SJC Bridges

“Out of poverty, but how?”

“Out of poverty, but how?  They try … and keep trying in Bridges program.”

This was the headline on the December 3^rd front-page article on our organization in the South Bend Tribune (SBT).  Indeed, how do we build the bridge out of poverty?

A December 16^th SBT editorial about SJC Bridges went on to say: It’s unfortunate that discussions about eliminating poverty too often offer pat answers that ignore the vastness of a problem that cycles through generation after generation. Easy fixes ignore the culture of poverty and fail to understand the awful depths of it, the enormity of getting out of it.

SJC Bridges is going beyond “pat answers and easy fixes” to find ways to break the cycle of generational poverty.  One thing we have learned from our three exciting years of engaging in this work is that we find answers together. In 2011 we have expanded to more than 60 partners from across the community.

When Phil DeVol, author of the Bridges material, was here in November, he asked the question, “Can we have communities where everyone lives well?”  We believe that we can find our way to “yes.”  (In the photo Phil, on the right, talks with Graduate Howard Anderson.)

The SBT editorial on December 16 went on say:

The nonprofit Bridges clearly isn’t just about giving a person a job: It’s about helping people on the journey  to self-sufficiency, with all the expectations and responsibilities that entails. So far, in a few years, a number of area residents have connected with Bridges, including more than 88 graduates of its financial management class and more than 400 graduates of its Getting Ahead class.

That’s an exciting start for the people who have been affected and for the community that will be strengthened, too.

At a time of shrinking resources, increased vulnerability for families and greater fear among the middle class, we need approaches that will strengthen our sense of community and create effective strategies for building a wide, strong and enduring bridge out of poverty.  We can do this together.

As you consider worthy organizations to donate to this year, please consider SJC Bridges. 

We thank you for your support in 2011.  We look forward to more good work together in 2012.

Come Join us in 2012!

Mark you calendars! Our next Monthly networking meeting is on January 9th from 5:30 to 7:30 at the First United Methodist Church (333 N. Main Street, South Bend, IN, 46601). Please enter through the side door (off of Madison Street). If you are interested in volunteering or becoming a new ally please call Mara at 574.246.0533.

We would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New year.

From you friends at SJC Bridges Out of Poverty!

August through October MNM Summary

Have you missed any of our recent Monthly Networking Meetings? 

We have hit record high number of attendees − an average of 122 people for the last three Networking Meetings!  We’ve had outstanding speakers,  lots of support from allies (total of 81!) and many dedicated graduates that continue to work on their goals.

Graduates tell us they learn important things at each meeting and feel more connected to the community.  Here’s what one graduate wrote on her evaluation:The speakers and the networking is awesome.  Wonderful job with community information being available.  Thanks!

Here is a summary:

In August, the topic was health care.  We had a total of 130 attendees, including 64 grads and 44 allies.  Our speakers included a panel of health care experts.  Brandon Zabukovic, family physician at Center for Homeless, Solenia Carr, Executive Director for Bendix Family Physicians, Jaime Murphy, Regional Account Executive Memorial Community Health Alliance, Clara Kyle, social worker Indiana Health Center and Jacob Hughes from the Minority Health Coalition.   The Minority Health Coalition performed free health screenings.

Grads and allies came together to discuss community resources for health care. Gary Brown, our partner at Memorial’s Community Health Enhancement (CHE), helped facilitate the evening and worked with us develop the survey for graduates to better understand how they are approaching their health care. Here is some of what we found:

• 54% have been told they have High Blood Pressure
• 37% do not have a Primary Care doctor
• 21% prefer to go to the Emergency Room rather than a doctor’s office
• 37% go to the doctor only if it is life threatening
• 15% have been to the ER 5 or more times in the past year
• 15% don’t feel comfortable asking the doctor questions
• 62% have changed their behaviors to improve their health since Getting Ahead
•  85% answered YES to the question, “Should we add a health component to Getting Ahead!

Here is what Gary had to say: Here’s why this was important. Emergency Room use for non-emergencies and readmissions to the hospital due to non-adherence to medical instructions result in bad health outcomes for individual and very high costs for the hospital. Most of these unhealthy and costly health behaviors are heavily influenced by economic class, poverty, health literacy, and living in under-resourced, in unstable and stressful environments.

The great news is this strategies that address social determinants of health, social coherence, health literacy, and other cultural influences can help prevent these unhealthy and costly situations from happening.

We are working with Gary to learn more from our Graduates in order to design more effective strategies to create better health outcomes. Our thanks to Gary and Memorial for their support as we find ways to make our community healthier!

We started September’s Monthly Networking Meeting with our new partners at the First United Methodist Church. They offered us a great space to hold our MNM’s: larger and better acoustics.  Our thanks to the Gladys Muhammad and Charles Martin Youth Center for being our host and getting us started, and to the Rev. Mary Hubbard and First United staff for helping us with this transition to a new location.

In September, we discussed jobs and wages and had a great turn out with of 95 people. Marce Bingham from REAL Services along with Jaime Murphy from Michiana Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) did a fantastic job sharing tips on job searching and interview skills.  Graduates came ready to learn and improve on their skills. Here is one graduate’s story:

Arianne just started coming back to the Monthly Networking Meetings after having her new baby girl and was excited to start working on getting ahead.  

Arianne participated at her table in a mock interview.  She explained that before this meeting, she was too afraid to “put herself out there.”  She  got some coaching from an ally and found that after the exercise she had more confidence in herself.  Sometimes, even small activities can change the way an individual views their abilities to move forward.

In October, we discussed Financial Predators and Banking with a total of 142 attendees.  We talked about getting banked, using Individual Development Accounts (IDA), and avoiding financial predators. Some of the goals Graduates listed included:

• to save a certain amount from each pay period;
• to become financially secure enough to start my own business
• paying bills on time

Our panel of speakers included Luis Zapata from First Source Bank (and our SJC Bridges treasurer), Ralph Viallon from Lake City Bank (and the genius who developed the partnership with our Financial Management class), Autumn McCully, YWCA Self Sufficiency Coordinator and Getting Ahead partner,  and Liba Manriquez, Getting Ahead graduate who is now the owner of La Nortena, a fabulous Mexican Restaurant on Portage Avenue, just south of Cleveland.  (Stop in for dinner or lunch!)

Sustaining a Spirituality of Service

Sustaining a Spirituality of Service

Colleen Vermeulen, our summer intern and Master’s of Divinity student at Notre Dame gave a presentation on Sustaining A spirituality of Service. Based on her experiences with Bridges she developed a presentation which will helped us explore a Christian response to poverty.

Colleen’s says,“Ending poverty is no simple task. We know it takes a variety of approaches, from providing direct care to alleviate suffering, to educating and intervening to prevent poverty; from reforming unjust practices and policies to facilitating transition and mentoring individuals moving out of poverty. How do we, as Christians, bring our faith tradition to all of these approaches? We will explore why there is more than just one “Christian” way to help the poor and examine aspects of our tradition that can inspire and sustain our diverse, yet interconnected efforts.”

We look forward to sharing short video clips of the presentation with you…

Thank You!

We want to offer a big thanks to everyone who came out for our November Meeting. We had a record high number of approximately 170 attendees. Phil DeVol was thrilled to come to South Bend and see how successful our graduates have been. We will send you a more in depth summary of November’s meeting in the near future.

Change your Paradigm:  Join the upcoming Day One Training