Save the date! Wednesday, June 13, 2012 for 

Shortcakes on the Blacktop 

What is better to eat than fresh strawberries on a homemade shortcake topped with whipped cream?  At Shortcakes on the Blacktop, you can order your own delicious Strawberry Shortcake and help raise money for good organizations like Bridges!

Each year, the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint James, our generous host who provides us with space and support, sponsors this event of behalf of St. Margaret’s House, Habitat for Humanity and St. Joseph County Bridges Out of Poverty.

Tickets are just $5 each. And they sell fast, so you can prepay; just give us a call at 246-0533.  

Join us for our Monday, May 14^th Networking Meeting to share our life stories. Nimbilasha (Nimbi) Cushing, dedicated ally and writer, will be sharing excerpts from her new book Come ThisWay —There Is An Exit and leading a discussion on writing our own life stories.

Who knew South Bend’s Getting Ahead Graduates had so much talent?

At our February Networking Meeting, we turned our serious format into a fun night of Talent Show Auditions.

Fourteen brave and talented men and women shared with us their many talents.  We enjoyed poets reciting their own original pieces, a dramatic reading, and several compelling gospel singers, at least one worthy of competing on American Idol!   Some highlights:

Our panel of judges included (move over Jennifer Lopez!) our most dedicated ally Nimbi Cushing, Bridges’ accountant Janet Bonham, our Getting Ahead Drug Court partner Eric Ivory, and from our wonderful business sponsor, Specialized Staffing, were Joanne Camacho and Theresa Blake. The judges had a tough job in choosing the top 8 performances to move in to the finals in March, who will be competing for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd prizes.

You won’t want to miss next month’s exciting conclusion.  We hope you can make it…

Same date: Second Monday of the Month (March 12)

Same time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with dinner first and the talent show around 6 p.m.

Same place:  First United Methodist Church; 333 N. Main St. (Enter the basement on the Madison Street side)

True or False?

1. Poor adults are 5 times more likely to be in bad health than adults in the highest-income group.

2. Children in poor families are about 7 times more likely to be in poor or fair health than those in highest-income families.

3. Poor adults are two times more likely to have diabetes and 50% more likely to die from heart disease.

4. U.S. businesses lose more than $1 trillion a year in productivity due to chronic illness.

5. Per person, the U.S. spends more than twice the average of other industrialized countries on health care – 16% of our GDP in 2006 – yet has some of the worst health outcomes?

6. Although typically poorer, recent Latino immigrants are healthier than the average American. However, those who have lived in the U.S. five years or longer are 50% more likely to have high blood pressure and almost 40% more likely to be obese.

The answer to all is true…. Research links overall health to economic stability, education, safe and affordable housing, nutrition/food security, and other factors. Find out more at the Bridges Into Health workshop!

Can you help?

We have Getting Ahead Graduates and community members who have asked for financial assistance so they can attend our Feb. 24th Bridges Into Health workshop.

So we are asking you for help with full and partial scholarships.  The $50 workshop fee includes materials, refreshments and lunch.

Your support for $50, $25, $10… will help us get people to attend six hours of outstanding information from a national presenter, Terie Dreussi-Smith.

To donate, just click on the donate button here on our webpage, or drop a check in the mail. Thanks for your help!