Program areas at BCOC
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 fy24, more than 85,000 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 and distributed over 3.3 million pounds of food.
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. 402 households have graduated from the program since 1997 with an average increase of income of over $35,000 annually. The es program also includes the volunteer income tax assistance program (vita) which assists low to moderate income households by preparing tax returns for free and eliminating the cost burden of annual filing. (continued on sch. O)this program closes the income gap that families experience throughout the year by maximizing refunds through earned income tax credits. We average 1,300 returns annually.
The housing services program includes street outreach, housing location, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, emergency hotel stays and homeless prevention assistance as well as utility assistance. In partnership with multiple entities throughout Bucks County, we assisted over 1,000 households annually through housing and utility assistance programs.
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. In fy24, 349 households received services through crisis response and weatherization services.