Five Key Areas of Healthy Living
Education
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest "- Benjamin Franklin
Equipping Families to Address Educational Needs of Children
Our partnerships with community providers and local schools can
enable parents to get the assistance
they need in areas such as:
pre-K Prep, IEP support, and tutoring.
High School Diploma and G.E.D
There are several great resources
in our community to assist adults
who have not finished high school
and would like to do so.
We will work with adults wishing to achieve this goal to motivate them
and to make connections to providers
to help make this dream a reality.
Vocational Training and Degree Studies
Our community is rich in higher education options and often families need direction in finding a path to engage in these resources.
Enrollment in local colleges can help our families overcome unemployment and underemployment issues.
Physical Health
"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity" - JFK
Preventative Health
Our community has much to offer
local families when it comes to
learning about how to eat healthy,
achieve fitness and exercise goals,
lose excess weight, and reduce stress.
Our goal is to help families do all
they can to be pro-active regarding
the physical health status of their
families.
Treated and Untreated Illnesses
While some health issues are being addressed, many illnesses are left untreated due to lack of education
and/or resources.
Bridges for Life provides families with support and advocacy in getting the
care and attention they need.
Holistic Care and Alternative Treatment
Traditional and modern medicine can work together as research supports the validity and success of many alternative forms of treatment.
Our community offers much in this area and Bridges for Life partners with providers offering these services.
Mental Health
"Your illness is not your identity. Your chemistry is not your character" - Rick Warren
Substance Abuse
We know this is a grave issue in
our community and is a primary
thrust of our work. We believe that individuals facing addiction issues
need both compassion and care to
rise above their struggle.
Bridges for Life seeks to equip and empower those suffering from
addiction by engaging with them personally and connecting them to
the care they need to begin or
support their recovery.
Emotional Health
Physical health issues often manifest
in visible symptoms while mental
illness can hide behind many faces.
The consequences of untreated
emotional disorders can be
debilitating and even deadly.
We wish to make every effort to
strengthen families by easing access
to the very outstanding mental health community in our area.
Support Systems
"Support" means different things to different people but every family needs strong support systems. For some, it is found in their faith community and for others in traditional support groups.
Our community is equipped with unbelievable resources in this area. We work alongside families to identify the supports they have and develop the connections they need.
Personal Finance
"Money flows out of the hands of those who don't know how to manage it into the hands of those who do...that is why its called currency" - Dave Ramsey
Employment and Career Building
For a number of reasons, many
families struggle to secure and
maintain gainful employment.
While some families are receiving
deserved assistance, many are able
to work and provide for their family
but face real struggles to do so.
Bridges for Life partners with employment agencies and local
businesses to make connections
and advocate for those facing unemployment issues.
Personal Finance 101
Setting up a bank account, filing
taxes, managing spending, and
finding resources to save money.
Basic concepts yes, but for many
these concepts are foreign.
We assist families in laying a
sound financial foundation in order
to build a stronger, poverty-free
future.
Personal Finance 201
Going beyond the basics, a lack of education and understanding regarding more complex financial issues is a barrier for many families.
Bridges for Life aims to educate and assist families with "next level" finance management such as: insurance, savings, investments, buying a house, debt reduction, and making a will.
Interpersonal Relationships/Social Skills
Marriage and the Family
It has been said that there is nothing
better than a good marriage and
nothing worse than a bad one.
Learning to live a productive married
life is not easy and often requires
help and support.
At Bridges for Life, we believe in the
power of a strong marriage and how
it deeply impacts every area of living.
Our team works with traditional and blended families on important
marital issues such as: finances,
intimacy, communication, and
problem solving.
Parenting
Raising children is no easy task and
while it may or may not take a village
to do so, it does take patience, compassion, consistency, and determination. Staying the course
can be difficult when unexpected challenges come. We work with
biological parents as well as foster families, grandparents, aunts, and
uncles as they often step into this
role when children are displaced.
Life Skills
One's ability to communicate, address conflict, problem solve, and manage emotions is vital when it comes to building quality relationships. Many times families struggle with these skills and personal conflict arises making life at home or work difficult.
We believe that these skills are just that...skills. Subsequently, skills are learned and with education, practice, and support, families can see real change.