Bridges out of Poverty (or "Bridges" for short) offers a framework for people of all economic classes and backgrounds to understand poverty, build a shared language, and work together to create an environment where everyone can live well.
The Bridges model is used in 35 states and 7 countries. Communities that embrace Bridges concepts often do the following things:
Build
Build a network of certified Bridges trainers
Train
Train professionals from all sectors (nonprofit, for-profit, finance, healthcare, education, faith-based, manufacturing, etc.)
Support
Support Getting Ahead graduates with long-term Staying Ahead initiatives
Embed
Embed Bridges concepts in all sectors
Form
Form a steering committee
Grow
Grow a network of certified "Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin' - By World" tainers
Gather
Gather, share, and monitor data
Conduct
Conduct Getting Ahead workshops with community members experiencing poverty
Who We Are
North Country Bridges is a collaborative effort across community sectors in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties, nestled in Upstate New York's Lake Ontario, Thousand Islands, and Adirondacks regions. Whether you are someone who has been trained in Bridges and wants to "do something more," or this website is your first exposure to Bridges concepts, we invite you to learn more