 Team BCO is officially celebrating 17 amazing years of growth as a charitable organization!
As we reach this exciting new milestone, we aren't sure there are enough words to thank all of the beautiful souls who have helped us work towards our vision of compassion and kindness. It seems like only yesterday we started out with clothing and essentials drives to help people facing homelessness in southern Alberta. Guided by our amazing founder Pamela Morgan, we are now leading innovative mental health initiatives, hosting annual fundraisers to help local families in need, and working towards a dream of providing transitional housing as the ultimate hand up for people who are struggling to find their way. We have learned that we are all more vulnerable than we might think when times are good- and that we are SO much stronger together when it gets tough out there. To everyone who follows us, supports our work in the communities we serve, and shares our belief that we are all better when we help each other out, thank you, thank you, thank you! We find ourselves meeting a growing demand in these challenging times, but with your support, we know we’ve got this too. Here’s to all of you, with love from Team BCO! We are so excited to be paying it forward for the next generation.  We enjoyed a BEAUTIFUL day on Saturday, February 20 for our second annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser in Okotoks. The sun was shining and everyone was feeling the love as teams journeyed around town in their brightly coloured CNOY toques for this year’s socially distanced event.
Community Spirit and Social Distancing We are so very grateful for the generous support we received from lovely souls all around our AMAZING community, including many wonderful local celebrities who helped us raise awareness for this important event during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone from foothills country singer George Canyon to local councillor Ed Sands, our MLA R.J. Sigurdson and his wife Leanne, our MP John Barlow, and local businesses including Acreage Development Solutions, Century 21 Foothills Real Estate and CIR Realty Okotoks. We also want to give a special shout-out to RBC in Okotoks for leading the way as our community sponsor- their generous support was appreciated even more at a time when we know so many local businesses are struggling with restrictions caused by extended public health measures during the pandemic. CNOY 2021 by the Numbers In this year like no other, we are so grateful to everyone who contributed whatever they were able. A total of 61 walkers and 25 teams hustled to raise over $14,000 for BCO and the Okotoks Food Bank! Building a Legacy of Compassion and Hope Although we deeply missed being able to walk together to raise awareness for those experiencing cold, hurt and hunger across Canada, we couldn’t be more excited for CNOY next year! In the meantime, we will pay forward all of the kind support we received with warm meals and essentials for people who are struggling in our community. Together, we are creating a truly resilient legacy of compassion and hope, and we just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who got involved from the bottom of our hearts. Until next year Okotoks! #CNOY21 #fundraiser  BCO is delighted to announce the official launch of our groundbreaking HeadStrong Program. This brand new mental health initiative is aimed at helping small business owners and entrepreneurs in the foothills of southern Alberta who may be struggling as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact emotional and mental wellness in all aspects of our lives. Improving Accessibility to Mental Health Services in our Community Our goal is to help the incredible people behind businesses at the heart of our community develop resiliency and coping skills to manage stress, and to empower them to lead the way forward to a healthier future for us all. The HeadStrong program is funded in part by the Government of Alberta, focused on supporting the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of rural Albertans who are in small or medium sized businesses or nonprofits. What Services Does the HeadStrong Program Provide and Who Qualifies? Led by the Baby It's Cold Outside in partnership with Wellness Innovate, HeadStrong will provide counselling services free of charge to local business owners and entrepreneurs in the Foothills and Highwood constituencies. Services include group and one-on-one coaching programs, as well as individual psychological services available upon request. How Do I Access Mental Health Services Through the HeadStrong Program? To learn more visit www.headstrongprogram.com To book a session, email us at hello@headstrong.com For immediate help, call 403-266-HELP Team BCO is dusting off our parkas and winter boots, and getting ready to hit the pavement to help those in need. On February 20, we will be co-hosting our second annual Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) fundraiser with the Okotoks Food Bank Association. What is CNOY? CNOY is a family-friendly walk that raises money for local charities working to help people experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger across Canada. COVID-19 and Public Health Restrictions This year more than ever, CNOY is all about community- how we can work together (even when we can’t physically be together,) to help those in need. Due to current public health restrictions, CNOY 2021 will be held virtually in Okotoks, with all participants choosing their own routes to walk in town, either individually or in socially distanced teams. A Legacy of Kindness and Charitable Giving Last year, our inaugural CNOY event inspired over 120 participants to come together, demonstrating the resilience and compassionate spirit that makes our community such an amazing place to live. They walked a mile or two in the shoes of the hungry, homeless, and vulnerable, and in doing so raised over $15, 000.00 for local charitable initiatives led by BCO and the Okotoks Food Bank. This year we are building on that amazing success, increasing our fundraising goal to $30,000.00, with 11 teams registered so far and more joining every day. How Can I Get Involved? Visit www.cnoy.org to donate, register to walk or start your own team to join in some good-natured competition! Together, we can make sure nobody gets left out in the cold! 
