TULSA, Okla. — It's a place to call home!
The Ben Hill Community Center was once in danger of being demolished but is now back open and full of life.
Thanks to donors and the Reed Community Foundation, Tulsa's at-risk youth now have a safe place to flourish and grow.
Keith Reed is a longtime coach and mentor who helps provide athletic training, mentoring, and even food to Tulsa's young people.
"It's a beautiful day. God blessed us to see this day. The people wanted it; the people needed us. Ben Hill was the man, and we're just following in his footsteps," said Reed.
He says they've been working for years to save the center and all of the countless amenities it brings with it.
"The people wanted to see if this was real because we kept saying we were going to do it, and we kept working, and we never gave up, and now, we're here. Thank you, Jesus," said Reed.
Darwin Thompson is a former NFL player and says he is thrilled to see the community coming together and its people unified.
"We once all lived here and did certain things that didn't benefit the community, but now Coach Reed bringing a place like Ben Hill, it's going to put us on a whole other level," said Thompson.
Thompson says the credit for the center's reopening really belongs to Coach Reed and his countless efforts.
"I appreciate and give God the glory for a man like Coach Reed as he spreads his blessings. Too much is given, much is required, and Coach Reed is doing exactly that," said Thompson.
Williams provided a $500,000 grant for the Ben Hill Community Center and Williams STEM Lab, which focused on STEM education. Williams employees volunteer with RCF students building kites and playing math BINGO, with plans for mentoring and STEM career guidance in the future.
For more information on the Reed Community Foundation and how to support the Ben Hill project, visit reedcf.org.
About Reed Community Foundation (RCF) Established in 2014, RCF provides mentoring, tutoring, and athletic training for Tulsa kids. Founded by “Coach” Keith Reed, the program instills self-discipline, self-esteem and confidence in at-risk youth. They change lives and build future leaders in the Tulsa community.
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