COMMUNITY BRIDGES MOVES TO SERVE MORE GIRLS AND BECOME A VITAL PARTNER IN SEVEN LOCAL SCHOOLS

Community Bridges, a nonprofit organization that provides multicultural empowerment and leadership programs for diverse girls in the Montgomery County, Maryland community, has kicked off 2013-14 school year in seven area schools including Broad Acres and Rolling Terrace Elementary, Silver Spring International, Neelsville and White Oak Middle, and Montgomery Blair and Springbrook High. Under the leadership of their new Executive Director, Cynthia James, Community Bridges has shifted its focus to serve more girls in fewer schools and expand its impact strategy to the surrounding communities.

Since its founding in 1997, CB has served almost 2,200 girls in Montgomery County, with the mission of empowering diverse girls to become exceptional students, positive leaders and healthy young women through afterschool programming, field trips and out of school activities. This school year Community Bridges new strategy seeks to apply a two-generation approach, planning to serve 200 girls and 250 families. 

 “We are very excited about the program changes we have implemented this year. This change is one of several steps we have taken under Cynthia’s leadership which will help ensure the organization become a larger presence in each school, while turning away fewer girls that are eager to participate in Community Bridges’ programming,” says Elizabeth Dahan, Board Chair of Community Bridges.  

In addition, Community Bridges’ Fall Fundraiser on November 7 will serve as the formal kick-off its Sponsor-A-Girl campaign. Sponsor-A-Girl allows area businesses and organizations to provide the financial support that will enable girls from low-income or immigrant backgrounds to participate in Community Bridges. A number of companies in the area have already pledged support for Sponsor-A-Girl, including Statland & Katz, Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring, and Walmart whose gift supports 22 of the 200 girls participating in the program during the 2013-14 school year.

“Our Fall Fundraiser provides a tremendous opportunity to honor two incredible women, Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards and Springbrook High School counselor Karen Greger, who day-in and day-out on both a local and national level work tirelessly on behalf of girls and women,” says Community Bridges Executive Director Cynthia L. James. “The Fundraiser also brings together the people who make Community Bridges the successful organization it is today – our families and girls, staff and board, County leaders and elected officials, and our many supporters throughout this community.”

Community Bridges believes that every girl has the potential to succeed if provided with the resources and exposure to opportunities within her reach. Through a variety of programs, Community Bridges supports low-income, immigrant, and/or minority girls from fourth grade through high school and their families, providing them with access to the experiences, opportunities, people, and ideas that will help them to be successful in their lives.

For more information about tickets to the Fall Fundraiser or Sponsor-A-Girl, contact Community Bridges at (301) 585-7155 or visit us online at http://communitybridges-md.org/.

Tickets to the Community Bridges Fall Fundraiser are $50 and $100. Area businesses and organizations can also sponsor a girl in the program for $1,597/year or just $134/month.