I arrived at The Bridge in the dreary overcast morning uncertain about what I was walking into and a disbelief that Seattle’s gray skies had followed me to Texas. However, by the time I left I was completely uplifted.
The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center is a 24/7 multi-service campus that includes some of the most comprehensive recovery services a person could think of. They have partnered with agencies and provide services such as medical care, legal aid, mail acceptance, a pet kennel, and even a professional barbershop.
They accommodate 200-300 nightly guests, mostly in their enormous sleeping room that doubles as a living room, and also have some private dorms available. During the day they serve up to 500 people, predominantly single males. Each guest is given an access card that tracks everything from the exact number of meals served to what services are being utilized, demonstrating exactly where the budget is going.
A win for them can be simply getting people in the door and willing to get help.
The average stay is 6-9 months, and many of their guests are struggling with a combination of mental illness, disability, and drug addiction. The organization acts like giant arms wrapping around them, ensuring they are “housing ready” before leaving. They also have a Housing Navigator whose role is to work with local apartment complexes and secure units. Sometimes the problem isn’t that people aren’t ready to move, it’s that enough affordable housing simply doesn’t exist.
On campus, the private rooms are sparse but provide the necessities. Security, freedom, locked storage, lots of natural light, and a place to relax. The architects who designed the buildings made sure high ceilings and natural light were incorporated throughout. Beyond that, guests are given a moving day welcome basket, with all the basics to keep their home clean. Similarly to Humble Design, the staff is passionate about the mission. They have an 83-85% success rate for those being placed in housing, because they work extensively to make sure they are connected to the right networks. In Dallas the cost for tax payers is up to $40,000 a year per homeless individual, so getting people housing stable not only has an ethical impact, it’s financial. Currently, the poverty rate in the city is around 25% so the need for affordable housing and associated services couldn't be greater.