"I don't know what I would have done without the Bridge. My kids were out of control and your counselor created a safe zone for our family to work things out. Now we're talking again, not screaming or slamming doors, and even better—we're starting to laugh and do things as a family."

"I came to the Bridge Youth Shelter when my Mom could no longer take care of me and I had nowhere to go...The shelter gave me a warm bed, three meals a day, and a safe neighborhood where I could hear birds chirping in the tree outside my window."

Read more about children and families helped by your gift to the Bridge's annual Friendship Campaign and how you can make a difference.

Family Resource Centers across the state, like the one run by the Bridge at Charter Oak Academy, face severe budget cuts.

Click here to view a news video from LocalOnlineNews.tv

Governor M. Jodi Rell's proposed budget cuts include a more than $6 million reduction in funding for Connecticut's Family Resource Centers (FRC's), including the Bridge's FRC at Charter Oak Academy in West Hartford. Family Resource Centers provide programming and other support resources for children and parents, including the West Hartford Public Libraries' dual language kits shown in a related story reported by LocalOnlineNews.tv.

The West Hartford Family newsletter, published by the Bridge two to three times per year and sent to the parents of school children K-12, provides articles on issues important to parents. This latest issue, written by Deborah Zipkin, the director of the Bridge's Family Resource Center at Charter Oak Academy, offers advice on helping children to cope with changes in theire lives. Click here to read our latest issue.

The 4^th annual "Bridge Business Award" was presented to Panera

Bridge executive director, Margaret Hann (l.);  Bahjat Shariff, vice president of operations for  Panera Bread; Wendy Kopp, marketing director  for Panera Bread.

Bread for its support of the Bridge and its mission. A reception was held in Panera Bread's honor at the main Bridge office in West Hartford on Thursday evening, May 28, 2009. The Bridge Board of Directors and staff welcomed Panera staff and honored Panera's generosity. 

The Bridge's partnership with Panera Bread began in October of 2002 when the cafe chose the Bridge as its Operation Dough-Nation partner in some of its Hartford region stores. Canisters with the Bridge name on them were placed on the counters at these local cafes. When the West Hartford Panera Bread opened in 2006, it chose the Bridge to be its exclusive Operation Dough-Nation partner. Over the years, Panera Bread customers have made donations to the canisters and

Chris Raymond, general manager of the West Hartford Panera Bread Cafe; Bridge executive director, Margaret Hann.

Panera Bread has matched a percentage of them. As a result, Panera Bread and its customers have donated over $58,000 to the Bridge.

Beyond this monetary support, Panera Bread willingly donates pastries and bagels for the annual Bridge Breakfast in September which kicks off a new year of collaboration with about 125 school personnel as well as many community leaders. Panera Bread also provides coffee, pastries, and bagels for monthly "View of the Bridge" breakfasts for community members. Since September, the Bridge has hosted 8 "Views" with more than 110 people in attendance.
...read more

It was a week of fun, celebration, and education--it was the 22^nd annual Tune-In to Life week sponsored by the Bridge Family Center and the West Hartford Substance Abuse Prevention Commission. 370 adults and 2,700 young people participated in 9 different activities.

Many local groups supported the week's events. West Hartford Community Television promoted the event on air for the month of April. Other supporters included the Exchange Club of West Hartford, West Hartford Human and Leisure Services, West Hartford Firefighters Association, Webster Bank, Panera Bread, Stop and Shop, and Professional Promotions. ...read more

The Bridge's Summer Adventure Program offers middle school kids four separate weeks of recreational activities facilitated by Bridge counselors. As of May 25, three of the weeks are filled, but five spots remain for the first week, July 6-10.
 
Click here to see the summer program brochure. To register for one of the available spots, print out the brochure, complete the forms, and return to the Bridge by mail or fax.