About Us
Bridging, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization primarily serving the Twin Cities, provides donated furniture and household goods to families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness and poverty. Bridging gives hope and a leap towards housing stability. With locations in Roseville and Bloomington, Bridging is driven by volunteers and donations of basic home essential items from the community.
Since 1987, Bridging has served nearly 115,000 households (more than 345,000 individuals), and reduces landfill space by 14 million pounds each year. View the Founder Fran legacy video to hear more about Bridging’s origin and story behind the mission.
OUR MISSION: Bridging empowers people to thrive in their homes by providing quality furniture and household goods for those pursuing housing stability.
OUR VALUES: Dignity, Service, Partnership, Stewardship, Excellence, and Gratitude
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING: At Bridging, we value unique backgrounds, perspectives and experiences ensuring that everyone- clients, volunteers, staff, board, donors, agency and community partners – feel that they are welcome and are a part of the Bridging community. We value the dignity and inclusion of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, abilities, sexual orientation, life experiences or any other identities, and seek to learn and celebrate differences. We believe that creating an inclusive environment based on respect, trust and service are integral to how we serve clients, support the team, and achieve our mission. Read Bridging’s full Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Statement here.
CLIENTS SERVED: More than 5,000 households are served per year; more than 40% of the individuals we serve are children under 17 years of age. Nearly 80% of clients have a household annual income of less than $20,000 per year. (Based on 2022 statistics.)
VOLUNTEERS: Thousands of individual and group volunteers donate service hours each year.
Bridging’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Statement
At Bridging, we value unique backgrounds, perspectives and experiences ensuring that everyone- clients, volunteers, staff, board, donors, agency and community partners – feel that they are welcome and are a part of the Bridging community. We value the dignity and inclusion of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, abilities, sexual orientation, life experiences or any other identities, and seek to learn and celebrate differences. We believe that creating an inclusive environment based on respect, trust and service are integral to how we serve clients, support the team, and achieve our mission.
Bridging recognizes that we have a responsibility to center equity in our work. Therefore, Bridging strives to make our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging evident in our environment, policies, processes, staff, and volunteers. In order to integrate these crucial competencies throughout our organization’s culture, we commit to the following:
- Fostering an environment that supports, engages and includes people with different racial, cultural, economic, ages and religious backgrounds as well as those with varying physical abilities, gender identities and sexual orientations.
- Diversifying and tapping into partnerships beyond traditional allies and constituencies.
- Entering intercultural relationships with humility, prepared to listen, learn, follow their lead, and adapt our methods and practices to achieve mutual benefit.
- Recruiting, hiring, retaining, and developing a culturally competent team whose demographics more closely mirror those of our Twin Cities community.
- Ensuring Bridging policies and procedures are welcoming and do not further inequities.
APPROVED by Board of Directors: December, 2018, revised April, 2023
2023 Report to the Community
Dear Friends of Bridging:
I am pleased to present Bridging’s 2023 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.
In 2023, we furnished more than 5,000 homes with hope! We continue to focus on what we do best, providing a foundational home setup of quality furniture and essential household goods alongside individuals and families who are transitioning to housing stability.
I invite you to celebrate this milestone and reflect on the many community partners, volunteers, staff, and donors, like you, who make this work possible.
Enclosed you will find testimonials and important outcomes that reflect Bridging’s community impact, commitment to dignity and service excellence, and diligent efforts to foster belonging in every interaction of the Bridging experience. Learn more about how we are putting our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging statement into action at Bridging and in the community.
I am grateful for the many generous ways you participate in Bridging’s mission. Thank you for your valued partnership.
Sincerely,
Mark Wilkening
Executive Director (he/him)