THE BRIDGE
The Bridge is the centerpiece of our strategy. It’s a weekly meeting that provides a community of encouragement and growth, as well as a connection point for further resources. The Bridge is designed to be a central, immediate support for men and women who are at risk or in crisis.
Quick facts on the weekly meetings of The Bridge:
The Bridge meets every Tuesday night. We’ve never missed a Tuesday since launching in February of 2004.
We use two 15-passenger vans to pick up men and women at multiple addiction recovery programs. The staff in these programs recognize the value of the Bridge and encourage attendance.
The meeting emphasizes acceptance and greeting. Each first time attender is celebrated and given a welcome gift.
Each week there is a topic that has been submitted by one of the attenders. Four speakers give a 10-minute talk on the topic. The speakers are our staff members and representatives from our church partners. We build our church partnerships based on their ability to welcome and connect with the needs of the men and women in our programs. We encourage our attenders to attend any of the churches they meet at the Bridge.
After the service there is a meal provided by our Host Team. The Host Team also helps with childcare and greeting. Click here for more info on being a Host Team.
During the meal our staff provides assistance on resources for jobs, food, and housing needs.
Response to The Bridge:
Since we’ve launched the Bridge in 2004, we’ve had visitors from all over the world attend and marvel at the ingenuity of the Bridge. It makes sense that a person coming out of jail and addiction needs a single place to go (like a food court) to get started in their new life. And yet, to our knowledge, this is the only program of its kind in existence.
We want to share the strategy of the Bridge and see it expand to other cities. We have documented training and procedures to support a start-up. Contact Us to set up a time to discuss launching a Bridge program in your city.
IMPACT!
