Events

Executive director Kevin Mestrich announced that Bridges to Community will be opening up a new volunteer operation in the Dominican Republic in the region bordering Haiti next year. The first new country expansion in almost 20 years came after the board of directors reaffirmed in 2010 that Bridges to Community is an international organization whose mission is to serve where are services are most needed. The Dominican Republic/ Haitian border area was selected after eight months of study and research by the board’s appointed New Country Task Force. read more

A Bridges to Community volunteer group from the DC area IT community raised a record breaking amount of money at the Fourth Annual “Raise the Roof” Cocktail Party and Fundraiser held in October. More than 150 tickets were sold to the affair and over $60,000 was raised by the DC group to go toward meeting their goals to fund the building of an addition onto a school in Masaya as well for new homes for Nicaraguan families.

On August 21, Bridges to Community Canada successfully kicked off a five year campaign to raise one million dollars with the goal to open a completely new community in Nicaragua. For the fourth year in a row, the Canadian group hosted the fundraiser in the beautiful old barn in Dundas, Ontario with Bridges’ board member Rick Bauman and his wife Sadie Bauman organizing the benefit. read more

2010 was a wonderful year for Bridges to Community and the newly published 2010 Annual Report is now available for your review. Among our many accomplishments, Bridges’ built 3 schools, constructed several water projects, erected 70 houses and expanded cacao farming. Close to 800 volunteers worked closely with Nicaraguan community members to jointly achieve all of these feats. Read all about it here

Bridges to Community honored Rick and Sadie Bauman and their committed group of Canadians by presenting them with the “2011 Outstanding Vision and Commitment to Action” Award at the annual Spring Gala on May 6 held in White Plains, New York.  The yearly event raised nearly $150,000 to support Bridges’ ongoing efforts in Nicaragua, building homes, schools, sanitation projects as well as providing health care, economic assistance and education.  read more

Announcing Rick and Sadie Bauman of Waterdown, Ontario, Canada as the 2011 recipients of the Bridges to Community's “Outstanding Vision and Commitment to Action Award” to be presented at the annual Spring Gala in May. In January 2011, among their many contributions to Bridges, Rick and Sadie will have led 5 trips in 5 years, fund raised and built over 100 homes in Nicaragua. Congratulations Rick and Sadie!

Over 150 people, mostly from the DC area Information Technology (IT) community, partied, ate and bid on auction items at the Top of the Town Restaurant in Arlington, VAon October 6th raising about $60,000 for Bridges’ programs. Many, many thanks go to Leslie Barry and her committee members: Amy Berman, Greig Fields, Denise Hill, Steve Krauss, Susan Stepanski, Ray Sullivan, Sonja Twiford, Liz Vogel, Oliver Voss for their hard work to make this an incredible night for our friends in Nicaragua. The IT group will be in Ticuantepe this January building homes.

An anonymous donor has pledged a matching grant of $25,000 for all donations made at the Washington DC “Raise the Roof” Fundraiser to support Bridges’ programs in Nicaragua. The third annual event organized by the DC Information Technology (IT) community will be held on October 6th at the Top of the Town in Arlington VA from 6 to 9 pm. With this generous gift added to the total raised by the benefit organizers, Bridges will be able deliver many new homes, community centers, schools, health clinics, and more to our friends in Nicaragua.

Two new houses in Nicaragua will now be built thanks to the funds raised at Bridges Canada Fundraising Concert and Auction on September 13, 2010. Bridges’ board member Rick Bauman and his wife Sadie Bauman organized the benefit on behalf of the Canadian group. Executive Director Kevin Mestrich and Associate Executive Director Rusty Pedersen attended the event to support BTC Canada’s commitment to helping the people of Nicaragua.