Statements

Mission

To serve area women, men and their children affected by domestic violence, ensuring a safe transition to successful independent community living through instruction, intervention, and case management.

Background

BRIDGES was founded in 1998 to expand outreach services to victims of domestic violence in Williamson County. In May of 2000, the existing shelter closed and consolidated its services in Nashville. At that time we felt it would re-victimize families to have to relocate out of the county for services. This relocation would mean that clients would have to transfer schools for their children, change their primary care physicians and lose their support system of friends and family. Also, many support services define their service area by county of residence. This would make them ineligible to receive the necessary aid while in transition to a life free of violence. Since opening we have developed and expanded our programs. In the winter of 2004 we purchased a larger shelter facility. Renovation were completed and occupancy occurred in Nov. 2005. In November 2006 we opened an in-house wellness mental and physical health clinic. Added an Outreach Bi-Lingual Advocate 2009. Changed name to Bridges Domestic Violence Center and re-branded organization 2010. Hired a Development Director. Expanded our Therapy services 2012. Adopted an Informed Trauma approach to services 2013. Added Batterers Intervention Classes 2017. Added a kennel so victims could bring their pets to shelter with them. Added a Transitional Housing initiative 2018 to assist clients with housing and support services for up to one year.

Impact

Accomplishments: Expanded the diversity of the board. Continued work on our transitional housing, Goals: Monitor and upgrade technology needs. Formed a new collaborations with Door Step Project, Inc. to provide transitional housing to our in-shelter clients. Exploring options with marketing and social media to improve awareness of service availability.

Needs

Volunteers in the following areas: Donation management. Donated vehicles for clients. Small denomination gift cards ($20) gift cards for clients to purchase prescriptions, gas and food.
Two men and a truck to sporadically pick up furniture donations. Graphic Design volunteers for print and social media.

CEO Statement

For many Middle Tennesseans, the Covid-19 Pandemic created circumstances and challenges that were foreign and logistically challenging. Schools and daycare centers closing, offices closing, stores and restaurants closing - a tumultuous and life-threatening change in our day to day lives that arrived without warning and settled in like a crippling ice storm.

But the isolation, threats and uncertainty that Covid-19 introduced to many of us was anything but foreign to victims of domestic violence. Those feelings are part of everyday life for individuals and family members who live with violence, week in and week out. Those feelings follow them every minute of every day as they live behind a different kind of mask to simply endure and survive a disease that takes a human form.

Many people have become reacquainted with family and friends during the pandemic. Their lives have slowed and they came to the realization, even when communicating from afar, that they had forgotten the value and importance of those close to them in the midst of their busy schedules. Imagine now coming to the realization that you are locked in with the person who beats or belittles you. Instead of walking through your house looking for home improvement projects, you tip toe through it on socked feet, hoping not to draw attention to yourself or your children. Imagine instead of planning an outing to simply get a change of pace, you had to plan an escape route in the event that things got dangerously out of control. If this sounds like a new release on Netflix, that's because it very much resembles one. Only the reality is not streaming. It's real.

Whether you realize it or not, you know someone who has been involved in a domestic violence situation. You know someone because domestic violence is pervasive in communities everywhere. It does not always take the form of battering. It might be about control or manipulation. And it does not discriminate based on age, race, or household income. The idea that domestic violence discriminates on any basis is a myth, and one that needs to be dispelled.

If you are forced to make an escape from a domestic violence situation in Williamson County, you will likely need Bridges. Bridges DVC is the non-profit organization that receives victims of domestic violence and shelters them until they are safely back on their feet. And right now, Bridges needs your help. The operational budget for a full-service shelter is extremely demanding and with the current situation of self-isolation, that demand is growing.

Board Chair Statement

The state of unrest from a global pandemic, social, and economical issues are real in our community. Domestic Violence has not been silenced or its power diminished to hurt ones from all ages, races, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or culture. BRIDGES, provides support in our community with open arms and services that battle the traumas of Domestic Violence each day. An active local Hotline, Live-In Shelter that yearly provides over 3,600 nights of peace, Adult and Children Support Group Counseling of over 7,800 hours, and our Court Advocacy program is how BRIDGES provides the needed support in our community for ones that are victims of Domestic Violence. More than ever, we ask our community in support of this much needed service of humanity.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Housing, Shelter  - Alliances & Advocacy
Secondary Category:	Human Services  - Family Violence Shelters and Services
Tertiary Category:	Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy  -

Areas Served

Primarily Williamson County, however we will assist any domestic violence victim in need.

TN - Williamson