Today, our guest speaker was Jen Bystry, Bridge Communities Director of Community Engagement. Our club has a long history of supporting the Bridge Communities mission of combating homelessness. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bridge Communities is a dynamic, holistic, grassroots non-profit organization committed to transforming the lives of homeless families through meaningful partnerships with community based agencies and individuals. The program of housing, mentoring, employment and education counseling focuses families towards a goal of permanent housing and self-sufficiency. The problems Bridge Communities addresses are homelessness, underemployment, unemployment, skill deficiencies, lack of education, parenting issues and debt management. The objectives of the Bridge program are: • Secure an improved employment status, therefore increasing earned income • Reduce debt and improve credit rating • Teach clients how to better utilize resources through life-skills mentoring • Improve the client’s and their children’s educational opportunities • Secure permanent housing upon completion of the Program The goal of the two-year program is to increase life skills and earning power to enable families to achieve self sufficiency, sustain permanent housing, and to break the cycle of poverty within the family unit