The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast · Charity Charge

How Bridge Over Troubled Waters Supports Homeless Youth in Boston

·25 min·1 clip

A young man who started at Bridge at 16 went to BU, then Northeastern, and later moved to Detroit.

1. The Charity Charge Show episode centers on Bridge Over Troubled Waters and its work with homeless youth in Boston. 2. Host Grayson Harris speaks with Elizabeth Jackson, the CEO and president of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, about how the organization serves young people. 3. The episode asks what Bridge is for: helping 14- to 24-year-olds cross from crisis into the next phase of life. 4. Jackson says the name, started in the late 1960s, represents a bridge with many pillars that supports young people through “calm” water, “a whole hurricane,” and “tsunamies.” 5. She says Bridge opens its doors to young people with different appearances, slang, trauma, and energy, and that 76% of the 2,400 people served last year were under 21. 6. Jackson describes an intake style built around individualized plans, with food, showers, smiles, and honest conversations about housing, jobs, and next steps. 7. She calls Bridge “the university of life skills for young people” and lists counseling, medical care, street outreach, behavioral health, case management, housing, dental partnerships, education, and day programs. 8. Jackson says Bridge also teaches financial management, laundry, and cooking because young people may not have been taught those basics. 9. She emphasizes that the organization works with more than 100 partners and with state and city systems to fill gaps in services. 10. Jackson defines success as more than output numbers, even though she cites 28 education graduates, 632 behavioral health therapy sessions, and 276 young people housed last year. 11. She says the clearest signs of success are young people returning, saying thank you, and moving from anger or downcast behavior to accountability. 12. Jackson adds that harm reduction matters, using the example of celebrating when a young person drinks five beers a day and gets down to two. 13. She mentions Bridge’s research work with Mass General, Beth Israel, BU, and other partners, saying more than seven papers have been published in the last 18 months. 14. A detailed story follows a young man who entered Bridge at 16 through DCF, lived in the basic center, emergency residence, and Liberty House, then went to BU. 15. Jackson recalls receiving his COVID-era message asking, “Can I come home?”, and she says Bridge welcomed him back with a sleeping bag if needed. 16. She says she later funded his remaining BU tuition, requiring A’s and B’s, and he made the Dean’s List every semester. 17. The interview stays conversational and practical, with Jackson moving between data points, program details, and personal stories. 18. Grayson’s questions keep the pace focused on impact, funding, and what a long-term donor relationship looks like. 19. People interested in youth homelessness, nonprofit leadership, and funder relationships will likely value this episode. 20. Listeners looking for celebrity interviews or light conversation may skip it.

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