Congregations are the foundation of Bridges to Housing Stability. Operating as Congregations Concerned for the Homeless for more than 15 years, Bridges began with a single congregation that wanted to help a local homeless family. Today, Bridges partners with almost 30 congregations located in, or near, Howard County. Corporations, civic groups, and other organizations interested in partnering with Bridges can find more information here.
Congregations can participate in Bridges’ efforts in many ways:
Engage Your Congregation in a Faith-to-Faith Communication Network
Raise awareness of Howard County’s homeless by connecting to Bridges communication and other congregations’ news outlets. If your congregation has a newsletter, Facebook page, website, blog, or other means of communication, share the information with Bridges and other engaged congregations. Contact Bridges to have your congregation’s website listed on the Bridges site.
Foundational Support
Over the years, members of congregations have demonstrated a profound commitment to Bridges by contributing foundational support. Join other congregations in organizing a major financial gift by way of mission budgets, fundraising events, and special collections. Download The Bridges Volunteer Application.
Help Make Affordable Housing Happen
Mobilize individuals and groups from your congregation to participate in Bridges Alliance, our affordable rental housing program:
- Join an Alliance Circle of Support to foster social connections, civic engagement, and mutual support.
- Help make housing affordable for a Howard County household by becoming a Sustaining Partner. A congregation can partner with Bridges Alliance by making a pledge of $5,000 per year for three years, which will help sustain this worthwhile program. Easing the rent burden allows the family to redirect its income to meet other financial obligations and investments. Once a household can stabilize its expenses, it is in a better position to stabilize its housing.
- Volunteer your home maintenance skills for Bridges’ Housing Corps, a group that inspects, cleans, and renovates Bridges housing units.
- Donate a home to the Bridges Alliance program
Participate in the Annual "Hotter Than Thou" Chili Cook-Off
Start cooking! Join our many faith partners in the fun, interfaith competition that helps fund Bridges’ operating budget. Every year in March, many area congregations cook up their favorite chili recipes for the community at this event, allowing Bridges to keep the doors open so that grants and donations can fund the homeless assistance and prevention programs.
Please call (410) 312-5760 for more details on being a Chili Cook-Off Participant.
Raise Awareness
Help communicate the relationship between Howard County’s undersupply of affordable housing and homelessness:
- Host a speaker from Bridges to increase the congregation’s awareness of Howard County’s very real challenge.
- Teach youth groups/classes about poverty and various meanings of having a home using Bridges’ Home in Four Lessons curriculum. The values-based lessons emphasize compassion, dignity, and home. Lessons can be used independently or together and can be customized to align with the congregation’s faith theme.
- Engage child members in the “Every Family Should Have a Home” art exhibit and encourage an understanding of homelessness. The exhibit is held annually in November in local libraries.
