Volunteer Award Nominations for High School Seniors

The Ellen Maher Volunteer Award will be given to a high school senior who has faithfully and effectively engaged with fellow students to support the work of Bridges and who has also proved him or herself to be a friend to the homeless, with whom we are in community. This individual will also exhibit traits, which in the opinion of the Bridges Board of Trustees, make it likely that he or she will continue to thoughtfully and lovingly touch the world in important and meaningful ways.

Students receiving the award will receive public recognition in the Bridges newsletter and ideally in local newspapers. A framed certificate of honor will also be presented by a Bridges representative.

Nomination deadline: April 1. www.bridgesoutreach.org/volunteers for application.

Pajama Program

Many thanks to our friends at NJ Pajama Program for recently delivering hundreds of pairs of pajamas for Bridges to deliver to children in need in Newark, Irvington and Summit. Bridges started collecting and giving pajamas to sheltered children during the holiday season several years ago. Our program was a great success with several groups donating hundreds of pajamas. We loved hearing stories of children running around the shelters with cuddly warm pajamas. So, when Amy Rollins at the Union County Pajama Program called to offer new pj's of all sizes in December and again, just a few weeks ago, of course, we were thrilled.

The Pajama Program delivers warm sleepwear and nurturing books to children in need. In the past five years, the NJ Chapter of the Pajama Program has delivered over 60,000 pairs of pajamas and books. For more information on how to get involved with this program, contact Geri at 732-747-6144 or geri@pajamaprogram.org.

Bridges is delighted to collaborate with the Pajama Program. Thank you, Pajama Program, for your generosity and congratulations on your success.

Friday Volunteers

Fridays are busy days at Bridges as we prepare for our Runs. We are fortunate to have the help of (l-r) Kay and Barbara of New Providence, Christine of Summit, and Elizabeth of Madison to help ready us. Thank you ladies for your time and dedication. Check out volunteer opportunities at http://www.bridgesoutreach.org/volunteer.php

Life Just 7 Miles From Home

Courtney Cooperman, age 12, participated in a Bridges Run to Irvington through Temple B'Nai Jeshurun. On the ride home Courtney and her family discussed that there are many people who are in such need of immediate help with their daily existence even those close by. Courtney wrote the following poem about her experience. Bridges thanks Courtney, her family, Temple B'Nai Jeshurun and all our volunteers who make Bridges’ Runs possible. Bridges invites all volunteers to share their Run experiences via Facebook or on our blog http://voicesofbridges.blogspot.com/.


Seven Miles

By Courtney Cooperman

Here, in Short Hills, I have little to worry about.
Mostly I only worry about too much homework
Or something difficult we’re studying in school
Or maybe a piano song I’m having trouble with.

Here – it’s simple.
There’s just always enough food.
If we run out, we go to the supermarket.
Here, we have drawers and closets, bursting with clothes.
If we need more, we just go to the store.

Seven miles.
It doesn’t seem like very far.
It might take me a little more than an hour to jog seven miles.
It takes about fifteen minutes to drive that far.

But seven miles away is a different world.

People in tattered clothes live in the streets, or run down homes.
They have little food.
They have little hope.

Here – in Short Hills,
We cry because of sentimental little things.
Moving on.
Growing up.
Time flying.
Maturing.

There – just seven miles away,
Childhood doesn’t fade away, in ceremonies and tears.

No.
There, childhood is stripped away from you.
Yanked, grabbed out of your hands as a toddler.
Eight and nine year olds care for their two and three year old brothers and sisters.
They roam the streets – parentless.

Is this really just seven miles?
At one end, we have too much?
At the other, they have nothing?

Yes. This is just seven miles.
And we travel the seven miles.
We travel them.
And give them a little bit.
But the miles still seem far.
Let’s build a bridge and make them closer.
Spread it all just seven miles.
Build a bridge between those two worlds.

