AND THE IMPACT REACHED FAR BEYOND THE DINNER TABLE. KOCO MEGHAN MOSLEY SHARES THE STORY. DURING A WEEK FILLED WITH GRATITUDE, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER CENTER ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN IS STEPPING AWAY FROM THE COURT AND INTO A PLACE WHERE WINDS LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT. ANY TIME I HAVE A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THEM, I TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE JUST HOW AMAZING AN ORGANIZATION THEY ARE AND HOW MUCH THEY REALLY ARE IMPACTING OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY. HE’S TALKING ABOUT POSITIVE TOMORROWS, AN EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY THAT WORKS WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FACING HOMELESSNESS. SOMETIMES OUR KIDDOS COME TO US A COUPLE OF YEARS, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY. WE WANT TO FILL IN THOSE HOLES, GET THEM UP TO SPEED, AND THEN HELP THEIR FAMILIES FIND STABILITY AND HOUSING. GIVING THE KIDS HOPE, GIVING THE KIDS THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN DO ANYTHING IN LIFE. BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IS JUST HAVING SOMEONE BELIEVE IN YOU, HAVING SOMEONE THAT. BELIEVES YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. AND I THINK IT ALWAYS STARTS THERE. AND TODAY THE HARTENSTEIN FOUNDATION GAVE BACK TO THE NONPROFIT WITH A THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON FOR THE FAMILIES. IT’S NICE TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE WE’RE CELEBRATING GRATITUDE FOR HOW FAR PEOPLE HAVE COME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. I DON’T DO ANY OF THIS FOR PUBLICITY. I DON’T DO ANY OF THIS FOR JUST WRITING A CHECK, SMILING AND LEAVING. I REALLY WANT TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL HEARD. THAT INCLUDES HAVING A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH EACH KIDDO, THE KIDS MOSTLY JUST ASKING HOW TALL I AM. SO WHAT’S THE ANSWER? I MEAN, THE KIDS LOVE THIS LIKE SIX SEVEN THING. SO THEY THEY SAY THAT FIRST, BUT I’M SEVEN FOOT, HE SAYS. OVERALL, MOMENTS LIKE THESE GO A LONG WAY. A HOT MEAL, A FAMILIAR FACE AND A REMINDER. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE’RE ALL PEOPLE. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF I COULD SHOOT A BALL IN THE HOOP OR YOU’RE WORKING AT A DIFFERENT JOB, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE’RE ALL THE SAME. WE’RE ALL THE SAME PEOPLE. WE ALL BLEED THE SAME. AND SO THAT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ME TO COME BACK, REALLY TALK
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein serves Thanksgiving lunch to families in need
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein traded his jersey for an apron, hosting a Thanksgiving luncheon for families supported by Positive Tomorrows, a nonprofit aiding those facing homelessness.
Updated: 5:29 PM CST Nov 24, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein stepped away from the court to host a Thanksgiving luncheon for families supported by Positive Tomorrows, an educational and social service agency that assists students and families facing homelessness.”Anytime I have a chance to work with them, I try to do as much as possible, just because of how amazing an organization they are and how much they really are impacting the Oklahoma community,” Hartenstein said.Margaret Creighton, president and CEO of Positive Tomorrows, explained the organization’s mission. >> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel”Sometimes, our kids come to us a couple years behind both academically and socially. We want to fill in those holes, get them up to speed, and help their families find stability and housing,” she said.Hartenstein emphasized the importance of giving hope and confidence to the children.”Giving the kids hope, giving the kids confidence, they can do anything in life. Because I think one of the main things is having someone who believes in you, having someone that believes you can achieve your goals, and I think it always starts there,” he said.>> Video Below: Thunder’s Hartenstein honored by NBA for work with OKC nonprofits during off-seasonThe Hartenstein Foundation organized the Thanksgiving luncheon as a way to give back to the nonprofit.”It’s nice to be in a place where celebrating gratitude for how far people have come, and the opportunity to work with them as they continue to move towards self-sufficiency,” Creighton said.Hartenstein shared his motivation for being involved. “I don’t do any of this for publicity or writing a check and smiling and leaving. I really want to make connections and make people feel heard,” he said.>> Video Below: Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein unveils new basketball court at Boys and Girls Club in OKCHe also mentioned the personal connections he makes with the children. “The kids mostly just want to know how tall I am,” he said while laughing. The Thunder player said moments like these go a long way. A hot meal and a familiar face can also serve as a reminder. “At the end of the day, we’re all people. Doesn’t matter if I can shoot a ball in the hoop or if you’re working a different job. At the end of the day, we’re all the same. We’re all the same people. We all bleed the same. So, that’s important to me to come back and talk to the families at a human level,” Hartenstein said. Top Headlines Victim’s family seeks support after Oklahoma City metro crime spree ‘Wicked: For Good’ is even more popular than the first, soaring to a $226 million global debut Semi-trailer crash shuts down northbound I-35 in Purcell 3 victims and suspect dead after weekend crime spree in Oklahoma City metro: What we know Where does OU rank in the AP Top 25 after taking down Missouri?
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein stepped away from the court to host a Thanksgiving luncheon for families supported by Positive Tomorrows, an educational and social service agency that assists students and families facing homelessness.
“Anytime I have a chance to work with them, I try to do as much as possible, just because of how amazing an organization they are and how much they really are impacting the Oklahoma community,” Hartenstein said.
Margaret Creighton, president and CEO of Positive Tomorrows, explained the organization’s mission.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
“Sometimes, our kids come to us a couple years behind both academically and socially. We want to fill in those holes, get them up to speed, and help their families find stability and housing,” she said.
Hartenstein emphasized the importance of giving hope and confidence to the children.
“Giving the kids hope, giving the kids confidence, they can do anything in life. Because I think one of the main things is having someone who believes in you, having someone that believes you can achieve your goals, and I think it always starts there,” he said.
>> Video Below: Thunder’s Hartenstein honored by NBA for work with OKC nonprofits during off-season
The Hartenstein Foundation organized the Thanksgiving luncheon as a way to give back to the nonprofit.
“It’s nice to be in a place where celebrating gratitude for how far people have come, and the opportunity to work with them as they continue to move towards self-sufficiency,” Creighton said.
Hartenstein shared his motivation for being involved.
“I don’t do any of this for publicity or writing a check and smiling and leaving. I really want to make connections and make people feel heard,” he said.
He also mentioned the personal connections he makes with the children.
“The kids mostly just want to know how tall I am,” he said while laughing.
The Thunder player said moments like these go a long way. A hot meal and a familiar face can also serve as a reminder.
“At the end of the day, we’re all people. Doesn’t matter if I can shoot a ball in the hoop or if you’re working a different job. At the end of the day, we’re all the same. We’re all the same people. We all bleed the same. So, that’s important to me to come back and talk to the families at a human level,” Hartenstein said.
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