The coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll on Tulsa’s homeless population and it could quickly get much worse, according to the Rev. Steve Whitaker, senior pastor and CEO  of John 3:16 Mission.

“This is stressful,” Whitaker said. “We are being told to shelter in place. The people we serve in some respects are the hardest hit.”

Whitaker said the mission’s workload has doubled and that staff members are working 16 hours shifts every day to try to meet the needs. It could triple.

Last week, Whitaker surveyed the banks of the Arkansas River from about 11th Streets west to 49th Street and counted 51 tent cities filled with homeless people.

“This is one of the worst situations I have ever seen,” Whitaker said. “These folks won’t come to the mission for fear of catching the coronavirus.

“We have great needs. We have so many people who are immune-compromised. We don’t have enough medical supplies.”

Whitaker said the mission is almost out of masks. They are in desperate need of more thermometers.  Whitaker said they would accept homemade masks because the need is so great.

No staff member or homeless person at John 3:16 has tested positive as of April 2. Two homeless men were tested but the results were negative.

“We have no way to do social distancing,” Whitaker said due to the flood of people seeking help.

The coronavirus has hit the homeless populations of New York City and Los Angeles and that means it will come to Tulsa, Whitaker said.

“Los Angeles and New York are bellweathers for the entire nation,” Whitaker said.

Giving is down. Whitaker said he has been contacted by individuals who have been donating to John 3:16 for decades that have been laid off and can’t donate at this time.

“Some of them may become our clients,” Whitaker said.

John 3:16 Mission is a Christian nonprofit.

“We have been preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ four times a day,” Whitaker said. “People are responding to the message and being saved.”