Morristown Students Make Lunches

On Friday morning, Board member Bethany Tulloch and I met with a class of 20 first, second and third grade students at the Red Oaks School in Morristown, New Jersey. After showing the BRIDGES video, we spent about 20 minutes discussing the role of BRIDGES in our community, and the services we provide for sheltered and street friends. These young volunteers were excited to make sandwiches and learn about how BRIDGES began.

One of the students had visited a shelter on Thanksgiving so we spent some time discussing how staying in a shelter is not at all like staying in a hotel. People who stay in hotels are not homeless, they are on vacation! The student explained that there were many bunk beds in a small room, and the shelter was crowded and smelly. We explained that every shelter is different but one thing is for sure, no one wants to live in a shelter unless they have no other choice.

We discussed how when people see the BRIDGES truck, they know that they will get something to eat, perhaps something wear and some toiletries to help them feel clean. Equally important, our homeless friends know that the volunteers bringing the food and supplies in the BRIDGES truck care about them, and their well being. We shared a story about how some people even save the decorated bags as a reminder that there are kind and caring people out there, and they are not all alone.

Thank you children at Red Oaks School for an interesting morning!

Amy Cairns Harrison
BRIDGES Board of Trustees

Volunteer Camp Counselor Positions for HS Students

High School students may volunteer as Camp Counselors with Bridges this summer. Bridges will bring two to four campers to The Connection in Summit for a gymnastics day camp. Additionally, three to four full day trips will take campers to new surroundings. Volunteers counselors are needed for these one-day adventures as well. Not yet confirmed, but some of the day activities adventures under consideration are a day at NYC museum, and a picnic in Central Park, a trip to the Statue of Liberty or perhaps an amusement park.

High school volunteer counselors will be responsible for “buddying” with one to two children. Beyond that, we hope that the volunteers will continue the relationship they form with the Newark children through letters and visits. High school volunteers who would like to assist The Connection’s camp staff as camp counselors or be a counselor on a day trip, must apply for volunteer counselor positions by May 1, 2010. Applications will be available on line around April 1st. www.bridgesoutreach.org.

Summer Camp is funded in part by the Sarah Ward Foundation and the Community Congregational Church of Short Hills.

Bridges Makes Run in Storm

Bridges has never missed a Friday night Run into New York City in over 20 years. Twelve inches of snow on Friday, February 26, was not going to deter us from fulfilling our Run. The volunteer group scheduled to go out on Friday comes from 40 miles south of Summit so we knew they couldn’t make it. Although the roads were decent by evening, the threat of more snow and icy roads loomed. Run Coordinator, Dan RosenHanst, and I carried as many lunches as we could and took the train to Penn Station in NY and then a subway to Wall Street. Our arms were aching from the weight of the lunches. Dan’s friend, Victoria, joined us on Wall Street and shared the load.

Our first stop was an indoor public space on Wall Street known to b a safe haven from weather for homeless friends it that area. We met about eight men who were surprised and happy to see us. They were grateful for the lunches. One man was sleeping and we left lunches for him. We stayed a bit and then decided to walk to Battery Park, our usual Friday night stop. On the way, I saw man fishing through the trash for food. He slowly took the lunch I offered and then when I put the second lunch in his shopping bag, he smiled. We usually see about 75 people there, but due to the storm, there were just five men waiting for us and then another two come while we were there. We can only hope that the others were safe and warm indoors.

Dan and Victoria left me at the subway station. On the ride to Penn Station, I was feeling pretty good, nothing to carry and reliving the conversations and events of the evening, until a man burst through from another cart proclaiming he was so hungry his stomach pained. There I was with nothing to offer –just my train ticket home and no food. I felt so helpless.

When I got to Penn Station, I saw people in corners hopeful to make it through the night at the station and then others looking in trash cans looking for food. When I got to Summit, still trying to shake off those images, I saw at least six people I know to be homeless and again, I have nothing to offer. Knowing that we usually go out on a Friday night with 500-700 brown bag lunches and plenty for everyone we meet was little consolation this night.

Lois Bhatt, Executive Director, Bridges