The Bridge Family Center has learned that the organization has been awarded a $300,000 operating support grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

The Bridge Family Center. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

A sigificant grant awarded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to West Hartford-based Bridge Family Center will allow the organization to deepen its mission, including enhancing support for the mental health needs of the community.

The $300,000 grant, which will be spread over a three-year period, was awarded after a rigorous review and proposal process through the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

“It is an honor to receive a General Operating Support grant from the Hartford Foundation. It is an endorsement of our mission and of our health as an organization in terms of our governance, our fiscal health, and the quality of our programs,” Bridge Executive Director Margaret Hann said. “We are eternally grateful for the ongoing support we receive from the Foundation on so many levels. This grant will help us respond to the needs of the children, youth, and families we serve and allow us to continue to dream big.”

This is the second time that the Bridge has been awarded an operating support grant. “It’s a huge source of pride for us,” said Amanda Aronson, the organization’s director of Marketing and Communications.

The Bridge will be finalizing its strategic plan for the future this spring, and while the grant is not earmarked for any specific purpose, the funds will afford the organization more opportunity for growth and the ability to meet the changing needs of the community, especially in support of mental health.

The Bridge currently operates counseling centers in West Hartford, Avon, and Rockville – accommodating the needs of adults as well as children. The organization also provides before- and after-school care and congregant care for the Department of Children and Families.

“The Hartford Foundation sees our general operating support grants as a critical tool to help organizations achieve their missions,” Erika Frank, community investments officer, said in a statement. “This grant to the Bridge will not only allow the organization to continue providing quality services to the region’s children and families, but will also give the Bridge flexibility to explore infrastructure enhancements and new programming to meet community needs.”

For more information more information about the Bridge, visit www.bridgefamilycenter.org.

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