Dear CB Supporter,
Take a moment as you read the story below and envision yourself as Natalie, envision for yourself what it has meant to have CB in your life for the last 6 years! For Natalie, Community Bridges has been her safe place where she has been able to express herself and learn ways for coping with her mental health. For just $133 a month you can invest in a girl in the Community Bridges (CB) Girls Program like Natalie and change her life forever.
“Ever since I joined Community Bridges (CB), I have found the program to be not just enjoyable but also a safe space. Through CB, I’ve been able to see more clearly what I want for myself in the future. I see a community that allows you to prioritize your own needs and desires above everything else. CB is about helping young girls and women understand that they should always come first! Over the years, CB has shown me how important mental health is and ways for me to cope and deal with issues surrounding my mental health. Without CB, I’m not sure where I would be in the college application process. CB has been an environment where I’ve made connections with people who have similar goals and aspirations as me. I’m happy to have been introduced to CB and am excited for what the last year has to offer. I hope next year as a CB alumna, I’ll be able to help and encourage other young girls too.”
Today more than ever we need supporters like you to give girls in our community a chance to join Community Bridges and find their safe space through our CB Girls program. In 2021-2022, the CB Girls program is on track to serve over 350 girls, but that’s not possible without your generous support.
Recently the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a new Surgeon General’s Advisory to highlight the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis. The report cited significant increases in self-reports of depression and anxiety along with more emergency room visits for mental health issues. In the United States, emergency room visits for suicide attempts rose 51% for adolescent girls in early 2021 as compared to the same period in 2019. Today more than ever girls need a safe space to have conversations about what they are feeling and know that they have a trusted adult to confide in if they need support and access to resources. As we still navigate today’s world with COVID, CB is that safe space for girls here in Montgomery County and with your support more girls can join our safe space.
You have the power to change a girl’s life and give her a safe place to explore and learn. For just $1,600 yearly you can support a girl like Natalie in achieving her dreams. Your contribution to Community Bridges’ Invest-A-Girl campaign or a donation of any amount will help us to create more success stories. Join us this season in building a legacy of changing girls’ lives in our community.
Yours in service,
Shannon Babe-Thomas
Executive Director