Important Update on Bridge of Hope Services in Lancaster and in Chester County

To our Bridge of Hope friends in Lancaster and in Chester County,

Bridge of Hope began serving families facing homelessness over 30 years ago here in Lancaster and Chester Counties!  Today, Bridge of Hope is serving families in 19 locations across 12 states.  What sets Bridge of Hope apart from other homeless service organizations is the emphasis on Neighboring – building social capital and tangible support through a group of Neighboring Volunteers from a local church or Christian faith community who provide connections for employment, housing, and other resources.  The model provides a homeless buffering system to ensure that families achieve stable housing and receive both tangible support and comprehensive services that result in long-term solutions to homelessness.  Bridge of Hope has proven to be consistently effective in ending and preventing family homelessness.

In 2017 the former Bridge of Hope Lancaster and Chester Counties affiliate merged with Good Samaritan Services. In August 2019, Good Samaritan Services decided to stop offering the Bridge of Hope program as part of their services. Our goal is to ensure that Bridge of Hope will continue to be offered in Lancaster and Chester counties, a place where churches and communities desire to support their neighbors, demonstrating Christ’s love.

Effective September 2019, Bridge of Hope National will now be operating two local Bridge of Hope programs – one in Lancaster County and another in Chester County. The staff will be part of the Bridge of Hope National team, and advisory boards will oversee the work in each county.  This is consistent with how other national organizations operate within their founding regions and will best expedite our services and provide ongoing continuity to families facing homelessness and churches in these areas. We wish Good Samaritan Services success in their own mission as we both work in this challenging world where homelessness is still a reality.

We look forward to expanding the work of Bridge of Hope locally. If your church is interested in Neighboring with Bridge of Hope to end family homelessness in your community, please contact us at 717-207-8932 or 610-280-0280.

As always, we welcome your ongoing financial support for our National initiatives (www.BridgeofHopeInc.org) as well as our new local program locations. Donations for our local program work can be made online www.Lancaster.BridgeofHopeInc.org or www.ChesterCounty.BridgeofHopeInc.org or mailed to Bridge of Hope, PO Box 304, Exton, PA, 19341-0304

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.  I, Edith, can be reached at edithy@bridgeofhopeinc.org or 610-280-0280, ext. 1003.  I would welcome hearing from you.

Churches Respond. Homelessness Ends. Hope Begins!

Doug Martin
Board Chair
Edith Yoder
Executive Director