12&12 Recovery Center's Annual Donation Drive Brings In Thousands Of Dollars, Items

A substance abuse recovery center in Tulsa has received thousands of dollars in donations to keep saving lives after it held its annual donation drive Saturday. Those at the 12&12 Recovery Center near 41st and Sheridan say each donation no matter how small makes a big impact because it helps save a life.

Each year on December 12, the 12&12 rehab facility asks Tulsans to donate items from their list of 12 needs. Jen Kerckhoff is the creator of 12&12 Day and she says the goal is to have 1,200 people donate anything they can.

“Anything that can help offset expenses and help the lives of our clients while they work so hard is a big gift especially this time of year,” Kerckhoff says.

She says without the community’s help, they wouldn’t be able to save as many lives each year. The donation day creator says they will gladly accept any donations, but really need winter items like coats and pants but also need basic items like underwear right now as well.

One of the faces found helping accept items at the donation drive was Dustin Bailey. He says the 12&12 facility saved his life and he wouldn’t be here today without everything they did for him. Bailey says he last stepped into the building as someone with substance abuse problems in July 2016, stayed for 45 days, and has been clean ever since.

“I get to spend my time and life with my family again,” Bailey says. “My mother has a son again, my girlfriend has a partner, I’d like to say they have a good son and partner that’s why it means so much to me.”

Donations poured in all day Saturday in all forms, some people just wanted to donate money and others had several bags of clothes in their trunks.

12&12 CEO Bryan Day says the generosity has been overwhelming this year.

“We’ve had someone donate twelve dollars, people donate $1,212 checks, and I can’t believe it but someone even gave us a $12,121 donation too,” Day says.

Kerckhoff says one couple heard about 12&12 Day on News On 6 and decided that instead of buying Christmas gifts for each other this year, they would donate to the center instead. She says they immediately went to Walmart, bought bags full of clothes and needed items, then dropped them off a couple of hours later with smiles on their faces.

If you weren’t able to make a donation Saturday, 12&12 has yellow bins sitting outside every Monday through Friday for anyone who would like to come by to donate another day instead. Monetary donations can also be made at 12&12.org.