At Heroes In Waiting, we know that connection and partnership make our work possible. That’s why we’re so grateful to be named one of Express Employment International’s 2025 Chamber Fellows. This generous grant from Express offers us the opportunity to share our vital work for the mental wellness of youth with the Oklahoma City business community through a top-level membership with the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.
From the Legislative Kickoff to the State of the City address and more, this fellowship provides Heroes In Waiting critical access to collaboration with city and business leaders who have a stake in our anti-bullying and peace-building work. In a state where where more than 40% of high school students report feeling sad or hopeless, and almost a quarter of them report that they’ve seriously considered suicide*, the opportunity to advocate with key stakeholders in government and the workforce is more important than ever.
“Express Employment International is a company that believes in putting people to work, giving them job skills and empowering them to be experts in their field. We feel we should also be doing that with nonprofit organizations and nonprofit leadership,” said Jessica Gilmore, director of corporate philanthropy at Express. “This fellowship says, ‘we believe in investing in you. We believe in the people behind the program, not just the program.’”
“This fellowship couldn’t have come at a better time,” says Jim Stewart, Heroes In Waiting executive director. “Our kids are telling us they’re not okay. More than ever, we need folks to understand how critical this is, how critical this programming is. We just couldn’t be more grateful to Express for the opportunity.
Heroes In Waiting is honored to walk alongside these amazing organizations as a 2025 Express Chamber Fellow:
*According to the Oklahoma Department of Health’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey
