Bartlesville Coffee Shop Raising Awareness For Child Advocate Nonprofit

A downtown Bartlesville coffee shop has found a unique way to support CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates.

They're encouraging people to volunteer for this group that helps children have a voice in court with every cup of joe.

It may seem like a cup of coffee, but for Sharon Hurst, it's much more than that.

“We were just looking for something to do to give back to the downtown,” she said.

Sharon and her husband own the restaurant Crossing 2nd. She says part of her mission is to help nonprofits in their community like CASA.

“The mission that they have of advocating for children. Children don't have anyone to advocate for them and it's such a wonderful mission,” she said. “They have a very limited budget, very limited resources, and anything I could do to help them with that, that's all part of what we can do to help with the nonprofits.”

Every coffee cup purchased at Crossing 2nd comes with a sleeve that explains how customers can help abused and neglected children in the Oklahoma court system.

“It's subtle. It's like you have a cup of coffee that says it shouldn't hurt to be a child, CASA. You turn it around and there's a QR code. When we get involved, the child is removed from the home due to abuse, neglect, and is in the court system and once they are in, they ask you can we assign you an advocate to be with the child, and in some cases that's the most consistent person that will be with them through their process,” said Mark Ogle

Ogle works for CASA but also knows firsthand the importance of this resource.

“Once they come into your house, they are yours,” he said.

In addition to his five children, he and his wife spent a decade fostering 76 other children. He hopes other coffee shops will help in spreading awareness.

“We need to have advocates, and we have a shortage,” said Ogle. “The only thing we are not in short supply of is children needing advocates.”

The smallest gestures — like a coffee sleeve — can cause change.