Big Creek People in Action

1573 Words4 Pages

Big Creek People in Action, Inc. (BCPIA) was founded in 1990 to address economic problems facing McDowell County in West Virginia after the economy of the county started to fail when coal production declined (Big Creek People In Action, Inc., 2012). The agency is a nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization offering a community center where festivals and community events are held and a place of learning that offers GED programs and other educational programs.

Big Creek People In Action, Inc.’s mission statement is to serve “the community of McDowell County in the realms of education and literacy, leadership development, volunteer service, service learning, arts and culture, housing, recreation, and collaborative partnerships (Big Creek People In Action, Inc., 2012, ¶1). The location of the organization is Caretta, West Virginia, sitting at the intersection of three roads between several mountains. In the early morning, the sun shines down on the building, a former school that is called the Caretta Community Center. Here, people take fitness classes such as Zumba, classes to prepare to take the GED, send their children for after school care, and apply for assistance programs like the ones that make home repairs. Although the loss of coal, and lack of other industries has left a severe lack of jobs in the community the center also offers job search training, resume preparation, and some job training programs (Big Creek People In Action, Inc., 2012, ¶1-45). One line on the agency’s website could be deemed objectionable, however, as it seems to almost sneer at the people served. “Big Creek People in Action also has a Job Training Program for those placed here by the Department of Health and Human Resources to perform community service in or...

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...The employees are trained, become part of a team, and are motivated to serve the community through their commitment and investment to the organization.

Works Cited

Big Creek People In Action (2012). Welcome. Big Creek People In Action. http://www.bigcreekpeopleinaction.org/index.htm

The Center For Ethical Leadership. (nd). Unleashing generosity, tenacity, and resilience at Big Creek People In Action, Caretta, WV . Retrieved from http://ethicalleadership.org/impact/collective-leadership-stories/big-creek-people-in-action-caretta-wv

Tyer, L. (2014). Definition of supportive leadership style. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/definition-supportive-leadership-style-21835.html

Vasu, M. L., Stewart, D.W., & Garson, G.D. (1998). Organizational behavior and public management. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University.

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