Big Creek People in Action, Inc.

McDowell County is the southernmost county in West Virginia. There are approximately 30,000 people living here, with Big Creek District having 7,300 of them. In the District, over half of the population are women, five percent are African American, a third are young, and 90 percent of families with children are low to moderate income.

Like most coal communities, Big Creek District enjoyed the prosperous times and struggled through the bad times with the coal industry. The depression of the 1980s took a great toll in the area. At one time, all major coal operations closed; several were bankrupt and never re-opened. Families suffered because of unemployment. Poverty increased dramatically. The well being of families and children deteriorated. Health care and education rapidly declined. Since 1980, 60 percent of residents have left the area, primarily seeking employment and a higher standard of living. As displayed by the following statistics, McDowell County faces many challenges:

It is the 7th poorest area in America
It has the 5th highest child poverty rate in America
It has the 6th worst health status in America
It has an unemployment rate that persistently doubles the state rate and triples the national rate
It has a median family income that is half the national rate
It has one of the lowest levels of educational achievement in the nation
It has the highest illiteracy rate in adults in West Virginia and one of the highest in the nation
It has one of the lowest levels of college graduates in the workforce in the nation
Most of its land and natural resources-85 percent-are owned by outside landowners
In 1990, community residents established Big Creek People in Action, Inc. (BCPIA) as a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation to address family, community and economic concerns m the area. BCPIA was formed by, and is managed and staffed by local citizens working to bring about a different future for McDowell County. Its mission is to "foster a community in which people learn, work, play, and grow together and prepare themselves for living successfully in the 21st Century." Between 1991 and 1994, BCPIA conducted 548 community assessments to determine interests, resources, and needs of residents of Big Creek District. In a series of workshops, the assessments were used to set priorities for BCPIA:

Infrastructure:
-Day Care
-Recreation
-Community Cleanup
-Employment
-Education
-Public Safety

Based on priorities set by our constituency, BCPIA has put in place an array of services and endeavors targeted at empowering families and revitalizing communities, with 5,889 residents involved in the programs last year.

To reverse the decline in the area, BCPIA must be a powerful resource for families and communities in the area. During its history, BCPIA has been successful in:

-advocating for a countywide public service district to address water and sewer needs
-advocating for improved roads, with the first 4-lane road to begin construction this summer
-establishing the first licensed day care center in the county
-establishing an after-school program for the area
-providing family literacy, GED, adult basic education, and jobs and technology training in our center
-assisting low-income young people gain the educational, financial and social resources they need to pursue higher education
-celebrating our mountain culture and heritage
-organizing recreation for young people
-providing jobs for local people

These accomplishments have been achieved by identifying solutions from the people most affected, advocating for implementation of local strategies and mobilizing children, families and communities to lead revitalization efforts in the area.

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Last updated: 24 July 2008 Kathie Shiba