San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie joins BRIDGE leaders, scholars, and alumni to celebrate a program that has awarded $4.6 million to support post-secondary education for over 500 residents
SAN FRANCISCO (September 28, 2026) – BRIDGE Housing, the leading nonprofit affordable housing provider on the West Coast, was joined by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, partners, supporters, and residents at a gala luncheon on Thursday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its impactful scholarship program, which has enabled more than 500 residents to pursue post-secondary education.
The event raised more than $1 million to support the scholarship program, which has awarded a total of $4.6 million to BRIDGE residents, enabling them to pursue educational programs ranging from skills training to doctoral studies. The scholarships help alleviate the financial burden of tuition and expenses including books, computers, meal plans, transportation, and child care.
“Our work has always been about more than creating affordable housing,” said Ken Lombard, President and CEO of BRIDGE Housing. “Providing financial support for education is one of the clearest ways BRIDGE can help expand what’s possible for our residents. We’re proud to celebrate 25 years of a program that opens doors and puts dreams within reach.”
“BRIDGE Housing was founded right here in San Francisco, and for more than four decades, they have laid the foundation for stronger families, stronger neighborhoods, and a stronger city,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “By investing in not just housing but in our communities, they help residents pursue their dreams and families build a future in the city we all love. That is the future my administration is working to build. We announced a rent relief package to help families stay in their homes, passed the Family Zoning Plan to make room for more homes, and are moving major affordable housing developments forward. But government cannot do this work alone, which is why partners like BRIDGE Housing are so critical. Congratulations to the scholars we celebrated last week and to BRIDGE Housing on 25 years of scholarship investments and 25 years of modeling what’s possible when stable housing is paired with opportunity.”
In addition to Mayor Lurie, who has made housing affordability and expanding educational pathways top priorities, the festive luncheon featured scholarship recipients who shared stories about growing up in BRIDGE communities and the transformative impact of the scholarships on themselves and their families.
“Investing in the aspirations and potential of our residents is core to BRIDGE’s mission,” said BRIDGE Board Chairman Kenneth Novack. “This milestone is a celebration of our incredible scholars, as well as our donors, whose vision created the program and whose generosity is strengthening it for the next generation.”
The Alan and Ruth Stein Educational Assistance Program was established in 2001 by BRIDGE’s founding Chairman Alan Stein and his wife, Ruth. It was later joined by two other programs supporting BRIDGE residents. The Kent L. Colwell Scholarship was founded in 2017 in honor of the former BRIDGE board member, and the Kripamayi Scholarship was founded in 2022 to honor the life and legacy of Vimla and Sumer Aggarwal.
BRIDGE scholarship recipients have used their awards to pursue degrees and training in business, nursing, social work, public health, and criminal justice, among other fields. They have attended trade schools, community colleges and four-year universities such as UC Berkeley and Columbia University. The program has grown from 10 scholarships in 2001 to 55 grants totaling more than $380,000 this year.
Sayri Velasquez Mendez, a lifelong resident of BRIDGE’s Trestle Glen community south of San Francisco, said her Stein Scholarship has transformed her outlook on her future. High school was a challenge as she worked two jobs to save for college in the hope of sparing her mother the financial burden.
“Being able to worry less about money and really pursue my interests will make my college experience more well-rounded,” said Sayri, a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara who aspires to work in the nonprofit sector. “It was an unexpected blessing, and I’m super grateful that I have assurance that the next couple of years will be okay.”
Jaylen Curtis, who lives at BRIDGE’s Evermont community in South Los Angeles, is a freshman at Sacramento State thanks to a BRIDGE scholarship. The oldest of four children raised by a single mother, he sees the opportunity as his path out of a historically disadvantaged neighborhood.
“I grew up in the inner city, in South Central, so this will be something different for me. I’m very excited for the new journey,” Jaylen said. “I’m proud to be the first in my family to go to college. I want to be a light to show my siblings that going to college would be great for them.”
Annual fundraising supplements the three scholarship funds. This year’s largest donors were Haven Housing and Nibbi Brothers General Contractors. BRIDGE also partners with 10,000 Degrees, a Bay Area nonprofit that connects scholars with trained advisors and more than 100 additional scholarship opportunities.
The scholarships are part of BRIDGE’s expansive program of 400 resident services that help promote economic mobility and personal growth. Jaylen also participated in the Building Bridges program, a growing partnership with Harbor Freight Tools for Schools to give young BRIDGE residents hands-on training in welding and carpentry, plus a paycheck and a chance to earn valuable industry credentials. In three years, the Building Bridges program has expanded from a single summer session with 17 students to year-round sessions with 120 participants.
The expansion of the scholarship program, Building Bridges, and a financial literacy program led by Esusu, among other resident services, reflects BRIDGE’s growing impact. The organization is on track to add 5,100 affordable units under its 2024-2027 strategic plan. BRIDGE has also launched an impact fund targeting $350 million in investment and formed Brighthaven Communities, a joint venture with Avanath Capital to provide best-in-class property management for affordable and workforce housing communities.
For more information and ways to donate, please visit: https://bridgehousing.com/donate/
About BRIDGE Housing
BRIDGE Housing Corporation is a leading nonprofit owner, developer, and manager of high-quality affordable housing on the West Coast, with a mission to strengthen communities and improve lives. Founded in 1983, BRIDGE Housing has participated in the creation of more than 24,000 affordable homes in California, Oregon, and Washington, with a total development cost of $7 billion. Its current $4.8 billion portfolio totals about 15,500 apartments that are home to nearly 35,000 residents, and thousands more units are in the development pipeline. For more information, visit https://bridgehousing.com/.
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