Bucks County Opportunity Council Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO REDUCE POVERTY AND PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY.

FOOD PROGRAM:THE FOOD PROGRAM GARNERS THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF BUCKS COUNTY INCLUDING BUSINESSES, FARMERS, EDUCATION, UNITED WAY, PRIVATE DONORS, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE AMPLE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN BUCKS COUNTY THROUGH 75 FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES. IN FY22, MORE THAN 61,000 VISITS WERE MADE TO THE FOOD NETWORK BY FAMILIES IN NEED. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS, WE GREATLY INCREASED THE AMOUNTS OF FRESH PRODUCE AND OTHER FOOD ITEMS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY.

EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM:THE EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM INCLUDES RAPID REHOUSING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS UTILITY ASSISTANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MULTIPLE ENTITIES THROUGHOUT BUCKS COUNTY. WE ASSIST OVER 2,000 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY THROUGH EMERGENCY AND HOUSING PROGRAMS. THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VITA) ASSISTS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS BY PREPARING TAX RETURNS FOR FREE AND ELIMINATING THE COST BURDEN OF ANNUAL FILING. THIS PROGRAM CLOSES THE INCOME GAP THAT FAMILIES EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BY MAXIMIZING REFUNDS THROUGH EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS. WE AVERAGE 1,200 RETURNS ANNUALLY.

ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM:THE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY (ES) PROGRAM IS THE CORE PROGRAM OF THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL AND IS AT THE HEART OF THE MISSION. THE ES PROGRAM REQUIRES PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, AND BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING TO BE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT. WHILE ALL OUR PROGRAMS CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE STABLE COMMUNITY, THIS PROGRAM HELPS PEOPLE LEAVE POVERTY, PERMANENTLY AND THRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. 373 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM SINCE 1997 WITH AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF INCOME OF OVER $35,000 ANNUALLY.

HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM:THE HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM ASSISTS LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO REDUCE ENERGY COSTS AND INCREASE DISPOSABLE INCOME THROUGH ENERGY SAVING MEASURES. THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES CRISIS SUPPORT FOR HOUSEHOLDS IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE HEATER REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THIS PAST YEAR WE SUCCESSFULLY INITIATED A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE DEFERRAL RATES THAT OFTEN OCCUR WHEN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS CANNOT AFFORD NEEDED REPAIRS TO COMPLETE WEATHERIZATION SERVICES.VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS:THE VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW BCOC TO CONTINUALLY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE AND DONATION OPPORTUNITIES TO BENEFIT OUR CLIENTS. VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT PROGRAM AREAS THROUGH: PREPARING TAXES FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES; HARVESTING LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE FOR FOOD PANTRIES; DRIVERS WHO PICK-UP AND DELIVER FOOD, CLOTHING AND MORE AMONG OUR OFFICES AND PARTNERS; ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLERICAL SUPPORT; A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS; PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS RESEARCH, GRAPHIC DESIGN AND NUTRITION EDUCATION. PRIVATE-SECTOR DONATIONS PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS: WHEELZ2WORK, THROUGH VEHICLE DONATIONS THAT OFFER TRANSPORTATION TO CLIENTS; COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVES; COLLECTIONS FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES, HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR FAMILIES, AND BASIC NEED ITEMS FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES.