A YEAR IN REVIEW: Summer 15 to

Summer 16
THE BRIDGE HOUSE
MISSION
Bridge Houses goal is to address immediate survival needs
of homeless and working poor individuals and provide
resources which lead to employment, housing, personal
stability, and healing.

Bridge House provides a range of programs and services to

help homeless individuals progress.

We offer a Bridge of Opportunity where clients can enter

and participate to the extent of their needs and capacity.

bridge of Ready to
Work
o ppo rtunity Job readiness
services
Housing
support

Access to mental & physical health

care Case management for immediate

needs
Serving Boulders Homeless & Working
Poor
Community Table bridge house
READY TO WORK: GOALS
Provide a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless
individuals who are ready to work through a work-first
model

Change the perception of homeless individuals in

the community and with employers

Address persistent barriers impacting the ability of

homeless individuals to work and find housing

Develop a sustainable, transitional employment

business model

Provide a holistic model to break expensive cycles

of homelessness, addiction, and incarceration
 Homeless

Jose
in Boulder
County 5+
years.
Heavy
user of SPRING
JULY 2016: Detox and 2015:
Accepted ER. 10+ TRT at
into years in ARC.
County prison. Enrolled in
housing. Vivitol
treatment
for
alcoholism.

SPRING
A SUCCESS

2016: The Ready to Work case

Celebrates managers were patient JULY
one year with me and my recovery. 2015:
sobriety They helped me get back Joined
Longest RTW.
on top and nally I am in
period in control of my life again.
more than Ready to Work gave me
20 years.
the chance to work
STORY

hard and change my life.

AUGUST
2015:
APRIL
Moved
2016:
into RTW
Hired full-
House
time at JANUARY
Housed
CTK. 2016:
for the
Joined debt
rst time
relief and
in 5
mentoring
years.
program.
Reunites
with
children.
RTW: PROGRAM OVERVIEW
44 trainees selected based on an
application, intake and orientation process

Trainees work in Social Enterprise and live in

housing provided by Bridge House

After 9 months of working, trainees seek full-time,

mainstream employment

After 12 months of housing, residents seek

permanent housing

Ready to Work has given me the stability to reflect

on my past and know where I want to be. I was
given the opportunity to land on my feet again after
many hard years. Now I can pursue my happiness.
Fred
RTW: A HOLISTIC MODEL

PORTSUPPORT SING HOUSING

UP OU
S H

SU

HO
INGHOUSING
ORT SUPPORT

PP

USI
CASE

ORT SUPPORT

NG HOUSIN
AFFORDABLE
MANAGEMENT , SAFE
SOBRIETY COMMUNITY

S
LIVING
P

SUPPORT

U
P

G
U

SU HO

H
S

BUDGETING
PP
ORT SUPPORT US
INGHOUSING
SKILLS
ORK WORK W
W O
RK

RK
O
RK WORK W

WO
PAID

RK WORK W
JOB IN
SOCIAL
WO

ENTERPR
RK

O
RK
WO ISE O
RK WORK W
RTW: PROGRAM SPECIFICS
Paid, transitional work in Social
Enterprise as a
stepping stone to mainstream work

Two work options landscaping for

City of Boulder and property
managers or food service with
Community Table Kitchen

Up to 29 hours a week, $8.31 an hour for

4 months, raise to $9 hour

Build resume and references

Earn and save money

Transportation provided Ecopass

during paid employment phase

Housing at 4747 Table Mesa, Boulder

Nessa
Homeless
over one
year,
BOCO
native,
Husband JUNE
died, 2015:
medical Joined
debt. RTW as
a
trainee.
A SUCCESS

Ready to Work gave me AUGUST

JUNE 2016: hope when I had none.
Launched 2015:
They showed me there Moved
jewelry
was a way out and offered into
business
and me an opportunity to get RTW
website. off the street and get house,
back to work. I believe in First
myself again. I am living cohort.
STORY

in my own apartment now

MAY 2016: and working JUNE 2015
Secured at a local bakery TO
permanent doing what I APRIL
employment 2016:
love.
at a Training
Louisville and
Bakery. Her MARCH working at
employer 2016:
gifted her a Moved Communit
car. into y Table
independ Kitchen.
ent
housing.
4747 TABLE MESA
HOUSING
Ready To Work Housing and
Employment Center
Community living for 44
people 34 men, 10
women

Paid work for up to 29

hours a week

Trainees pay room and board no This program is

more than 1/3
24/7 access of income up to
and awesome. It has a lot
$60 per week
support of structure and that
Build rental
Computer
history lab, outdoor recreation is exactly what I need
Savings
area, library for my recovery. I am
required now sober and it is
Sobriety
required working. In the
Pass health program I have
screening everything I need to
On site medical,
AA, NA succeed. The case
managers guide me
and 100% support me
PROJECTED PROGRAM
OUTCOMES
Employment 100% of trainees who enter will work,
70% will obtain full-time mainstream employment after
participation in Ready to Work

Savings 100% of trainees will save 30% of their

income or more, approximately $1,000 after 12
months

Sobriety Trainees will remain clean and sober

Housing With increased savings and mainstream

jobs, graduates of Ready to Work will find stable
housing within 3 months of completion

Identication 100% of Ready to Work participants

will have proper ID

Clean up work barriers 100% will improve

employability by working with case management to
address barriers such as criminal background and child
support
PARTICIPANT
DEMOGRAPHICS
58% 50%
OF RTW
TRAINEES OF RTW
SELF- TRAINEES
HAVE BEEN
REPORT A
HOMELESS FOR
HISTORY 6 MONTHS
OF
SUBSTANC
E ABUSE
510 OR MORE

