About thirty years ago, one of my clients transitioned from real estate to theology. She started a prison ministry at Perryville Prison and was aghast at the lack of transition support once the person's time was served. First she and others assisted the released women with essentials and made sure they had a secure place to stay. She wanted a home for them and through donations was able to secure one through her non-profit Bridges Reentry. I told her I had a client that said we could have the furniture that was left from merging her two homes. It was enough to fill the home and we got occupancy permitted immediately!
We had left over furniture that we stored and two years ago, right before Christmas, a woman who had been a caregiver found herself homeless when the person she was caring for died. And her mother wanted her to take her son who was 12. She had a new job and qualified for a rent subsidized apartment. She and her son moved in. We furnished the apartment with nice quality furnishings, rugs and art. We had a washer/ dryer donated so she didn't have to leave her son or take him to do the laundry. It was a true feeling of the meaning of Christmas.
Next we added just a few items to an efficiency apartment in downtown Phoenix. What we added allowed the woman to cook in her apartment (She had trained in Paris.).
Bridges Reentry acquired another home but it was somewhat furnished so we added enough to make it more attractive and liveable. This summer a friend needed to empty her townhouse before the remodelers arrived. During a hair appointment, she heard about Bridges Reentry and said, "Yes, that’s where I want it to go!" 
My granddaughter became involved as she has the furniture arranging gene as well and we transformed the home to a more adult look with three truckloads! Pacific Seasons Mfg. donated a new sofa and loveseat for a television area in what had been a large master bedroom.
As the first graduate was completing the two year Bridges Reentry program, she was moving to an apartment. Her family was helping her furnish it but she needed a table and chairs. Karen at Brandts Interiors had heard me tell her employees about Bridges and said, "I have a set in my daughter's garage." We picked it up and Trish was able to host her first family birthday party!
Another inmate recently released saw the table and also wanted one. After a short wait my daughter-in-law's mother sent furniture from storage in Chicago that replaced the dining room table at our son's home. That table was from a garage sale twenty years ago and had been to San Francisco before returning to Phoenix and on to Buckeye, AZ! We have used it for family dinners for 17 years and were glad to pay it forward!
Not one of the Bridges Reentry participants has returned to prison. They have two years of shelter, food and clothing. It is making a difference!
Recently, Bridges was able to give all of the particiapants jewelry. For many, it was the first jewelry they had owned in years. There were a lot of smiles!
