About TLC Ministry
From Our Founder
I'm Erik McCullough, founder of TLC Ministry. I didn't set out to start a nonprofit — I just wanted to feed my neighbors. What began as a folding table and a griddle in a parking lot in Norman, Oklahoma has grown into a community of volunteers, artists, mentors, and families who believe that a full plate and a listening ear can change a life.
As I watched more and more neighbors lose stable work to automation and AI-driven change, I realized feeding people wasn't enough — we needed to help them build futures, too. That's how our AI Pathways mentorship program was born: art, food, and technology, all in service of the same goal — helping people thrive.
Mission & Vision
To nourish bodies and spirits through shared meals, creative expression, and future-ready mentorship — building a community where everyone belongs and everyone can thrive.
A Norman and Oklahoma City where no one goes hungry, every voice gets a canvas, and every young person has the skills and confidence to navigate whatever the future holds.
We build with our community, not just for it — neighbors, artists, and mentors shape every program from the ground up.
A People-First Philosophy
Organizations like OpenAI have championed a "people-first" approach to technology — investing in efforts where communities lead participatory design, AI strengthens civic life, and trusted local leaders help make new technology accessible to everyone, including those too often left out of digital innovation.
TLC Ministry lives by that same philosophy. Our AI Pathways mentors are local leaders — teachers, artists, and neighbors — who help people build the confidence to navigate an AI-driven world. We don't believe technology should replace human work and connection. We believe it should enhance it, and that its benefits should be shared broadly, not concentrated among the few.
Every workshop and mentorship track is shaped by listening to the people it serves.
Mentors are educators, artists, and neighbors — not outside experts.
We prioritize families and youth who've historically been left out of digital opportunity.
Whether you volunteer an afternoon, become a monthly member, or simply share a meal with us — you become part of the story.
