform the future of adult I/DD education in Tulsa.

The campaign will fund:

  • The building purchase (completed August 2024)
  • Renovation of 23,000 sq. ft. tailored for our students’ unique needs (Phase 1)
  • A Program Expansion Reserve Fund to ensure long-term sustainability

More Than Space – A Purposefully Designed Environment

Phase 1 of renovation focuses on creating environments that truly serve our students – spaces designed with sensory, mobility, and learning needs in mind.

The new facility will include:

  • Appropriately sized classrooms
  • Sensory break rooms
  • A residential-style nutrition center
  • Virtual teaching studio
  • Hands-on learning spaces for independent living, fitness, arts, and mentorship
  • Administrative areas to support students, families, and staff with excellence
  • An outdoor classroom and fitness space

Why It Matters

With the support of our community, Pathways is preparing to triple the number of families we serve and elevate the quality of support we provide. Every new classroom, sensory break room, and life skills area is a doorway to greater independence, deeper connection, and lasting joy.

Adults with I/DD deserve a place where they can continue to grow, belong, and thrive – beyond high school and for life. This project ensures that students aren’t left behind and that caregivers have the peace of mind and support they need.

Pathways gives Raeann hope. Gives her life meaning, and we thank God everyday for the program, the teachers, the volunteers, and everyone involved in making her life a little better.
Brenda L, Parent
Everyone at Pathways is loving and caring. I feel important, and I learn new stuff every day in my classes. I feel loved, and I have a big family, so that means lots of love at home and at Pathways.
Ashliann P, Student
The program at Pathways recognizes Keith’s potential and provides him a avenue to reach his full potential. While Keith will have lifelong challenges, Pathways has made it possible for him to acquire tools to overcome those challenges. Keith is blessed to be part of Pathways, and we thank God for each and every individual who makes this program possible.
Student Keith at a training for track at Special Olympics.Wilma P, Parent
As a parent of someone with a disability, I tend to worry about John’s future. But I’m so grateful he has Pathways, where I know he’s safe, receives continuing education, grows his relationship with God, and has teachers who genuinely care about him.
Traci W, Parent
Pathways has provided a structured routine for Ethan that engages him and provides support. It has provided us with the ability to perform our jobs with better concentration and focus, and has provided respite.
Cris F, Parent
I love coming to Pathways because I get to see my friends and be in class with them. My favorite part is music and worship.
Sydney A, Student
Pathways has been a gift because I don’t have to worry about Christian. I know he’s safe, thriving in his education, and connecting with friends he genuinely cares about. There is so much about the program I’m grateful for, especially virtual classes, in a world of limited opitons for adults with intellectual disabilties, Pathways was an answered prayer.
Cheryl S, Parent
I enjoy being a part of Pathways, where I am focusing on becoming more independent in my everyday life.
Jacob M, Student

Designed with Purpose

Classrooms

Classrooms

Phase 1 will double our classrooms from 3 to 6, enabling us to serve more students in thoughtfully designed spaces that prioritize accessibility, comfort, and engagement.

Commons Room

Commons Room

Our vibrant gathering space will host morning worship, lunchtime fellowship, indoor fitness, and community-building activities—nurturing both body and spirit.

Nutrition Center

Nutrition Center

This fully accessible teaching kitchen will equip students with essential life skills, from meal planning to safe food prep – empowering independence and healthy habits.

Mentor Rooms

Mentor Rooms

Four private meeting rooms will provide a quiet, focused space for our volunteer mentors to meet one-on-one with students, strengthening academic and personal growth.

Sensory Rooms

Sensory Rooms

 Each classroom will have its own dedicated sensory room designed to offer students a quiet, calming environment to self-regulate and recharge. A larger, more active sensory space connected to the Commons will allow students to safely expend energy through movement and sensory play.

Be a Part of the Path Forward

We’re in the final stretch.

Pathways has raised 98% of our $13 million need to renovate and expand into a new permanent home. Every gift brings us one step closer to transforming an empty building into a vibrant space where adults with I/DD can learn, grow, and belong for life.

Total Need: $13 Million

Build a lasting Legacy

Donors who give $1,000 or more will be recognized on a permanent donor plaque inside the new Pathways facility. Naming opportunities for classrooms, sensory rooms, and other key spaces are available at levels ranging from $5,000 to $1,000,000, and gifts made in honor or memory of a loved one are welcome.

View naming opportunities.

Whether you give a one-time gift, make a multi-year pledge, or explore a gift of stock or other assets, you are building more than a facility – you’re building a future of lifelong learning, inclusion, and community.

A female Pathways student in yellow smiling

Make a One-Time Gift

Make a Multi-Year Pledge

Give a Gift of Stock or Explore Other Options

For questions or to talk through other ways to give (stock, checks, Venmo, in-kind, etc.), Contact Erika Reeves, Development Director

Campaign FAQs

We’re moving from the church basement into our own permanent home. All classes will relocate to the new facility once Phase 1 renovations are complete.

Phase 2 will complete the remaining 12,000 sq. ft., adding features like a chapel/auditorium, model apartment, multi-purpose studio, and more classrooms.

We’ll begin fundraising for Phase 2 after Rustic Cuff’s 2-5 year lease ends and when expansion is needed – not immediately.

The $13 million needed covers:

  • Purchase of the new building (completed!)
  • Renovation of 23,000 sq. ft. in Phase 1
  • A Program Expansion Reserve Fund for sustainability

Yes. Rustic Cuff is our tenant during this transition, and its storefront will remain at this address for the next 2 to 5 years. Their logo will remain on the building’s exterior during their lease.

You can give online, make a multi-year pledge online or by using the downloadable PDF, or contact us to coordinate gifts like stock or other assets.

Yes! You can make a gift to honor or memorialize someone special. Simply note this in the dedication section on the online donate page or on your pledge form. Tribute gifts are also eligible for naming opportunities starting at $5,000.

Yes – materials, furnishings, or professional services that offset costs are welcome. Because needs are specific, please contact us before making an in-kind gift.

Pathways currently expects to welcome students into the new facility in January 2027.

Construction is anticipated to be completed later in 2026, followed by furniture installation, technology setup, staff training, and move-in activities through the holiday season.

As with any construction project, timelines remain subject to change, and we will continue providing updates as work progresses.

All gifts of $1,000+ will be listed on a permanent donor plaque. Naming opportunities for specific spaces (classrooms, sensory rooms, and more) start at $5,000. You can view the naming opportunities here.

Together, we’re Building Pathways to Lifelong Learning – for today and for generations to come.

Have questions or want to schedule a personal conversation or tour?

Contact Monique Scraper, Executive Director