As we reflect on this past year at The Bridge to Hope, our hearts overflow with gratitude. Because of your unwavering support, the mothers who walked through our doors found more than shelter—they found a safe place to heal, hope renewed, and a community that believes in them. Each story of transformation is a testament to God’s faithfulness and your generosity.

Your prayers, volunteer hours, and gifts have changed lives. Mothers are equipped with skills, confidence, and the assurance that they are never alone. Children have seen the love of Christ in action and experienced the stability that every child deserves.

As we give thanks for today’s victories, we also look forward with hope. God is already calling the next generation of mothers to our ministry—mothers who will need a hand to lift them out of homelessness, fear, and uncertainty. Your continued support today will provide for them tomorrow: a safe place to stay, guidance to grow, and the opportunity to step into the life God has planned for them.

Your generosity transforms lives.

You are restoring lives.  You are strengthening families.  You are showing hope is alive.

With heartfelt gratitude, The Bridge to Hope

At The Bridge to Hope, our ministry is built on ordinary people who step forward in faith—and through God’s power, do extraordinary things. We celebrate two of those people: Steve and Connie, who mark 20 years of faithful volunteer service this September.

For two decades, Steve and Connie have walked alongside mothers in crisis, showing up with compassion, encouragement, and practical help. They have provided rides, cared for children when moms needed to attend work or school, and even opened their home for birthdays, holidays, and afternoons of fellowship. They have led their church team with dedication, gathering volunteers each month for prayer, encouragement, and planning. And long after a mother “graduates” from The Bridge to Hope, Steve and Connie continue to nurture relationships, reminding each one that she will always remain part of our family.

“Connie and Steve were blessings that came to us during a difficult time for my family. From their ability to be truly kind and accepting, they have become family to me and my kids. They will always be in our hearts and forever a part of my story to a better life!” — Kayla, A Bridge Graduate from 2017

One volunteer put it beautifully: “Steve is a doer, a server of others, a lover of teaching the next generation—the children, and an encourager. Connie is the organizer, the family spokesperson, practical, caring, and giving. Both were involved beyond the call of duty… A real good adjective for them would be FAITHFUL.” Another added, “They have been available to many moms and their children, nurturing and encouraging them. Their Bridge family grows as each mom leaves the protection of the ministry, but Steve and Connie keep the relationships strong.”

Steve and Connie’s story reminds us that ministry is not built on grand gestures, but on steady faithfulness. They are not superheroes. They are everyday people who said “yes” to God’s call—and through that yes, God has used them to change lives.

The truth is, The Bridge to Hope cannot exist without people like Steve and Connie. Our moms need mentors and encouragers who will walk with them as they rebuild their lives. They also need the support of those who give financially so that apartments, staff, and ministry space are possible. Volunteers and supporters together make this ministry alive.

As we celebrate Steve and Connie’s 20 years, we also extend an invitation: Will you step forward, just as they did? Maybe God is calling you to mentor a mom, serve on a church team, or support this ministry financially. You don’t have to be extraordinary—just willing. God does the rest.

Steve and Connie’s faithfulness has left a legacy that continues to grow. Imagine the impact if more of us said “yes.”

Happy 20th Anniversary, Steve and Connie. Thank you for showing us what it means to Love God and through that love serve faithfully.

What a gift from God to be a Mother or a Mother to those God puts in our lives.  I thought about the absence of “godly mothering” some of us have endured – and that very absence began a cycle in the lives of some of our mothers.

There are often now generations that go without loving and godly mothers.  But that’s not the end of the story – for the day our Bridge moms said “yes” – WE get to be part of God’s redemption plan to help disciple them.

The gift of being a parent — whether by natural birth or spiritual birth– is from the heart of God.

Thank you God for the gift of our B2H Moms and the precious assignments we have to help display Your heart to them.

She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 3:15

Most people’s answer to this question would simply be,  “I Can’t.”  That is partially true.  Even the task of mentoring someone can feel overwhelming.  Certainly, we need God’s help, and as Christian women, stepping out in faith to mentor a woman who has had a much different background and life experiences than we have had, we need something more.  We need community.  It takes a team.

In April of 2023, when Crystal stepped into our lives, we were ready… ready for what?  Well, that wasn’t always so clear, but we did know that God had brought Crystal and Daario into our lives to love them.  We were trusting Him for the rest.  She wasn’t used to living in the type of community she found herself surrounded by.  She needed housing and was willing to comply with the requirements of The Bridge to Hope to stay, but she wasn’t quite sure about this church team that was so intent on having conversations, asking so many questions, and just being so… “there all the time”.  She looked forward to getting a job as soon as possible and getting back out on her own The Bridge to Hope’s goal is to help mothers find full-time employment.  Employment that will enable a mother to provide for her family as a single parent.  That means getting an education and vocational training.  Crystal was encouraging her to complete her GED and then dream a little about the type of career she may like to have that would provide a lifestyle to meet the needs of her and her son for the long haul.  She chose welding, got trained, and found a job in a family-owned welding shop.

