It has often been said, “When you don’t know where to turn, turn to Bridge.” Our goal is simple, we want to help create a better community, and the best way to do that is to not only help with an immediate need, but also to help in reaching long-term goals. I guess you could say that, technically, we deal with infrastructure – just maybe not in the typical way.
Wendell Berry famously wrote, “The story of even so small a place can never be completely told and can never be finished. It is eternal, always here and now, and going on forever.” In a way, Bridge Kentucky is helping to write the story of our community by helping people write their own stories. Some chapters will be happy and full of new beginnings, others will be tough and will include hardship. No book is defined by one chapter, just as no individual or community is defined by one event or one instance.
What does Bridge Kentucky do? We partner with local employment agencies to get people the job, or job training, that is right for them and their family. We help get people connected with state and federal programs and help navigate the Social Security and Medicaid systems. In recent months, we have been looking at rural economic development and looking at ways our population can better meet the needs of employers. We are working to find ways to help young people break the cycle of poverty and better their lives and the lives of those around them. We work with area churches with “Room at the Inn,” and with the Barren County Detention Center to help released inmates get the clothing and personal items they need upon release. We work with foster families who receive placements with little to no warning, we help with clothing and household items when there has been a house fire or other life-changing situation, and we even rescued a snake a couple of weeks ago that was wrapped around our Christmas tree. (That was the first and the last time we will be working with snakes.)
Most recently, when tornadoes hit Warren County, Western Barren County and Hart County, Bridge Kentucky sprang into action. We went to the areas that were hardest hit and stood with those that had suffered a loss most of us couldn’t imagine. (The view from the ground looks a lot different than it does from our office.) We helped with cleanup, dropped off supplies and personal items, provided hot meals and dropped off countless cups of hot coffee. We organized groups of people to help and compiled lists of what was needed and who needed it.
Bridge Kentucky had a hand in Gorin Park’s newly-painted basketball court and concession stand, proving you don’t have to have the talent of Picasso to create a masterpiece. We hosted a Back-To-School Block Party which provided school supplies – and fun – for local families. We brought together other groups to host “The Haunted Asylum.” We have hosted free movie nights, helped families get ready for social services visits and fed First Responders. We have celebrated with those who have gotten new jobs and completed training programs, we have been there as children are welcomed home, as drug treatment has been completed and as school starts for another year.
If you want to build something great, the foundation must be solid and the infrastructure must be there. If we want a better community, we must invest in infrastructure and, in our case, that is the people who make up our community.
Founded in the fall of 2019, Bridge Kentucky is a 501(c)3 non-profit located in Glasgow, Kentucky. We are funded through grants and private donors and we always accept donations.
Our mission at Bridge Kentucky is broad enough to encompass a wide variety of things yet narrow enough to make a real difference. Be sure to like us on Facebook and check out our website www.bridgeky.com.
-by Angela Briggs
Executive Director, Bridge Kentucky