 Supporting Local Families in Need During the Holidays
Our hearts are still glowing with the warmth we were able to share with those in need this holiday season! BCO's 2020 Christmas Feast was a truly amazing expression of the spirit of giving that defines what community is all about. At a time when so many people are facing uncertainty and unprecedented challenges in their every day lives, we received an incredible outpouring of help from local businesses, BCO partners and some very special Christmas angels who gifted us everything from homemade ornaments and baked goods to helping hands when we needed them the most. On the day of delivery in Okotoks, over 30 volunteers braved a terrible snowstorm, starting at 6:30 am and finishing around 5 pm. Almost every volunteer got stuck in the 40+ cm of snow that accumulated that day, but we were blessed with many kindhearted folks around town who helped dig our volunteers out. The resilience and compassion our team shared with the community was so genuine and heartfelt. We also want to give a special shoutout to our very own Christmas Angel Tamara Boivin, who steered this amazing project from beginning to end. Christmas Meals Delivered in Okotoks and Lethbridge In total, we delivered feasts to 49 families in the Okotoks area, bringing joy to 204 individuals, including 108 children. Our BCO elves also made sure every child we met along the way was going to find a toy under their tree! 2020 also marked a fantastic success story for BCO's first ever Lethbridge Christmas Feast, which was able to provide for 5 families, keeping the holidays bright for a total of 55 individuals, including 14 children. Our Lethbridge team included 7 volunteers who worked tirelessly together to deliver meals to people in need within the community. Working with the Lethbridge Food Bank, we also delivered meals to 10 seniors facing the holidays alone, and to 2 men’s group homes with Streets Alive Mission, bringing holiday cheer to another 24 individuals. Holiday Fundraising with BCO Reached New Heights! Thanks to the generosity of all the wonderful people who donated, our 2020 Christmas Feast fundraising efforts totalled an outstanding $13, 716.00! These resources will go far to help many people throughout our communities who will continue to face uncertainty in 2021. We want to offer a huge, heartfelt thank you to all of the incredible volunteers and donors who helped make our 2020 Christmas Feast such an incredible success. We are so very grateful to begin 2021 with such a strong foundation of support. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who helped us make a difference in our communities this holiday season!  BCO's annual Christmas Feast is right around the corner. Every year, BCO provides Christmas feasts to nominated families in need of a hand up. Last year, we were able to serve 139 individuals a Christmas Feast and this year we're aiming for more!
Looking to give back to your community? You can choose to 'adopt' a family this year by contacting us through social media. We are also currently looking for nominations and donations for this tradition. "Baby It's Cold Outside is excited to announce the HeadStrong program - an initiative to provide much needed mental health services to business owners right here in Foothills County.
Created as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in partnership with Wellness Innovate & the Government of Alberta, BCO is proud to be able to bring important services and programs to our community. BCO Founder Pamela Morgan adds “The HeadStrong program will start here at home in the Foothills, with the partnership and mentorship of Wellness Innovate and other local partners, we will have the opportunity to change the narrative that surrounds mental health, remove the archaic stigma and help many business leaders and their families take healthy steps forward.” Baby, It’s Cold Outside is looking forward to creating a life-changing program alongside Wellness Innovate, and is grateful to Highwood MLA RJ Sigurdson & Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, Hon. Jason Luan for the support." Baby it’s Cold Outside is pleased to announce that Easy Next Steps has chosen us as their Charity of Choice for their "Giving Back Program"! Easy Next Steps is a Canada-based company that provides Canadians with a wide variety of options in health care, lifestyle, career and money management by connecting them with the right people in the right fields, whether they’re an individual, a family or a business.
Easy Next Steps is dedicated to championing Canada’s 235,000 homeless. Through their partnership we hope to increase our efforts to supply vulnerable citizens in Southern Alberta with the support they need and work toward our goal of transitional housing. We’re so grateful for this exciting partnership with Easy Next Steps and their clients! https://www.easynextsteps.com/ What a fantastic day! Our first CNOY- Okotoks 2020 co-hosting with Okotoks Food Bank Association was a great success! We had over 120 amazing folks from our community share in a walk for the hungery, homeless or hurt. We are incredibly grateful to our volunteers that welcomed everyone, managed routes and rest stops, our registration team that registered our walkers to our food team that made the delicious community meal for all to enjoy. Thank you to all our amazing teams! You raised over $15,000.00 to date! Thank you for your dedication and your big hearts for thinking of others first, caring for your community and those who are vulnerable. We loved meeting your families and friends as you all gathered to share an evening that was one we at BCO will not forget! And to our donors WOW! Thank you so much for all your support! To our sponsors and community business leaders that supported our event: Thank you for all you do in our community and your continuous compassion for charity! It’s not too late if you would still like to donate to a team, individual or to CNOY-Okotoks the link will remain active for 1 more week. https://cnoy.org/location/okotoks All of us at BCO are forever grateful for every part, every action and all the compassion and kindness you brought in making CNOY- Okotoks a great success! Mark your calendars and we will see you at CNOY-Okotoks 2021💛  Coldest Night of the Year 2020 Volunteers |
About BCO
We are a charitable organization based in Alberta, Canada. We are devoted to helping the homeless through various fundraising events, clothing and essentials drives, and our eventual goal is transitional housing. 
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