A Staying Ahead Partner who served as president of our Bridges Board  and is now on the Board at City Hope.

When I became a Staying Ahead Partner at Bridges, little did I realize how much I would learn and how many blessings I’d receive. I thought my role would consist of “mentoring” my partner. I have learned more from Bridges participants than I can ever hope to give back. The World of Poverty is much more than the lack of financial resources.  I was stunned at the hardships that are faced and the resilience to overcome these hardships. Situations that were not always a result of poor choices by the Bridges participant – some are, but understandably so. I have become less judgmental of lifestyle choices and am amazed at the effort being put forth to overcome childhood adversity. My eyes are being opened to drug addiction as an option to numb pain or mental illness, homelessness, and a set of unspoken rules that I used to judge those in poverty. I have profound respect for the participants that persevere week after week hitting their demons head on and developing a plan of action to address areas of need. The guts and trust it takes to open up about perceived failures and feeling unlovable are immense. I have been blessed with gaining a friend in Mona. A friendship I treasure. I have also been blessed with Chanelle and her children whom I love. And lucky me, they love me too.