Something else happened during this time.  Crystal began to see that having the mentor team from Faith Bible Church wasn’t such a bad thing.  She began to accept the love she was being shown and learned to reciprocate it.  She was experiencing something similar with the other Bridge moms and staff.  Crystal didn’t come looking for community, but she found herself surrounded by it and came to realize she did need it, and it was wonderful.

She also learned about God’s love for her and how He was guiding her and providing for her, and if she continues to stay close to Him, even as she graduates from The Bridge to Hope, He will faithfully continue to provide community to help her as she continues on her journey as long as she remains open to it.

The FBC mentor team is so proud of Crystal and all that she has accomplished these past two years.  While our friendships will continue, we will no longer be “there all the time”.  Still, we’ll remember with great joy all that God has taught Crystal and us as well!  So again, How Can Someone Like Me Change the World?  Draw near to God, invest in community, love and serve those that He places in your life, and watch Him change the World for someone like Crystal.”

Written by a Faith Bible Church team member

If you are a member of Faith Bible and desire to join the team to serve the next mom, call Faith Bible office.

November is a time for gratitude and thanksgiving!

Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. ~Mother Theresa

Everyone connected to The Bridge to Hope provides us with countless reasons to express our gratitude. We extend our heartfelt thanks to those who offer their love, prayers, and financial support to our ministry.

The mothers diligently working to rebuild their lives for themselves and their children express their gratitude: “Thank you.”

No entity, organization, or group, apart from God’s people, meets the needs that support The Bridge to Hope.

Your generous contributions have made the ministry of The Bridge to Hope possible. These words are short, but the echoes are endless: “Thank you.”

Your support is invaluable and truly needed.  Our hope is you join in supporting the ministry and share our needs with others.  Currently through our monthly donors, we receive only about half of our monthly expenses each month.  It is by the Grace of God we continue.

How do you help us to continue? 

-Commit and become a monthly donor (Click Here),
-Contribute to our Capital Campaign (Click Here),
-Attend and give at The Journey to Hope and invite others to join you (Click Here),
-Allocate your Tax Credit dollars to The Bridge to Hope (Click Here),
-Include us in your year-end giving (Click Here). 

For The Bridge to Hope to be a strong, forward-facing ministry we seek to have the ability to not only sustain our monthly costs but to grow by obtaining our own property. 

In our prayers regarding finances, we want you to become a monthly donor, support the mothers we have today, and give to future mothers by giving to our capital campaign.

Thank you.

*pictured is Sarah, she will be speaking at The Journey to Hope this year

July 1st marks the date Rita claimed her independence from homelessness 20 years ago.  She graduated from The Bridge (now The Bridge to Hope).  Today when Rita visits us at the office she gives us a hug and her smile reminds us what God can do when a mother seeks His will. Her visits also encourage the new mothers just by being…well Rita! 

My name is Rita I would like to share my Journey to The Bridge a place where I found hope.

I entered The Bridge in August 2002 and my family was sponsored by Trinity Bible Church.

Before I came to The Bridge – My life was out of control and chaotic.  I was sleeping on a friend of a friend’s couch with my two children.  I grew up in a disruptive household, with arguments, fighting, and a lot of yelling.  My family knew me as a liar.  When I was a teenager I was molested by a family member.  I never told anyone.  I was told that no one would believe me, my lying was used against me to keep me from sharing. I wanted to run away from the hurt and negativity.  I ran into unhealthy relationships and turned to drugs as an escape which led me to put my own children in abusive situations. We became homeless, living off the mercy of others.

 I became sober to enter The Bridge.  When I originally called, I was smoking marijuana.  I quit to be eligible for The Bridge.  That was the first right step I made in a long time.

I was given an opportunity to receive vocational training and entered the workforce with a career.  We graduated from The Bridge in July 2004. I say we because my children also were transformed by being at The Bridge.  Support from The Bridge family and church team Trinity Bible allowed me to become the mother I always wanted to be. I stopped running away and became a parent. The Bridge provided the classes and tools and the church team opened their hearts and provided their time and love to our family. I was able to be open and honest with my children and we became a family unit.  I no longer was a slave to deceit. 

Thank you for your support of The Bridge to Hope, it is where I stopped running, and became the woman the Lord intended for me to become.

 20 years ago there was a housing ministry accepting a mother who desired something different for her family.  She didn’t know what it was, but she dared to hope.  For those of you who have been supporters of the housing ministry of The Bridge to Hope for 20 years, thank you.  Thank you for it was because of you there was a Bridge for Rita.  For those who are stepping forward to support The Bridge, thank you, for joining the legacy of hope and a home.  We welcome you.

