Fall Newsletter 2023
PROGRAM UPDATES
CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT
Bridge Education & Career Development Program Gets an Update
Community Captains Kicks Off at Gillette
As part of our five-year strategic plan, A Path Home for Every Youth, Bridge’s Education & Career Development Department has gotten an expanded team, new programming, and a new space! Our selfpaced, student-centered curriculum, combined with mentoring, enrichment courses such as wellness and fitness options, outside connections with businesses and potential employers, job fairs, field trips, and group activities will lend depth and breadth to each youth’s academic study and prepare them for success in realworld careers. Through individualized plans, the program will prepare students for academic or job search success. In addition to the standard HiSET math, science, reading, writing, and social studies courses, the program will offer options such as tech courses, to ensure students are learning about real-world skills in addition to academics. There will also be options for youth to take classes in-person, online, or with a private tutor as needed. In introducing all these new features, our goal is to make the space and the program feel different than traditional education, with more options and flexibility to ensure student success.
On July 28, Bridge was invited to Gillette Stadium for our first official event as part of the Community Captains program, a group of six New England-based nonprofits that will receive funding and support from the New England Patriots Foundation and Bank of America. In addition to funds, this support will include nonprofit visits, in-kind donations, volunteer opportunities, promotion of the organization, and networking opportunities. “We are thrilled to be a part of Community Captains among other nonprofits doing great work. We are thankful for the partnership with the New England Patriots Foundation and Bank of America, whose support will help us in guiding youth The Whole Way,” said Bridge CEO Elisabeth Jackson.
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FUNDRAISING IDEAS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
A DAY IN THE LIFE
A Day in the Life of Associate Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement Matin Yusuf 9:00 AM: I start my day by checking on youth who have spent the night at Bridge in the Welcome Center. I stop in as the youth are eating breakfast and ask them about their plans for the day, making sure they are staying on track with their goals. While there, I meet one youth who is new to Bridge, so I introduce myself and ask them to come up after breakfast to meet with me.
Gift Cards are the Way to Go! Gift cards are high in demand here at Bridge. Youth appreciate the autonomy that gift cards provide – instead of receiving whatever donations come their way, they are empowered to go out and purchase items for themselves, increasing their sense of independence and self-sufficiency. Thank you to senior at Belmont High School Reyansh Parikh, who raised over $700 in gift cards to Target and CVS and made some delicious desserts to share with Bridge youth! If you or your teen are interested in fundraising gift cards, please contact Roseann Hogan, at rhogan@bridgeotw.org or 617-423-9575 ext. 304.
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Treats to Beat the Heat!
10:00 AM: I meet with the new youth and we talk about their background, needs, and goals. Because they are interested in getting their GED/HiSET, I refer them to our Education & Career program and we walk up together to the fifth floor to introduce them to some of our team members. All our services at Bridge are in one building, so it is easy to guide youth to different programs.
11:00 AM: Another youth new to Bridge comes in for intake. I give them a tour of the building and all of our services and they make it clear they are in need of housing. Because they have community support and a job in Brockton, I help them understand and look for housing options there. At Bridge, we know how important it is for youth to maintain community ties and support.
To read about the rest of Matin’s day, scan the QR code:
Thank you to our friends at Astound Broadband Powered by RCN for bringing the Bridge team free ice cream this summer. It was enjoyed by all! In addition to giving us time to spend together as a team, it was a great way to hand out and debut our new Bridge shirts with our new logo!
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“Every act of kindness, no matter how small, has the power to transform lives.” — Matin Yusuf, Associate Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement
RESEARCH TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS!
YOUTH SUCCESS STORY
Learning and Sharing at BIDMC
Miranda’s Story Miranda* was pregnant and living in a shelter in the summer of 2020. After giving birth, she left the shelter to couchsurf. “I thought I was going to get an apartment, but I was 20, with no credit. It was really hard. I couldn’t think about anything else other than getting an apartment, getting stabilized.” Eventually, she heard about Bridge. “I had a friend at Bridge who was pregnant and told me about an open space [in the Single Parent House]. I got in two weeks later.” Once at Bridge, Miranda began to thrive. She quickly got a job working as a security guard and then began going to esthetician school. In addition to working full-time, she was attending night school on Mondays and Tuesdays, and then all day on Saturday, to complete a 600-hour course, from which she recently graduated (in June 2023).
This June, members of our team went to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) for their Community Grants Open House, where we shared information about how the BIDMC grant enabled the expansion of our Street Outreach program into Dorchester and Roxbury. “It’s been really terrific to be able to build some new connections, some new collaborations and resources, where we can connect with young people and get them to come into Bridge, but also provide them services in the communities where they live,” said Bridge Clinical Director Peter Ducharme of the work that BIDMC has enabled Bridge to do. “The grant has really been great to reach people earlier on and provide them much-needed services.” SUMMER FUN Outings are an important part of community-building at Bridge - they allow our youth to bond while experiencing some much-deserved fun. During the summer, our youth enjoyed these fun activities:
According to Miranda, staff at Bridge were very helpful, assisting with everything from watching the baby to school projects. With Bridge’s help, Miranda began planning how she would set up her chair as she entered into the salon business. Bridge also made sure Miranda’s daughter was well taken care of: “She met friends at Bridge, and she always had great Christmases.” Most important, however, was the peace of mind of having a stable, private space to live. “Having the stabilization helped, I [didn’t have] that when I was couchsurfing.” Miranda has since moved out of the Single Parent House and into new accommodations with her daughter. “I had the motivation, I just needed the platform.” With Bridge giving her a safe place to land, Miranda is now ready to give herself and her daughter a great future.
*indicates name has been changed
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47 West Street, Boston, MA 02111
NEWSLETTER IN THIS ISSUE Read about our enhanced Education & Career Development Department Spend a day with our Associate Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement Hear about Miranda, from the Single Parent House, and her success story
Photos from the 2022 Bridge Gala
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