Bridging Opportunities

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Sabrina Manno, Executive Director of The Bridge Center in Bridgewater, MA. Sabrina gave us a tour of the facility and provided us with a wealth of information about the programs that are offered at The Bridge Center.

The Bridge Center was originally founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization, providing recreational programs for children with disabilities. Currently, The Bridge Center serves over 1,000 children, teens and adults with various special needs. Many programs are available, including summer camps, camps during school vacations, year-round skill based programs and equine assisted programs.

Currently, funding from our United Way is being used for The Bridge Center's transition program. This program serves higher functioning teenagers, ages 14 to 22 that are transitioning from high school to college, career, and/or independent adult living. Through this program, teenagers learn independent living skills, community based skills, and social skills, and then consider career and college options for the future. The ultimate goal is to teach them how to live as independently as possible and have a full and meaningful life within their community.

The Bridge Center also offers a number of equine assisted programs. These programs include therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy and horse camps. The therapeutic riding program involves movements and activities on horseback for individuals who might have limited range of motion. It allows them to interact and connect with the horse on a level that they may not be able to achieve with their peers, adult aids or family caregivers. 

In order to ensure the safety of their riders, Sabrina says that their horses are carefully selected based on their soundness, their patience, their health, and their ability to be around children in varying situations. They also go through a training program to help desensitize them to things like quick movement and loud sounds. 

 These programs are just a few of the many ways that The Bridge Center continues to help individuals with special needs. When I asked Sabrina about the most rewarding part of her job, she told me that she loves seeing the kids respond positively when they accomplish something that they've never been able to do before. 

Sabrina feels she speaks for all of the staff at The Bridge Center when she expresses her feelings of happiness for the individuals who participate in the many programs that are available. "It makes everyone here feel like what they are doing is so worthwhile." The staff at The Bridge Center is fully dedicated to "bridging" opportunities for individuals with special needs and the look of achievement in the eyes of the individuals that they help is all the motivation they need.

- Jess Zaniewski, Marketing Intern

To learn more about The Bridge Center, visit their website: www.TheBridgeCtr.org