Ricardo’s kindergarten memory & two cheers for Toledo, Ohio

February 16, 2021

Ricardo remembers being confused when his kindergarten teacher helped the whole class to memorize their home addresses. His “home” was anywhere his mommy parked the car on a given night. Ricardo’s mom remembers her heart breaking when he asked her what address their car was. But she also remembers his pride when Bridge of Hope helped them move into their apartment and Ricardo memorized his new address, proudly reciting it to everyone he met, “5309 East Walnut Street”! Ricardo was home!

Thank you for helping children like Ricardo have a place to call home.

This month is African American History Month and here’s a piece of history for you: Sarah Goode, the first African-American woman to receive a United States patent in 1885, was born in Toledo, Ohio (the first cheer!). She owned a furniture store in Chicago and heard from customers about the tight living spaces in tenement buildings where rental housing was scarce. The footprint of a typical apartment, often shared by large extended families, was three rooms with a total of 300-400 square feet. Tenement housing was typical for urban, middle and working class families in Sarah’s day.

Her invention – a folding cabinet bed and precursor of the Murphy bed – helped people living in tight spaces to have a bed at night and a storage cabinet by day. I love the innovative and practical thinking, embodied by Sarah Goode’s solution, to a crisis in housing for families. It makes me curious what innovations we might see emerge today as we face another rental housing crisis in our country.

And here’s a second cheer for Toledo, Ohio: a warm welcome to New Life Church of God in Christ who joined the Bridge of Hope network and will soon be serving families in their community. We are excited to partner with Bishop Edward T. Cook and his congregation!

Because of you, Ricardo and his mommy have a place to call home. And families across the country are walking through their front door, with Bridge of Hope and local churches, from Toledo, OH to your own community!

 

Edith Yoder
Chief Executive Officer

 

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Ricardo’s kindergarten memory & two cheers for Toledo, Ohio