On a Friday evening in 1988, Geoff and Ginger Worden of Summit, NJ, set off to New York City in the vicinity of the Brooklyn Bridge with soup, sandwiches, and coffee hoping to provide connection and support to persons experiencing homelessness. As Geoff Worden recalls, “When we got ready to leave, they thanked us profusely and showered us with ‘God Bless You’. And we responded ‘And God Bless You, we’ll see you next Friday!’ When we did in fact return the next Friday, they were amazed.” That connection under the Brooklyn Bridge was the catalyst for Bridges.

35 years later, Bridges continues to provide weekly street support and has also expanded its outreach with case management to help people experiencing homelessness obtain identity documents, enroll in benefits, obtain housing vouchers and diversion support to prevent imminent homelessness through a growing number of programs.