SANTA CRUZ — A new nonprofit that helps Santa Cruz County public defender clients pay for small but important needs will hold its public launch Aug. 20 at Natural Bridges Farm.
The BRIDGE Foundation of Santa Cruz County provides money for such items as phones, bus passes, work boots, socks, luggage locks, journals and 12-step books. It also helps pay educational, treatment and therapy costs that public funding does not cover. The average grant is $75.
The foundation has operated quietly during a pilot period, raising more than $10,000 in seed funding. It has provided more than $1,200 in direct support to 16 adults and young people.
“The obstacles that keep people stuck are often surprisingly small — a phone, a pair of work boots, a bus pass,” said Heather Rogers, the Santa Cruz County public defender and a co-founder of the foundation. “None of those things are expensive, but not having them can change everything. BRIDGE exists to remove barriers when it matters most.”
A working phone is the most common request received by the foundation. A phone allows someone to hear back about a job, receive court reminders, communicate with an attorney and stay connected to treatment programs. The foundation has also paid an enrollment fee so a person could begin court-ordered community service.
BRIDGE officials said a criminal case can affect more than a person’s freedom. It can lead to the loss of housing, employment, transportation, treatment or family connections. Small practical problems can make it harder for people to rebuild their lives.
The grants are not intended to solve every problem a person faces. Instead, they provide support at a key moment so the person can take the next step toward recovery or rehabilitation.
One grant paid for a young person to attend an introductory session of equine-assisted therapy. The young person had struggled to connect with traditional talk therapy and wanted to try working with horses. After another community member learned about the session, that person offered to pay for a full year of treatment.
“That grant wasn’t remarkable because it was large,” said Athena Reis, vice president of the BRIDGE Foundation. “It was remarkable because someone else saw what one session made possible and stepped forward to fund an entire year. We’re learning that one of the most valuable things we can do at BRIDGE is connect people who have specific needs to community members who want to help meet them.”
The foundation recently received a $5,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to expand its help for children, young people and families affected by the criminal legal system. The money will help cover summer camps, sports fees, school supplies and other educational and enrichment opportunities.
The Aug. 20 event will mark the beginning of full operations and a larger fundraising campaign. BRIDGE is seeking support from individuals, businesses, foundations and community organizations.
The event is being held in partnership with the Homeless Garden Project, which has operated an organic farm at Natural Bridges since 1990. The nonprofit provides paid transitional employment, job training, support services and community connections to people experiencing homelessness.
The two organizations serve many of the same people, although they provide different forms of help.
“Partnering with the BRIDGE Foundation to launch this innovative initiative was a natural fit,” said Darrie Ganzhorn, executive director of the Homeless Garden Project. “Not only do we serve many of the same individuals—more than 90% of our trainees have had some involvement with the justice system—but we share a deep belief in the power of community.”
The launch and fundraiser will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Natural Bridges Farm, near Shaffer Road and Delaware Avenue in Santa Cruz. The event will include food, drinks, live music and door prizes.
Willy Elliott-McCrea, community leader and former CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, will speak about community and transformation. A participant in the Homeless Garden Project’s transitional employment program will also speak.
The suggested donation is $45, which would cover more than half of an average BRIDGE grant. A $75 donation could fund one full grant. Donations will benefit both the BRIDGE Foundation and the Homeless Garden Project.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite. More info is available at bridgefoundationsantacruz.com.
TOP PHOTO: Volunteers pitch in at the Homeless Garden Project.