Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina (BCH) is expanding its outreach to children and families both in the Triad and across the state by establishing The Bob and Carolyn Tucker Greater Vision Ministry Center. The new outreach center, located at the not-for-profit’s Mills Home campus in Thomasville, is the result of a $1 million donation from Bob and Carolyn Tucker of Concord, longtime BCH supporters and founders of Shoe Show, Inc.
“The Tucker family has a rich history of showing their commitment to giving back out of their great success by finding substantial ways to engage and impact the community,” said Michael C. Blackwell, BCH President/CEO. “We are both grateful and humbled by their incredible gift which will allow Baptist Children’s Homes to provide new and meaningful family services through this center.”
The celebration for the forthcoming outreach center will take place at a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, June 27, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Members of the Tucker family along with BCH’s staff, city officials, supporters and children served by BCH will be in attendance.
Baptist Children’s Homes is one of the largest child care organizations in the southeast operating in 20 communities throughout the state. The nonprofit started in Thomasville in 1885 as an orphanage but has evolved to be inclusive of the entire family.
BCH provides residential homes to North Carolina children who come from a variety of challenging circumstances ranging from family dysfunction to abuse, neglect and abandonment. BCH also offers services for adults with developmental disabilities, senior adults and single mothers.
Blackwell explained that the goal is to utilize the center as an outreach hub to the surrounding area as well as families across North Carolina.
“This is a natural progression of what BCH has been doing since it was established 130 years ago,” Blackwell said. “This new program allows us to enhance our reach into the community by offering resources and educational programs to edify and strengthen families.”
Services will include resources to aid families in crisis, feeding programs for hungry children, health programs and preventive services, and educational classes to strengthen families and encourage spiritual growth.
In addition to the aid it will offer the community, Blackwell sees Greater Vision as a means for strengthening existing partnerships as well as establishing new ones.
“This is an invitation for organizations, businesses, churches and others to join us in this new endeavor,” Blackwell said. “We desire for Greater Vision to unite people who possess a passion for using their expertise and resources to shape our community.”
The Tucker donation not only paves the way for the outreach center, but it is also making renovations possible at two other facilities located at the Mills Home campus. Funds are being used to convert a dormant facility into an office building for BCH’s Programs and Services Department, which manages the daily operations of the nonprofit’s statewide services.
Blackwell says the restorations will allow that department’s current office building, which was a former residential cottage, to be reopened to once again serve children. “This gives us the capacity to care for even more children,” he said.
Restorations for the new office building have already begun. Construction on the outreach center is scheduled to begin later this summer.
“The creation of the Greater Vision Ministry Center is historic for Baptist Children’s Homes,” Blackwell said, “It is an opportunity to take our organizational vision of ‘sharing hope…changing lives’ to the next level – a greater level,” Blackwell said.