December 2023

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
Proverbs 24:3-4

Providing a home is one of the pillars of The Bridge to Hope program.  A home where a mother can learn God’s will for her life and begin to live this purpose.  A home allows the seeds to take root from attending church and receiving guidance from their mentoring church team.   

The Bridge to Hope leases from a large apartment complex.  We are subject to yearly rental increases, and our Bridge moms are subject to living next to the lifestyle they desperately are attempting to leave.  This causes a pull of the former life and a pull toward a future free from the bondage of the past.

An apartment complex in our neighborhood went up for sale.  After Ashley and I found a recovery chip during the tour, the experience left us with the heart to move out of renting and pursue a property where we can invest in the ministry and, in turn, better invest in a mother and her children.

At The Journey to Hope Dinner, we announced our plans to engage in a Capital Campaign.  Our rent has tripled in less than ten years.  In 2019, rent increased by 44%.  The cost of housing our mothers is our largest budget item.  The current cost is over $100,000 a year and growing. 

We ask you to engage in our Capital Campaign, over and above the necessary support to continue the current ministry.  Will you begin giving towards our Capital Campaign in addition to your current support?  Thank you for choosing to support the ministry of The Bridge to Hope.  You enable young mothers to get off the streets, get back on their feet, and have a stable, safe home for themselves and their children. 

At this year’s closing, we looked back at a few of our Bridge families and rejoice in all God has restored through you.

• Angela, lost in her addiction for 18 years and homeless for eight years, came to The Bridge to Hope with her son, Sol. We have watched Sol go from a tender infant into a toddler, exuberant for life.  Angela completed Electronic Health Records Certification and Peer Support training.  Today, she is a Recovery Coach, mentoring and supporting others.  Moving from being on the streets for eight years to engaging in the dignity of work is truly an accomplishment.  In January, Angela moved into a beautiful apartment she provides for her and her son, Sol.  Thank you, Faith Bible for supporting Angela.        
• Rochelle fought hard for sobriety and to regain custody of her son, Harvey. Living in recovery, she completed high school and medical assistant training, securing employment at a local doctor’s office.  In May of this year, Rochelle moved into an apartment she provides as a single parent.  She has not stopped her unrelenting work ethic.  This year, she also began her associate degree in Healthcare Administration.  Above all, Rochelle was baptized and dedicated Harvey to the Lord, and her team from The Bridge Church witnessed her outward expression of faith.  It is beautiful when a mother submits her will to the Lord and seeks His direction.  If you desire to join The Bridge team in supporting their next mother, contact The Bridge Church today.
• We celebrated The Bridge to Hope’s long-term and generational impact at The Journey to Hope dinner and Silent Auction. Amber was at a shelter not meant for families; after hearing of The Bridge to Hope from a woman who had been at The Bridge 20 years prior, she found us.  Today, she has worked at the same employer since graduating from The Bridge to Hope.  This year, she became a homeowner and is raising her son to be a man of God.  Thank you First Southern Baptist Church of Scottsdale for your ongoing support to offer housing to mothers like Amber.      
• The next generation is benefiting from a mother’s courage to leave an unhealthy relationship so her sons would not grow up with violence and chaos.  This courage was the catalyst for Michelle’s sons to grow into Godly men.  Nathan, a ‘Bridge Kid’ (now an adult), was our MC at J2H; he reflected on how the men at The Bridge influenced him greatly.     
• Both Crystal and Brooke learned of their unplanned pregnancies under different circumstances. They both chose life and turned to The Bridge to Hope, receiving love and support from La Casa de Cristo and Faith Bible, two churches that believe in standing with mothers who choose life.
• The Bridge to Hope could not reach the mothers without volunteers willing to give their time to the ministry of The Bridge to Hope. We are thankful for the volunteers who give tirelessly each year.  In 2023, we welcomed seven new volunteers!  But the year is not over yet!  If you want to join the team of one of these churches who put faith into action, act now.  Contact your church office or give The Bridge to Hope a call.  Now is the time to provide hope and a home to a mother in need of the love of Christ through His people.  Learn more from Katie and Faith click here.

 If you have already sent an end-of-the-year gift, Thank You.

Your impact of giving to The Bridge to Hope has offered hope and a home to homeless single mothers and children.  We thank you for your support and monthly giving.  If you are not giving monthly, we ask you to consider giving monthly to The Bridge to Hope, include us in your year-end giving, and join us in supporting our Capital Campaign.  Please consider how the Lord is leading you to invest in a Bridge mother’s future.  

When you donate to The Bridge to Hope you receive a dollar-for-dollar TAX CREDIT on your Arizona State Taxes.  The maximum QCO credit donation amount for 2023 has increased from last year.  $421 single, married filing separate or head of household; $841 married filing joint.  Click here to participate in AZ Tax Credit.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
The Bridge to Hope Family