Finding the Good - Curbside Apparel

Episode Summary:
In this short but powerful episode, JD sits down with Whitley O’Connor, the manager of Curbside Apparel, a nonprofit T-shirt shop in Oklahoma City with a bold mission: to end homelessness through supportive employment.

Whitley shares how Curbside Apparel helps people experiencing homelessness get back on their feet by learning job skills, earning income, and building confidence. From organizing the annual Point-In-Time Count to training individuals for the mainstream workforce, this team is leading real change.

We’re excited to announce: Circle of the Panda is switching our shirts to be made by them.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Curbside Apparel provides jobs to people experiencing homelessness
• The reality behind Oklahoma City’s housing crisis
• What the Point-In-Time Count reveals about homelessness
• Whitley’s personal story of opportunity and why he’s committed to this work
• How you can support or partner with Curbside Apparel

Links & Resources:

• 🌐 Curbside Apparel Website
• 📷 Visit them in OKC or follow on Instagram (insert handle)
• 🧵 Want T-shirts made with purpose? Contact Curbside Apparel
• 🎧 Listen to more Finding the Good episodes at circlethepandapodcast.com

Transcript

Circle of the Panda Podcast – “Finding the Good”

Guest: Whitley O’Connor, Manager at Curbside Apparel
Location: Oklahoma City

JD:
Welcome to this episode of the Circle of the Panda podcast. From time to time, we like to go out and find the good happening in small towns and communities across the country. You can find the video for this episode on our website at circlethepandapodcast.com, under the series we call Finding the Good.

Today’s guest is Whitley O’Connor, the manager at Curbside Apparel, a nonprofit organization based in Oklahoma City with a bold mission—to end homelessness. That’s not just a tagline; it's the driving force behind everything they do. If you’re ever in Oklahoma City, go check them out. They run a T-shirt and screen printing shop and are also behind another business called The Owner Florist—which we’ll talk about in another episode.

And if you’re looking for a new vendor for T-shirts—like I am—we're making the switch. Circle of the Panda shirts will be printed by these guys. Let’s jump into the conversation.

JD:
Whitley, tell us what you do and why you do it.

Whitley:
I’m Whitley, the manager here at Curbside Apparel. Our mission is to provide employment to people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness. At the apparel shop, we focus on screen-printed goods—mainly contract work for businesses, organizations, and community groups. We also do fun, limited designs like one we created to celebrate OKC’s recent NBA championship!

JD:
Congratulations to Oklahoma City, by the way. I think they won it just this past Sunday, right?

Whitley:
Yeah, really recently. It’s been exciting!

JD:
I read somewhere that there are about 1,800 people experiencing homelessness in OKC. Is that right?

Whitley:
Yes, around 1,882 people on any given day, based on the HUD definition—which includes those living in shelters or on the streets. That number doesn’t even count people staying in motels, hotels, or crashing on someone’s couch. Those are the folks we aim to serve and help get back on their feet.

JD:
I know I said just a couple of questions, but I have to ask more. I’ve never heard of this before: you mentioned a survey you do with the homeless population?

Whitley:
Absolutely. It’s a requirement from HUD for major cities. It’s called the Point-In-Time Count, a kind of one-day census. It helps us understand the scope of homelessness annually. We send out around 200 volunteers across the city to count and survey people. It’s a very detailed survey—we ask about addiction, mental health, physical conditions, and more. If we don’t understand the problem, we can’t solve it.

JD:
That makes so much sense. And your goal really is to end homelessness?

Whitley:
Yes, 100%. Some think it’s crazy, but we believe it’s doable. Homelessness often boils down to two main factors: lack of housing and lack of economic opportunity.

Right now, Oklahoma City has around 10,000 fewer housing units than it needs. That’s a math problem—we just need more housing, at all price levels. Second, people need jobs. That’s where we come in. We provide supportive employment—helping folks build job skills and eventually transition into the mainstream workforce.

JD:
You know your stuff. So here's my last question: why you? What made you get into this?

Whitley:
I grew up in a small, poor town in Oklahoma. My family didn’t have much. But as I did well in high school and college, I realized it was because people gave me opportunities—teachers, mentors, family. That made all the difference.

So for me, this is about creating those same opportunities for others. If I hadn’t had them, who knows where I’d be? Many people experiencing homelessness don’t have that network or support. I want to change that.

JD:
That’s powerful. Thank you for sharing that. We’ll start small as a customer, but we’re committing to work with you—because we believe in what you’re doing. We want to put our money where our mouth is.

Whitley:
Thank you. That means a lot. We appreciate your support and your time today.