Rising Fuel Costs Impact Tulsa Nonprofit Helping Rural Foster Parents

High gas prices are hurting nonprofits that travel to fulfill their missions.

Fostering Connections brings toys, clothes and other supplies to foster parents in rural areas.

The bus is always on the move, traveling to six different counties throughout each month.

Families with foster children can come in and pick up whatever they need, for free.

With rising fuel prices, the nonprofit is doing everything it can to continue traveling to rural areas to meet families' needs.

Wednesday was the first time the Fostering Connections bus traveled the 45 miles it takes to get to Drumright, where foster mom Mercedies Cruce is picking up a few things for her 7-year-old girl.

"We got tons of shorts and tons of little unicorn outfits because she adores outfits with unicorns,” Cruce said.

The bus is full of clothes, toys and diapers, but getting everything around the six counties the nonprofit serves in Green Country is costing double what did last year.

"Oh, it was a piece of cake. We spent maybe $150 and ya it was good times,” Business Volunteer Coordinator Rosie Still said.

Still, who drives the bus, sees the price of diesel tick up each week.

"Here we go,” she said, as she went to fill up in Tulsa after the work was done in Drumright.

At $5.29 a gallon, Rosie watched the numbers climb. "I can't take my eyes off of it,” she said. “It's sad."

She said the nonprofit did not budget for gas to go beyond $5 a gallon, and now it is pulling funds from its other programs to make ends meet.

The total to fill up the tank on Wednesday: $192.35.

"It's a good day. It's under $200,” she said. “So we like that."

Still already had a quarter tank before going to the pump Wednesday.

"The highest I’ve ever put in has been $270. And that was at an empty tank,” she said.

It's a price Fostering Connections is finding a way to pay, knowing the bus makes all the difference for moms like Mercedies.

"I'm just thankful for this. Ya. It's a huge blessing,” Cruce said.

Fostering Connections will be back in Drumright next month, knowing between now and then, it expects to pay anywhere from $800 to $1,000 to get around.

"We have to keep this program going,” she said. “We can't stop it. These kids need us. They depend on us. They look forward to us coming. Sometimes it's the highlight of their month, so we have to keep this going."

For information on how to help Fostering Connections with donations, click here.