Poteau • LeFlore County
Where Can a Homeless Young Adult Get Help in Poteau?
Short answer: dial 211 (or text your zip code to 877-836-2111), free and open 24/7, to find a bed and help near you tonight. In Poteau, KiBois Community Action at 219 Kerr Avenue, (918) 647-3267, helps with food and one-time rent help. Under 18? Call LeFlore County Youth Services at (918) 647-4196.
Homeless help in Poteau
The short answer
Start with 211. Dial 211 or text your zip code to 877-836-2111. It's free, open 24 hours, and it's the quickest way to find out which shelter beds, motel help and housing programs have room right now.
In Poteau, go by KiBois Community Action at 219 Kerr Avenue, (918) 647-3267, on a weekday. It runs a food pantry and offers one-time emergency rent help, and it can point you to other local help. Work Ready Oklahoma next door at 213 Kerr Ave helps with jobs.
If the young person is 17 or younger, call LeFlore County Youth Services at 510 N Broadway, (918) 647-4196, which runs an emergency shelter for youth. If they're leaving an abusive home, Women's Crisis Services of LeFlore County has a 24-hour hotline at (918) 647-9800 and an emergency shelter.
- Any hour: Dial 211 or text your zip code to 877-836-2111
- KiBois Community Action: 219 Kerr Ave, Poteau · (918) 647-3267 · weekdays
- Under 18: LeFlore County Youth Services, 510 N Broadway · (918) 647-4196
- Leaving abuse: Women's Crisis Services 24-hour hotline · (918) 647-9800
🛏 A bed tonight
Finding a place to sleep tonight
Call 211 first. They keep track of which shelters and programs around eastern Oklahoma have room and can tell you what's open tonight.
The closest walk-in shelter for adults is about 25 miles away at the Riverview Hope Campus, 301 South E Street in Fort Smith, Arkansas, (479) 668-4764. It's a low-barrier shelter with meals, showers, laundry and case management. Intake is listed as 24 hours a day, with the intake coordinator there from 3 to 10 PM. Call ahead before making the drive.
🤝 In Poteau
KiBois Community Action and Work Ready Oklahoma
KiBois Community Action at 219 Kerr Avenue offers yearly, one-time emergency rental or utility help for people who fall behind, depending on available funds. Apply in person on weekdays between 8 AM and 4:30 PM, and call (918) 647-3267 first to ask what to bring. Its food pantry is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 2:30 PM.
Work Ready Oklahoma at 213 Kerr Ave, (918) 650-4608, is a free program run through KiBois for people who are out of work or getting back on their feet. It helps with job training, coaching and job placement, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
🧑 Young people
Help made for youth and young adults
LeFlore County Youth Services, 510 N Broadway in Poteau, (918) 647-4196, works with kids and families in LeFlore and Haskell counties and runs an emergency shelter for youth under 18, plus counseling. Even if the young person just turned 18, they can call and ask where to turn.
The state's Housing to Hope Youth Program is supported transitional housing for young adults ages 18 to 24 who were in foster care, tribal child welfare or the justice system, or who were homeless on or before their 18th birthday. It's run with Mental Health Association Oklahoma; ask 211 or call the association to see if there's a spot.
💜 Leaving abuse
Women's Crisis Services of LeFlore County
If someone is homeless because they're leaving an abusive home, Women's Crisis Services of LeFlore County in Poteau has a 24-hour hotline at (918) 647-9800, or toll free (800) 230-9799. It offers emergency shelter, safety planning, food and clothing, help with protective orders, transportation and job search help.
🏠 Next steps
Working toward a place of your own
The closest housing authorities, where rent is based on income, are in Wister, (918) 655-3323, Heavener, (918) 653-2500, and Talihina, (918) 567-2986. Call each one to ask if its waiting list is open.
Choctaw tribal members can also call Choctaw Nation Rental Property Services at (580) 326-7641, and ask about its Rental Assistance Program at (580) 326-0318.
📅 This week & coming up
Coming up around Poteau
Patrick Lynch Public Library · 10:30 AM
St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church · 9:00 AM
Giving Grace Foundation · 11:30 AM
💡 Before you go
Tips when you're starting over
Call 211 early
Shelter beds fill up through the day. Calling in the morning gives you the best shot.
Keep your papers safe
A photo ID, Social Security card and birth certificate open the door to most help. Ask 211 how to replace lost ones.
Keep a phone charged
Programs call back. Give them a number that works, even a friend's.
Ask about rides
Many programs can help with transportation if you ask.
Go in person
KiBois takes rent and utility help applications in person on weekdays.
❓ Good to know
Common questions
Where can a homeless young adult get help in Poteau?
Dial 211 any time to find open beds and programs. In Poteau, KiBois Community Action at 219 Kerr Ave, (918) 647-3267, helps with food and one-time rent help, and Work Ready Oklahoma at 213 Kerr Ave helps with jobs.
Is there a homeless shelter in Poteau?
LeFlore County Youth Services in Poteau runs an emergency shelter for youth under 18, and Women's Crisis Services has a shelter for people leaving abuse. The closest walk-in adult shelter is the Riverview Hope Campus in Fort Smith, (479) 668-4764.
Who helps homeless teens in LeFlore County?
LeFlore County Youth Services, 510 N Broadway in Poteau, (918) 647-4196.
Is there housing help for 18 to 24 year olds in Oklahoma?
Yes. The state's Housing to Hope Youth Program offers transitional housing for young adults 18 to 24 who aged out of foster care, were in the justice system, or were homeless by 18. It runs through Mental Health Association Oklahoma.
Where can I get emergency rent help in Poteau?
Ask KiBois Community Action at 219 Kerr Ave, (918) 647-3267, about its one-time emergency rental help. Apply in person on weekdays.
🧭 Keep planning