SAN FRANCISCO (November 10, 2023) BRIDGE Housing – one of the leading affordable housing providers on the West Coast – celebrated its 40th anniversary this week at a gala luncheon that raised more than $1.2M to fund the group’s critical housing support and related services.
More than 200 people attended the event at the historic Palace Hotel, which featured a look back at the thousands of lives impacted over the past 40 years, and a look forward to new challenges and opportunities to come as BRIDGE pursues its mission of building and revitalizing communities at scale.
Guests included a range of dignitaries, partners, team members, supporters, and scholarship recipients. Among them were former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, former BRIDGE President and CEO Carole Galante, and Rick Holliday, a BRIDGE founder.
Co-presenting sponsors, Portrait Construction and U.S. Bank, trailblazing sponsor, Nibbi Brothers General Contractors, and 52 additional event sponsors and partners were recognized for their tremendous commitment to BRIDGE and the communities it serves. With their support, BRIDGE has transformed communities from San Diego to Seattle by delivering more than 21,000 homes, with $2B of projects in the pipeline or underway.
“BRIDGE communities are home to more than 30,000 people, who live in modern apartments and, just as importantly, healthy communities,” said Ken Lombard, BRIDGE President and CEO. “We have expanded resident services in ways that not only improve people’s lives, but transform them.”
Tuesday’s event also highlighted the incredible strides of BRIDGE scholars, who are residents of BRIDGE properties of all ages who wish to pursue educational and career goals. BRIDGE has awarded a total of $3.5M in scholarships to more than 450 residents, ranging in age from 16 to 72, giving them a pathway to success. During Tuesday’s luncheon, several of this year’s 55 awardees shared their experiences and what these opportunities mean to them.
Joe Slocum, a 2023 BRIDGE Scholar, grew up with his mother living at a BRIDGE community in San Francisco, where he still lives today with his wife and two young children. After earning his MBA and playing basketball overseas, Slocum is now pursuing his Doctor of Health Administration.
“This scholarship is life changing for me and my family,” Slocum said. “I am grateful for the support from BRIDGE, which empowers me to take advantage of academic opportunities that can transform my family’s life. Not having to worry about tuition and finances on top of raising a family gives me the fuel to finish my degree and achieve my dreams.”
Founded in 1983, BRIDGE is still driven by the core beliefs that everyone should have access to safe, stable and affordable housing that enables them to pursue the lives they envision for themselves and their loved ones.
“There’s no room for the status quo,” Lombard said. “The urgency of our housing challenge calls for innovation, discipline, and commitment to truly make a difference and create change.”
BRIDGE recognizes and thanks the following event sponsors: Saarman Construction, Ltd., Ron and Mary Nahas, BH Properties, Walsh Construction Co., Robert and Sharon Freed, National Equity Fund, AvalonBay Communities, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., The Kripamayi Foundation, in honor of Vimla and Sumer Aggarwal, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase & Co., J.H. Fitzmaurice, Inc., Yardi, Wells Fargo Bank, Walton Construction, Inc., Van Meter Williams Pollack LLP, Urban Renaissance Group, TWM Architects + Planners, Swinerton Builders, Sunrun, Sheppard Mullin, Schnitzer Novack Foundation, R.D. Olson Construction, Partner Engineering and Science, Inc., Marketstaff, Inc., Marin Community Foundation, Lubin Olson & Niewiadomski LLP, LMC Construction, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP, Enterprise Community Partners, Deacon Construction, and CohnReznick.
Follow this link for additional event photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB2wPN