Bridge Impact Center brings community together with annual 'Bridge Boil'

For 10 years, the kids in northeast Oklahoma City have had a place where they can come and be accepted, respected, and loved, and that place is the Bridge Impact Center.

It was the brainchild of founder Marcus Jackson to infuse hope into youth in the northeast community.

“We have our STEM program; we have our mental health programming that works in groups and also individuals. We have a music studio, we have a film club,” said Marcus Jackson, Founder of the Bridge Impact Center.

Games, boxing, art, and even culinary classes. Anything to expose kids in the community to things they typically would not have access to.

“The majority of our students are walkers, or they are either walking from Moon or Douglas,” said Jackson.

Throughout the school year, kids come after school, but for the summer, it becomes an all-day, every day program.

“The thing about this is, not only is it open to every young person within our age group that we serve, but we don’t charge,” said Jackson.

Challenging the nonprofit to come up with creative ways to ensure kids have food, supplies and activities. So, this Saturday, they will host their second annual Bridge Boil.

“We’ll have vendors, bounce houses, a DJ, and also the opportunity to tour our facility,” said Raegan Mach, Director of Development for the Bridge Impact Center.

It is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, and yes, it is a real boil.

“We’ll also have Cory B with Off The Hook and Cory B Cookin, he’ll be making a special sauce just for us,” said Mach. 

“I’m very excited to be a part of this,” said Chef Cory Harris, owner of Cory B Cookin restaurant.

Chef Cory has been crafting something extra special for the event.

“I can get down, so I think they are going to be very surprised with the flavor that they are going to get tomorrow at the bridge boil,” said Chef Cory.

“Crawfish, shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes, all of the fixing,” said Mach.

Orders can be made early online and in person on the day of the event.

“We want people from the community that have heard of us but also people that have never heard of us to come and see what we are doing,” said Jackson.

For information about the Bridge Impact Center and to purchase tickets to the Bridge Boil, visit their website www.urbanbridge.org