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The Bridge was born during a time of trouble in the late 1960s.  It was a time of war, social unrest and generational strife.  Alarmed by growing drug use among teenagers in West Hartford, CT, a local group called Citizens Against Drug Abuse turned to a Dick Jackson.  He was a psychiatric social worker who believed that drug abuse was symptomatic of an "underlying malaise" among young people alienated from adult society.

The Bridge was organized to bridge the gap between generations.  Operating out of the "Y" Annex on North Main Street, the fledgling agency began training volunteers and "peer" counselors to work with troubled youth.  

With a first-year budget of $30,000, Jackson and a small staff of part-time professionals opened a drop-in center and organized "rap" sessions involving young people, clergy, police and school officials.  In a "Progress Report" issued in 1971, The Bridge reported that its aim was "to provide a social alternative to the drug culture, a place where young people and adults can meet, talk and solve problems."  About 1,000 young people visited The Bridge in its first year.

Despite a wary reception from some town officials, The Bridge gradually gained community acceptance.  By 1974, the organization had signed a contract to provide social services to the West Hartford school system.  Its emphasis shifted from peer counseling of rebellious teenagers to adult intervention with hardcore troubled youth.

Under its second executive director, Ruth Freymann, The Bridge evolved from a drop-in center to a multi-service family agency.  In 1975, Freymann proposed  locating a temporary shelter for teen runaways in West Hartford.  Funding was secured from the federal government and private grants.  However, opposition from prospective neighbors at several locations delayed the opening of the Junction 1019 shelter until Christmas 1978.

By the end of its first decade, The Bridge was operating a counseling center (moved to the First Baptist Church on North Main Street), a shelter and drop-in centers at Charter Oak and Morley Schools.  Our agency now functioned as the youth services bureau for West Hartford, making it eligible for federal grants.

When Selma Lobel, former Planned Parenthood director in Hartford, took over as executive director of The Bridge in 1980, she brought with her a pioneering teen acting company called Looking In Theatre.  This innovative troupe performed skits in area schools dramatizing real-life issues facing today's youth. (After 25 years at The Bridge, Looking-In Theater recently affiliated with the Capitol Region Education Council.)

The Bridge continued to expand the scope of its services during the 1980s.  Under Executive Director Wayne Starkey, the agency inaugurated the Independent Living Program (now Community Life Skills) for youth under state care who were transitioning to adult living arrangements.  The Family Resource Center was begun at Charter Oak School to provide support to families with children at the school.  Other new services included family counseling, a youth jobs program and wilderness challenge programs.

Soon after David Johnston became executive director in 1994, The Bridge moved to its current headquarters across the street from its youth shelter near West Hartford Center.  David was instrumental in reaching out to disenfranchised youth and increasing the visibility of The Bridge in the community. The Family Resource Center quickly earned a national reputation for excellence, enabling Charter Oak School to be named a "school for the 21st century" by Yale's Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy.

Since the 1990s, the Bridge has continued to evolve in response to the changing needs of the communities we serve.  Under Executive Director Margaret Hann, The Bridge today is a $2.5-million agency offering a broad range of services to children, youth, and families in the Greater Hartford area, with particular attention to those at risk.  In 1998, the Transitional Living Apartment Program was initiated, assisting male adolescents (ages 16 to 21) in developing the skills necessary to live independently.  From 1999 to 2003, The Bridge ran A Bridge Across Ages, an inter-generational mentoring program for young people ages 11 to 14 that was funded by the Governor’s Prevention Initiative for Youth and the CT State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.   In March of this year, Youth in Transition was implemented to serve homeless youth ages 16 to 21 who are not involved in the state system of care.  Already two young people have been placed in apartments.

Under Margaret Hann’s direction, The Bridge has undergone a strategic planning process that has strengthened the internal structure of The Bridge.  With the assistance of grants from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, The Bridge hired a development director and a human resource professional, purchased new development and accounting software, purchased new computers and trained staff, and implemented a new management information system allowing better program evaluation.  All of these internal improvements have positioned The Bridge to better serve children and families in the Greater Hartford region.

We've come a long way from the days when we simply offered peer counseling to drop-ins in a church basement.  While we continue to try to bridge the gap between mainstream society and those who live on its margins, today we strive to support all children and families in building healthier lives.

Return

35th Anniversary
1969-2004

CHRONOLOGY

1975 --  Ruth Freymann becomes executive director and begins a four-year effort to open a regional shelter for teen runaways.

1978 -- The Bridge counseling center moves to the First Baptist Church.  The Junction 1019 shelter opens, named for its address on Farmington Ave. in West Hartford.

1979-80 -- The Bridge becomes the youth services bureau for the town of West Hartford.

1980 -- Selma Lobel becomes  executive director and brings the Looking-In Teen Theater to The Bridge.

1987 -- Wayne Starkey becomes fourth executive director.

1988 -- Independent Living Program started to assist youths in state care to become independent adults.

1988 --   "Tune-In to Life Week" begun to promote healthy lifestyles.

1991 -- Family Resource Center opened to provide support to families and children at Charter Oak School.

1994 -- David Johnston appointed executive director.

1995 -- The Bridge offices and counseling center move to 1022 Farmington Avenue, across the street from the youth shelter.

1998 -- Margaret Hann becomes the sixth executive director.

© 2003 - 2008 The Bridge Family Center, Inc.
1022 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT  06107
Telephone:  860.521.8035 ¿ Fax: 860.521.8036 
E-Mail: info@bridgefamilycenter.org