OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Kristin Donovan loves to help children.
Kristin is the director of Jubilee Partners, the nonprofit she started in Oklahoma City.
She started it to help young people who come from very challenging and sometimes dangerous situations.
“Some are coming from homes where they have a parent incarcerated or parents struggling with drug addiction,” says Kristin. “But some parents are just parents who need a safe place for their kids to be after school.”
Shelly Matlock knows that firsthand. Shelly says Kristin saved her from a chaotic home life.
“It was abusive, a lot of emotional abuse and we didn’t have food at times,” remembers Shelly. “Kristin was there for me when I didn’t have food, she would bring me food. She would pick me up and let me stay with her when my mom was drinking, and I just felt really safe when I was with her.”
And now, years later, Shelly works at Jubilee Partners and nominated Kristin for Pay It Forward.
After we received the $400 Pay It Forward reward from First Fidelity Bank’s Michelle Fox, we surprised Kristin with it at the Penn Avenue Church of the Nazarene where Jubilee Partners is located.
Shelly thanked Kristin for saving her and others from a life of gang activity or drug use.
And then as Shelly wiped away tears, Kristin told us this…
“Shelly had a rough time when she was little, and we were able to meet and track her down when the family would move unexpectedly. Then when she was 15 and went into foster care, she came to live with me for a little while until then she was adopted by some good friends of mine.”
Shelly hugged Kristin and told her she loved her.
A hug for a woman paying it forward for those who need a loving hand of guidance.
Pay It Forward is sponsored by First Fidelity Bank.
