Training and Education

Resources for Teachers ( pdf )

Bridges Run Volunteer Training Video (coming in September, 2010)

Education

Teens Tackle Homelessness Conference

In fulfilling our mission “to bring the housed and homeless together in community,” over sixty volunteer groups, including hundreds of high school volunteers, participate in Bridges’ (outreach visits) each year. These Runs are transformative experiences for our volunteers.

High school students especially return from these runs profoundly moved by the homeless people they have met and spoken to.

Students returning from these Runs are filled with questions: Why is Joe homeless? Where does that family with the three children live? What is being done to change their situations? How can I make a difference?

On Saturday, October 24, 2009, Bridges Outreach sponsored its first “Teens Tackle Homelessness,” a conference for high school students that was organized by high school students to answer these questions. It is one of the only conferences of its kind in the country. The interest and success of the conference exceeded our expectations. At the end of the conference, students expressed feeling “more compassionate,” “inspired,” and “empowered” and put into place actions to help alleviate the problems of poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Many continued to volunteer with Bridges for the remainder of the year, and some wrote passionately about their experiences with Bridges on their applications to college.

Planning for the 2010 Teens Tackle Homelessness Conference is already under way and is scheduled for Saturday, October 23, 2010. We invite all high school students to participate in this eye-opening and broadening conference.

BRIDGES works with many organizations that advocate for the homeless. Start by visiting our homeless news and resources. To learn more visit:

www.irvington.net/

www.icpny.org/

www.sojo.org

www.studentsagainsthunger.org

www.bread.org

www.letjusticeroll.org

www.antipovertynetwork.org