Come by the Thrifty Boutique for our extended hours this weekend

for

Walk the Lights Art Festival

Cedar Hill, Texas

On March 24th 2012

We will also have a Booth at the Festival

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This holiday season has already been amazing as I have been getting to know Bridges and all of you that work so hard to continue this ministry. We would not be able to serve our community without your efforts. Since re-opening the Safehouse doors, we have served 4 families by providing transitional housing, food, clothing, aid in gaining government and medical resources, professional counseling, mentoring, and life-skills and biblical training, among other areas of service and love. One girl in particular comes to mind when speaking of showing God’s love. This girl was very young and pregnant for the first time and came to us without knowing love and compassion from those around her. She felt scared and alone and was not ready to be an adult let alone be a mother. We are so grateful to you for showing those that do not know true love, God’s love.

We are so grateful to those that impart life skills and parenting skills to those that have only seen negative examples. We are so grateful for those that have provided clothing and shelter and Godly wisdom so that these young women can be safe and secure and grow in confidence. I am increasingly impressed by the individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government officials of this community and the partnerships that are in place to make every part grow and flourish.

As we close 2011, I look forward with much anticipation to what will be in store for 2012. Would you consider including us as part of your year-end giving in 2011? As always, your donation will be 100% tax deductible. With your donation we will continue to reach those that are forgotten, those that have no one to turn to, those that are seeking to make life change and are seeking a new start for themselves and their family. With your donation we will increase our capacity to serve and provide quality programs as well as ensure the safety of those that desire growth and a fresh start. Partnering with Bridges means you are partnering with a very unique organization that serves as not only a step to those that are in crisis to get to the next place, but a partnership with families and with communities, to empower those that call and come through our doors to become healthy parents, healthy families and contributing members of society.

Please consider supporting our community by donating to Bridges Safehouse. Please mail your check to the address below, or donate online at www.bridgessafehouse.org/donate. This holiday season consider donating to Bridges in honor of your loved ones, instead of or in addition to your normal holiday giving. We will honor your gift by sending you a card that you can use to give to the individual(s) showing that a donation was made in their name.

Thank you again for all that you invest. Be blessed during this holiday season!

Emily Van Wie
Executive Director
Brides Safehouse
PO Box 1161
Cedar Hill, TX 75106

Open House!

Date: Saturday, December 10,2011

Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Location: Thrifty Boutique Store

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Come join us at our Open House on Saturday December 10th. It will be Great Fun!

Letter from the Executive Director

I hope everyone is having a great week! I’m excited to serve alongside all of you as the new Executive Director of Bridges.

I am originally from Wisconsin and I moved to Texas in 1999 to attend Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie to study Accounting. I quickly found a local church, The Oaks Fellowship, and have served in various areas of ministry. Through my experience of volunteering and working in the business department at the church, I developed a heart to serve the community and minister to those in need.

In 2009 I graduated with a Master’s degree in Public Affairs, and with a certification in Nonprofit Management. Throughout the last few years, I have seen God develop my heart to desire to serve those that may not be fully equipped to make positive changes in their lives. My heart is to empower individuals to break the patterns of their past and the chains that may have been passed down from generations. I also have a strong passion to equip nonprofit organizations to fulfill their greatest potential by networking, being responsible stewards to the mission and to those that are investing their lives, and to utilize resources wisely.

I’m excited to announce that we’re opened the safehouse in October. We are so excited to once again serve the community in this way, and to bring hope and life to the individuals and families that come through our doors.

Bridges is a nonprofit, faith based transitional housing which is operated by donors and volunteers who believe within their hearts the need to comfort and encourage women and their children by providing shelter, and equipping them with the resources and life skills training necessary to empower them for life’s obstacles. We want to provide stability and encouragement to instill confidence and practical life skills.

If I have not met you yet, or if you are interested in learning more about our ministry, please call the office at 469.272.4441 or email me at emily.vanwie@bridgessafehouse.org. I look forward to the future and to all that God will do through this unique ministry.

Emily Van Wie
Executive Director
Bridges Safehouse

Date: Thursday, November 17

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Ginger Reid’s house

Thank you so much to those of you who have dedicated so much time and energy into volunteering and donating to Bridges Safehouse! Bridges would not exist without individuals, families, churches, and communities like this one! We are so blessed!

We want to honor you by training you and equipping you to minister to the women and children that we serve.

Please join us at our first quarterly volunteer training. This training is for all past, current and future volunteers, and for those that are interested in finding out more information about Bridges.

Please join us as we hear from our guest speaker, Paula Siegel.

Everyone had a great time at our

Annual Community Breakfast

Benefiting

Bridges Safehouse

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We had such a great time at the

Big Hat Tea Party

You are cordially Invited to Attend Our

Annual Community Breakfast

Benefiting

Bridges Safehouse

Review past Newsletters:

Newsletter April 2011

Newsletter February 2011

Newsletter October 2010