Churches build lots of bridges between their congregations and the communities in which they worship. Americans are used to seeing members of many denominations helping victims of disasters, poverty and other hardships.
In Montezuma County, three area churches are building a bridge to help the areas homeless people.
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Grace Fellowship EFCA and Mancos United Methodist Church have joined the Bridge Bag project, an effort to help the Bridge Emergency Shelter keep people out of the cold.
Bridge Bags are small, canvas bags, like the bags that people use to put groceries in. The bags are artfully decorated with the words The Bridge Emergency Shelter and the shelters logo.
Churchgoers can pick up a bag at their church, purchase an item or two at a grocery store and return the bag to the church, said Sara Wakefield, executive director of the Bridge.
The bags are small, Wakefield said. Were not asking for much. One item if you can afford it, or if you have an extra (item) sitting at home; or two items if you want to.
The Bridge has a shopping list that congregation members can use, Wakefield said. Many of the items on the list are not food.
Its the things we use the most every night, like coffee, powdered Gatorade were trying to get people rehydrated cleaning supplies, bleach-based cleansers for the shelter to keep things sanitary, laundry soap and dish soap, and personal hygienic items, she said.
The Bridge Emergency Shelter serves homeless men and women in Montezuma and Dolores counties. The shelter cannot serve people under 18 years old.
We are operating to lessen the harm of poverty and addiction in our community, Wakefield said. The Bridge services cost less to operate than the jail and hospital money, so we can actually save taxpayer money by keeping people out of those places. There are a lot of causes for homelessness, addiction being one of them.
I think we provide a very valuable service to clients obviously having trouble navigating how to get help. We really help put the pieces together for people.
Not all of the Bridges clients have troubles with addiction, Wakefield said. Some are just completely down on their luck financially.
We have a whole range of clients, she said. Some people just need a little something. Some people need a lot. We have a whole range of different things we see walk through our doors.
Operating October through April at 601 N. Mildred Road, Cortez, in the back of the Justice Building, the Bridge helps keep homeless people from freezing to death in Southwest Colorado winters. Considering homeless people have been found frozen to death in Cortez parks and alleys, the need for a shelter like the Bridge is serious.
During the 2010-2011 season, the Bridge supported 225 needy people, provided 3,254 nights of shelter, served 4,330 meals and logged 1,550 volunteer hours.
The Bridge provides two hot meals, dinner and breakfast, along with safe shelter, storage space for personal belongings, showers, and access to a phone and laundry facilities. With four rooms for men and one for women, the shelter can house up to 35 people per night.
To help its clients, the Bridge has about 50 to 60 Bridge Bags, Wakefield said. The collaboration with local churches started several weeks ago, and its off to a good start.
Its been real nice for us to build relationships with faith-based organizations, she said.
Local churches response to the fledgling Bridge Bag project has been positive so far, Wakefield said.
We had a full (car) trunk load from St. Barnabas, she said. Were stocking up with things that are nonperishable, things that we need to operate the shelter.
Those donations will help homeless people in the area, Wakefield said.
The clients will directly benefit from the Bridge Bags, from having a safe, clean facility sanitary to hot coffee in the morning and personal hygiene items, she said.
The Bridge, which will open Oct. 15, hopes to serve families this year in addition to adult men and women, Wakefield said.
Also this year, Axis Health System plans to work with the shelter to provide a substance support group and, hopefully, lead people to additional help to end substance abuse. And the Bridge is entering a contract with the Navajo Nation to transport people to long-term addiction recovery services in Shiprock, N.M., at a facility in which clients might stay 30, 60 or 90 days.
The shelter has served as an overnight detoxification center, but working with Axis Health System and the Navajo Nation could build a bridge to possible recovery.
We dont want to be the Band-Aid, Wakefield said. We want to be the bridge.
The Bridge needs volunteers, Wakefield said. To volunteer, contact the Bridge at 565-9808 or [email protected].
Sources: The Bridge Emergency Shelter.
Russell Smyth is managing editor of the Cortez Journal. He can be reached at 564-6030 or [email protected].