84%
IS THE
AVERAGE
CREDIT
SCORE OF A
65%
OF HOMELESS RTW OF RTW
TRAINEE TRAINEES
ADULTS IN
HAVE BEEN
BOULDER ARE
31% INCARCERA
OF RTW
TRAINEES TED
UNEMPLOYED ARE
CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS
BUDGET BREAKDOWN

THE THE
THE COMMUNI
OF
COST COST
OF
TRAIN
A COST
TY OF A
DOING RTW
NOTHI RTW
EE:
(one year) GRADUAT
NG: E:
Up to $50K per $15K or 50% is
year estimated for earned
chronically in trainee wages

$
homeless adult funded by social
$45K per year
(USICH) $5K in social
enterprise
for prison (CO enterprise
DOC) expense
$150K per year $10K for one

0
for highest users of year
Boulder County of housing and
detox, hospital and support services
ambulance (BCPH) requires govt and
total cost: support
private $30K for
one year
Oh my
god!
What an incredible job by Chef
John and the Community Table
Kitchen crew! The food was
delicious, healthy and enjoyed
by all. I have heard so many
great comments! Thank you,
thank you. In 15 years of help-
ing organize and attending
these kinds
of events in all kinds of
locations with a variety of
caterers, and this was the
most delicious food!
CTK catering customer
PROGRESS PRIOR TO 2016
Pilot program launched in January 2012 with a 5
person crew and single landscaping work contract with
the City of Boulder

September 2013 opened Community Table Kitchen

food service Social Enterprise

2014 Increased crew to 16 positions

Over 50 graduates

August 2015 opened Ready to Work House and

Employment Center
adding housing and tripling program capacity to 44
positions

Earned Revenue in 2015 $312,000

Ready to Work has given me the opportunity to focus on my issues while I
Received
stabilize. grant to explore
I was homeless and theyregional
gave mereplication - 2016
a place to stay and a job while I get
my life back together. I am very grateful for this chance. Chris
 Long

Gilber
history of
addiction.
Employment in
construction
SUMMER OCTOBER 2015:

t
industry.
2016: Job loss Entered Bridge
Throws rst resulting in House
pitch to homelessnes Resource Center
represent s. for assistance
RTW at local with benets
baseball and
game as nding a job.
RTW
graduate.
A SUCCESS

JUNE NOVEMBER
2016: I needed help and Ready 2015:
Moved to Work was there for me. Accepted
into This program helped me by into RTW
permane giving me a job and a roof and moved
nt, over my head. After 6 into RTW
independ months in the program House.
ent they helped me nd a
STORY

housing. full time job and now I

have the chance to give
back to my community. FALL 2015:
SPRING Special crew
2016: member
Joins mentor working for
program, Open Space
regains MARCH and contract
drivers 2016: property
license. Hired Full management.
Time with
Property
Maintenanc
e at
$12 per
hour.
 MILESTONES: 1/16 - 12/16

RTW - Statistics for Trainees

who exited the Program % of total
between 1/16 to 12/16 enrolled
# of Trainees who have exited
RTW during this year period 56 56%

Trainees who entered this year

still in program *** 44 44%
*** on the path to successful
graduation
% of
eligible

Independent Housing -
Graduation Rate (some moved
into other permanent housing) 43 77%
Employment - Graduation Rate 49 88%
James Homeless for
more than
one year and
cycling in
criminal
justice JANUARY
system. 2015:
BH
Resource
Center
intake.
A SUCCESS

While I was living on the

APRIL FEBRUARY
street it was hard to nd a
2016: 2015:
job without some place to
Moved Joined
live, but Ready to Work gave
into Ready to
me a job and a place to live.
perman Work.
I felt safe for the rst time
ent
in along time. Ready to
housing
Work is a great opportunity
.
STORY

to keep you on the right

track. I have
learned so many AUGUST
new skills in the 2015:
SPRING
program. Moved into
2016:
Graduated RTW House
court after 310
straight
program. JANUARY days at
2016: Boulder
Employed at Shelter for
Community the
Table Homeless.
Kitchen.
A RECAP OF YEAR ONE
Ready To Work Housing and Employment
Center
The culture is set work is working!

Trainees consistently flourish in a work-first environment

forming positive habits and building self-esteem

Trainees are taking advantage of key program

enhancements such as
computer training, mentoring and job training

Trainees are saving and tackling nancial management

and debt relief
with the help of a new pilot initiative

RTW House is safe, clean and provides a home

environment

Social Enterprise continues to be the cornerstone of

program success and community awareness
DID YOU
KNOW
2016 YTD
SAVINGS

$11. FOR RTW

TRAINEES

$17,7
TRAINEES
AVERAGE
RATING OF

60
3.
95 RTW
PROGRAM:
IS THE AVERAGE
WAGE FOR AN RTW SOCIAL
RTW ENTERPRISE OR VERY

46
0
GRADUATE IN
EARNS GOOD
A

$17
MAINSTREAM OF THE

%
JOB TOTAL
BH
BUDGET

3K
TRAINEES
PAY 1/3 OF
THEIR INCOME
IN RENT.
$26
9K
2016 YTD

EARNED YTD
PAID RENT IS

BY $5
RTW
OUTDO 9K EARNED YTD
BY
OR
CREW COMMUNITY
Should it Pass
I hope my homelessness doesnt put you off your
stride.
I understand when you avoid looking
in my eyes. For should this cup pass
to you,

I will lift you up, those upon the street

drink from a different cup.

I hope my sleepless eyes dont bother

you to much. Im older than I was a
week ago, believe me I know. Sleep is
hard to come by with a hard floor to
touch. For should this cup pass to you,

I will lift you up, those upon the street

drink from a different cup.