One Year Ago Today...
One year ago today, we opened our doors to the first children to ever come to Bridge Receiving Center... two sisters who needed a safe place to stay. Since then we have opened our door to a total of 59 children in all...with many more still to come. It has been an amazingly beautiful and challenging year as we have cared for children coping with some of the worst that life can offer them. Children whose worlds have been torn apart and need to have a safe place to land, who need a team around them that understands how volatile and upset they can feel, how much they are hurting.
It has been quite a year here at Bridge. And it is all thanks to you. The State of Washington contributes 33% of what it takes to provide these children with the Bridge Receiving Center alternative. The other 67% comes from individuals like you who care about hurting children and want to help them heal. For some of you, that has meant joining our 51 Club and giving monthly to sustain our work. (We are currently looking for 18 more people to join if you are interested!) For others, it has meant telling your friends about our work on social media or donating whenever you can. Still others, it's meant sending something off our Wish List to make sure the children have what they need while they are with us. Many of you responded to our plea on social media last week and helped us clothe J. He arrived at Bridge without any clothes but the ones he was wearing. And you responded so generously, sending him all the clothes he needed - and when his needs had been met, sending clothes for the other children currently in our care. You gave a loving, tangible response just when it was needed.
And that is what Bridge is all about...being that loving response to a child right when they need it...being there to hold their hand, listen to their pain, keep them safe when they are coming undone, all the while reminding them that they are not alone, that we are there to help them make it through.
Thank you for being such a big part of that response...for all you have given - and will continue to give - so we can keep opening our doors to every child who needs us.
You have made such a difference in these children's lives. And that makes all the difference to all of us at Bridge.
Here's to another year of helping every child who needs us.
PS. If you'd like to give a gift to Bridge to celebrate our first birthday, visit our Birthday Web Page to donate!
And that is what Bridge is all about...being that loving response to a child right when they need it...being there to hold their hand, listen to their pain, keep them safe when they are coming undone, all the while reminding them that they are not alone, that we are there to help them make it through.
Thank you for being such a big part of that response...for all you have given - and will continue to give - so we can keep opening our doors to every child who needs us.
You have made such a difference in these children's lives. And that makes all the difference to all of us at Bridge.
Here's to another year of helping every child who needs us.
PS. If you'd like to give a gift to Bridge to celebrate our first birthday, visit our Birthday Web Page to donate!