News:

Reflections on Siuna

After leading trips to Masaya with students from Byram Hills High School on an Alternative Spring Break for the past seven years, Bridges Board Member and long-time volunteer Duane Smith decided to try something different -- he brought his group to our project site in Siuna, in the mountains of the North Atlantic Autonomous Region in northeastern Nicaragua. Read more about his and his group's impressions here!

Bridges to Community Honors Roger Sitkins, Raises Over $150K!

On May 8, 2009, Bridges brought together nearly three hundred volunteers and donors with staff from New York and Nicaragua to help celebrate the work we've accomplished and to honor Roger Sitkins and the people of Sitkins International for the tremendous contribution they've made towards our success. Mr. Sitkins and his associates have built over 100 homes and raised over a million dollars for Bridges to Community's programs. At the event Bridges raised over $150,000! Thanks to everyone who took part, and special thanks to Roger Sitkins and Sitkins International!! To read more, click here.

NY State Assembly Recognizes Roger Sitkins and Bridges to Community:

Through the efforts of Assemblywoman Sandy Galef of the 90th Assembly District (which includes Bridges to Community's home location of Ossining, NY) the New York State Legislature has officially recognized the contributions of Roger Sitkins and Sitkins International in their work with Bridges to Community. Galef presented a special citation to Roger Sitkins at the 2009 Bridges to Community Spring Fundraising Gala, honoring his contributions and specifically his fundraising and awareness-raising to help families in Nicaragua. Assemblywoman Galef said about the Bridges volunteers she met at the gala, "It's been a long time since I've been a room with so many young people who are so enthusiastic about volunteering."

Spring Newsletter:

Our Spring Newsletter is available here. If you'd like to sign up to receive our newsletter in the mail, please send us an email!

Trips:

Openings in Upcoming Trips!

Looking for an exciting, rewarding, positive service/learning trip you and your group can undertake? Business groups, College & High School Groups, Church & Synagogue groups, and others are all welcome to join Bridges, but space is limited -- if you'd like to travel with Bridges, contact our Trip Coordinator, and we'll see if we can find a place for you.

Bridges has available space with some organized groups in 2009:

If you're interested in joining one of these trips, contact our Trip Coordinator, and you'll be on your way!

Bridges Welcomes Our New Volunteer Groups:

Bridges to Community is happy to welcome the following organizations and groups who will be joining us on their first trip to Nicaragua this year:

• University of Vermont
• St. Thomas Aquinas College
• Hobart and William Smith College
• Cornell Alumni
• Arlington High School
• Hilton Head Preparatory School
• St. Anne's Belfield Alumni
• Ridgewood, NJ Teachers
• The Stewart Family
• Bamboo Moves Yoga Studio
• Croton Community Group