Bixby Community Outreach Center (BCOC)

Bixby Community Outreach Center in Downtown Bixby
PHOTO: Ashley Burns

   THE NEWS:  With the economic crisis, job cuts and disabilities outreach centers all across America are in dire need for the basic day to day needs. "Food, cereals, flour, clothing, toilet paper etc. are just a few things we desperately need," said present board member and future president Don Crall. Crall states, "this organization is such a unique program because we are the only outreach center in the south Tulsa area. We are not a United Way and we do not receive any funds from the government, everything is locally ran through volunteers and donations.
  THE IMPACT:  Many people in the south Tulsa area depend on BCOC for food, clothing and other goods. "Some of our previous donors are now customers. We have customers come in that own $800,000 homes to get food for their families because they have lost their jobs and have simply just fallen through the cracks" said Crall. "This organization has had such an impact on my life personally because I am able to lay down at night knowing I have done something good for someone else," said Crall. BCOC is asking for others who want to make a difference to please come and volunteer their time, repetitious giving, help keeping a constant money flow and joining the board to make their voices heard.
    THE CONTEXT: In the middle of a bitter winter in 2004 a woman could not afford heat and would spend part of an evening in a nearby laundry mat until they closed. Bixby Bulletin newspaper editor, Joe Jennings found her and decided to write a story on this situation. When a group of concerned citizens heard of these harsh conditions and became aware that there was more than just one person who was suffering, Bixby decided to establish Bixby Community Outreach Center. Many of the volunteers go to the local food bank and pick up anywhere from 2-5 thousand pounds of food.
    HUMAN DIMENSION: BCOC strives to bring aide to those in need. A customer who prefers to remain anonymous states, "BCOC has changed my life completely. They hide food in my back yard or somewhere on the way home from school so I could have something to eat because I knew that my parents didn't have food at the house to eat. BCOC became my new provider and I can only hope that one day I can give back to them like they have given to me because I may not be alive if it were not for them." Another customer that would like to remain anonymous said, "My dad would not go out and buy me clothes and if he found out that someone let me borrow clothes or had bought clothes for me he would make me return them and tell me that I did not deserve them. This is when I found BCOC. I needed clothing that the actual organization did not have my size in and because they are so committed, they took me to Walmart and let me pick out what I wanted. I am so grateful for BCOC and do not know where I would be without them."
    WHAT'S NEXT: There is an upcoming event that will benefit those in need with food, clothes and toiletry items. In august they are having a back to school drive which is in need of school supplies. "We create a carnival in a family type setting for kids to enjoy. We have free physicals, vaccines, hearing tests, eye exams and help and safety courses," Crall states. Crall mentions," radical changes are being put into place for the future to set up a room with computers to help customers look for jobs, help with resumes and provide family counseling sessions." If you would like to get involved with BCOC you can contact them at (918) 366-9226 or you can locate them on the web at bixbyoc.org. They are located in downtown Bixby at 4 East Dawes Bixby, Oklahoma 74008.