Bridging the Tech Gap: BACC’s Mission to Support Stockton Youth

Happy Holidays!

We’re Scott and Margo Colvin.
At the BACC, we believe in two things that shape everything we do: making God known and doing good. And this Christmas season, we want to inspire you to do both.

Recently, in Dublin—one of our nine BACC campuses—we launched a “Doing Good” project through our Doing Good Fund that has already started changing lives.

It began with two men: Jose Gomez and Stan Thomas, who serve at the Office of Violence Prevention in Stockton. The OVP has been nothing short of heroic—bringing hope to victims of gang violence, offering new paths to young people stepping out of gangs, and standing in the gap for their city every single day.

One of our members, Pat Carter, has carried a deep passion for the OVP since she moved to Stockton. Pat, who recently received the Community Service Award in the city, helped connect our BACC family with the OVP. That connection sparked our Toy and Gift Card Drive, and it opened our eyes to an even greater need.

At a symposium on gun-violence prevention, the OVP shared with me that many of their young students, who are working hard to earn their high school diplomas or take classes at Delta Community College, simply do not have access to the technology they need to keep advancing.
And so—we responded.
The Contra Costa South Campus sprang into action. Members began purchasing Chromebooks, laptops, and tablets. We reached out to our workplaces, community groups, and partner organizations, inviting them to join the mission.

Rose-Margaret Ekeng, another member here in Contra Costa South, is a professor of cybernetics and executive board member of the Oakland/East Bay section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
She rallied her organization to donate Chromebooks and has set up a mentorship and STEM-career guidance day with the youth connected to the OVP.

Others spoke to their companies, Rotary Clubs, and civic groups—and together, we’ve been able to provide over 60 Chromebooks, laptops, and tablets for the students at the OVP. These tools will help them continue their education, pursue opportunities, and build a different future.
We were thrilled to have Lora Larson, the director of the Office of Violence Prevention, join us at our Holiday Celebration Service last week to express their gratitude not only for the donations but also for the relationship between their agency and the Bay Area Christian Church:

This is what happens when we choose to make God known and do good. We shine His love into the places that need it most.

So this Christmas, we want to encourage you: find your way to make a difference.
Let’s not just celebrate the season—let’s create impact that brings hope long after the holidays are over.

Merry Christmas, and thank you for choosing to do good.