Annual Report 2014-2015

Teens Tackle Homelessness
More than 25 high school students from public and private area schools organize a
conference on homelessness for their peers, in addition to street Runs and events for
children in Newark shelters.
Founder’s Award
Founders’ Awards are given to high school juniors or seniors
who have faithfully engaged to support the work of Bridges
and have proved to be a friend to the homeless.
This year’s recipients:
Kira Barnick, The Pingry School
Sarah Beckmen, The Pingry School
Courtney Cooperman, Newark Academy
Erin Fitzsimons, Millburn High School
Yasaman Mahdi, Montclair Kimberly Academy
Kaitlin Maroney, Chatham High School
Abby South, Montclair Kimberly Academy
Philip Worster, Oratory Prep
Teen Conference
More than 80 students participated in this year’s
Teens Tackle Homelessness Conference, “Youth and
Homelessness.” Keynote speaker Kevin Ryan, CEO of
Covenant House International, the largest charity in the
Americas devoted to serving homeless and trafficked
children and youth, shared harrowing tales of the lives
of homeless teens, as well as stories about the resiliency
of some teens and how they overcame challenges. The
group was also riveted by a speaker in her mid-twenties
who told of her experience as a former suburban teen
who became homeless and has since put her life back
together. The teen steering committee also highlighted
the major causes of teen homelessness. Thanks to our
host, Kent Place School.
Photo (left): This year’s
Founders’ Award recipients,
plus Dan RosenHanst,
Director of Operations
SUMMIT
Welcome Neighbors
Every Friday, we open our doors in Summit to neighbors
living on the streets or living day-to-day. As many as 15
individuals on any given Friday visit Bridges to shower and
receive new underwear, clothing and food.
Summit Health Fair
Bridges hosted its second free health fair for Summit
residents on September 8, 2014. Twenty-five adults attended
and received eye exams from the Commission for the Blind
and Visually Impaired. Four people screened were given
vouchers for prescription glasses from New Eyes for the
Needy and taken by a Bridges volunteer to the optical store.
Community Health of Overlook Medical Center provided
screening for blood pressure and glucose screening for all
twenty-five attendees. The event was sponsored by a grant
from the Summit Area Public Foundation.
School Supplies
Just in time for school, 385 children eligible for free and
reduced lunches received new backpacks and school supplies
at Bridges on August 27 and 28, 2014. For the fifth year, Bridges
Outreach and Christ Child Society of Summit collaborated to
collect hundreds of binders, spiral and composition notebooks,
pens, pencils and much more. In addition, $2,500 worth of
additional supplies were purchased with grants from the
Summit Junior League, The Summit Luminary Fund, Merrill
Lynch and private donations. It is estimated that each child
received supplies valuing $75. Parents were able to use the
financial resources that would have been used for school
supplies to pay for food, rent, and other necessities.