August is one of the busiest times of year as we prepare for back-to-school season. The Oklahoma Caring Foundation has played a vital role in the community since its inception in 1994 by providing free immunizations to children across the state. This work wouldn’t be possible without dedicated employees who strive to increase access to care for everyone.
For more than 18 years, the Oklahoma Caring Foundation program coordinator Tina Hutchinson has been a major force behind its back-to-school season success.
“My favorite part about my job is helping people,” Hutchison says.
Working on the Caring Van®, Hutchison helps deliver thousands of no-cost immunizations to children and adolescents across the state to help prevent illnesses.
“Our vans can meet families right where they are. We go to school enrollment offices, apartment complexes and community events,” Hutchison says. “This helps eliminate barriers for families and enables us to help people from all different places and backgrounds.”
Since Hutchison has been with OCF, she helped grow the program from four mobile units to nine, allowing more children to receive access to health care and the proper immunizations to head back to school.
“We are providing a safe space, a smile, a friendly ear and, most importantly, health to a child,” she says.
Not only does Hutchison go above and beyond in the community, but she has always been a team player. She has dressed up as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma's Blaze at events, volunteered at parades, organized health fairs with community partners and taken on other responsibilities with OCF.
Hutchison is an advocate for children, too. Her passion for helping children succeed began many years before she started working with OCF. She adopted two children from the Cherokee Nation, and the impact has been life-changing and rewarding.
“Looking back, I realize that everything happened for a reason,” Hutchison says.
She and her husband have three children by marriage and nine grandchildren. Their first great-grandchild will arrive soon. They spend most of their time on their houseboat on the lake, traveling and discovering local restaurants.