Susan Agel is the President of Positive Tomorrows, where she has been since 2009. Her entire professional career has been dedicated to advancing the mission of nonprofit organizations. She is married to Eli Agel, who is a retired chemistry teacher, and they have two grown children, Amanda and Kaitlin.
Name of Organization: 
Positive Tomorrows
P.O. Box 61190, OKC 73170
405-556-5082
www.positivetomorrows.org
Describe the mission of your non-profit: Positive Tomorrows is a nonprofit, private school which provides free education to homeless children and support services to their families.
How does it impact families and children, whether locally or elsewhere? We work with children who are delayed academically and socially in order to prepare them for long-term success in public school. Children who live in chaos and constant stress have a safe, secure place to come to school and learn. We help family members with personal development, finding housing, and meeting other needs they may have.
What drives you to make this non-profit a success? Only 25% of children who have been homeless graduate from high school. It’s our goal to help children deal with homelessness so that they can have hope for their futures. The ability to hope that things can be different makes a huge difference in a child’s ability to succeed.
What success stories or accomplishments has this non-profit achieved? More than 70% of the children who ended the school year with us have been deemed ready to enter public school. In addition, last year we assisted 26 families in moving into housing.
How can families and children help this non-profit? We always need contributed funds to assist with our operational costs. We love it when families and children put on small fundraisers to help us with our expenses. They can also collect items that we use on a regular basis, such as good used and new children’s clothing, paper goods, etc.
What led you to work for this nonprofit? Many people believe that this would be a sad place to work because we deal with children in difficult circumstances. However, it’s just the opposite. Our students are bright and happy; they see hope and safety in their lives because Positive Tomorrows is involved with them. Parents of our students are so appreciative of the opportunities we bring to them.
What was your best day so far? Every day is a great day! Getting a hug from a homeless child or hearing that they want to be like you is a moving experience that happens often.
