Healing the Community through Reconciliation and Reintegration
BUSINESS PLAN
Executive Summary
The Bridge is a charitable agency working in the Hamilton area with individuals being released from
incarceration and others affected by crime. The Bridge provides discharge planning in the
Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre, reintegration planning and support, transitional housing for men,
and a support group for family members of offenders and ex-offenders.
Funding has remained a critical issue throughout The Bridge’s history. There are ongoing programs to
continue and improve with new programs to instate.
History of The Bridge
The Bridge program grew out of a desire to provide a greater follow-up after incarceration to help
criminalized people reintegrate into the community. A person who is arrested under a criminal offence and
does time, even if they are acquitted, is stigmatized and faces significant life consequences. An ecumenical
committee helped to structure a Board of Directors in 1988 and the Bridge was incorporated in 1990. In the
1990s The Bridge provided pastoral support in the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre. Self-help groups
functioned within the Centre and at Calvin Grace Community Church with support for discharge planning. In
1994, a family support group was established.
It is very important to note that from the inception of The Bridge programs and housing has been available
for those individuals who choose the support,it is not court ordered. They want to turn their lives around.
In 2001, The Bridge purchased Bridge House at 319 Barton Street East and opened it in 2004. A paid
Discharge Planner was appointed in 2008 and an Executive Director in 2009. In 2010 The Bridge began a
Saturday night program for men struggling over the weekend with addictions. The Bridge began offering
the services of an Occupational Therapist in 2013. Publicity and fundraising were significantly enhanced in
2014.
Company Profile
The Bridge is a charity registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. As a charitable organization, we offer
help and spiritual support for offenders and ex-offenders as they re-enter the community, in order to
facilitate their assuming a more responsible role in the community by:
1) Assisting offenders to make constructive plans for their lives after release from
correctional
facilities.
2) Offering supportive programs that would nurture human growth and healing for offenders and
ex-offenders.
3) Educating and sensitizing churches and community, and involving them in this program.
4) Guiding offenders and ex-offenders to suitable agencies and services.
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5) Encouraging ex-offenders to share in the operation of this program.
6) Working with like agencies to make certain everyone receives necessary services
Vision
To facilitate community reintegration and reconciliation for men in the justice system and their families
through advocacy, education, and Restorative Justice.
Mission
To provide services of discharge planning, transitional housing, and rehabilitative programs for victims,
ex-offenders and families, by promoting and enabling healing and reconciliation of those in our community
affected by crime.
Governance and Management
The Bridge is incorporated in the Province of Ontario, and is run by a volunteer board of eleven directors.
The membership consists of people who donate at least $10 or volunteer at least 10 hours in the previous
calendar year. Directors are nominated by a committee, consisting of the past chair of the board, who heads
the committee, one other board member, and one member of the corporation not on the board. Nominations
are presented at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and voted on by the membership present. The board
is empowered to fill vacant spots until the next AGM. The term for every board member is one year, there is
no limit to the number of consecutive terms a board member can serve.
Operations
Day to day operations are overseen by the Executive Director. Programs are run by the Discharge Planner
within Hamilton Wentworth Detention Center and by the Reintegration Facilitator working at Bridge House.
The Executive Director is assisted by an administrative assistant, a night security person and a cleaner. In
addition to paid staff, a number of volunteers support with programming, as well as with outreach and
fundraising.
Funding
The Bridge has a diverse funding base. The following numbers are drawn from the most current annual
budget.
$122,000 Funding from foundations, denominations and service groups
$ 20,000 Government grants (Municipal, Provincial and Federal)
$34,000
Fundraising efforts and private donations
$10,000 Rent income from Bridge House
Overview of Ex-Offender Needs
The need is to repair damage to ex-offenders and their families. The ex-offender transforms remorse for the
offense into a generalized shame about who he is. The remorse can move from being a positive motivator
for change to being an impediment to change. Trauma, regardless of how it is caused, also creates
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negative ongoing effects. Any period of incarceration can create damage beyond what may have been
intended by law. Someone incarcerated can lose their job, their home and their possessions. This may
leave nothing for incarcerated individuals when they are released except what was in their possession at
the time of arrest. Family members of people who have been criminalized have a unique set of needs. The
absence of a family member creates disruption to the family routine as well as dealing with neighbours and
friends who can be judgemental. The offender is insulated from these consequences while incarcerated.
There is also economic costs to consider like the loss of a household income, collect calls from the
incarcerated family member and travel costs to the incarcerating institution.
The need is to repair damage to the victims and their families. The victims of crime can feel anger, anxiety,
self-doubt, shame, suffer from depression, have difficulty concentrating and develop an increased concern
for personal safety and the safety of their family. This can lead to financial consequences, including time
away from work, lost productivity and medical expenses. Many victims continue to experience these
feelings and issues for some time afterward and require ongoing support.
The need is to help stop an individual from re-offending. There are factors that can reduce the chances an
individual will re-offend. These factors include lack of empathy, lack of problem solving skills, anti-social
peer associations, substance abuse issues, mental health issues, extreme poverty and homelessness.
Many people dealing with any of these issues do not commit crime and certainly does not excuse any
crimes committed but eliminating these issues can reduce the likelihood of re-offending.
The need is to educate the community. While the direct damage of crime to victims is fairly well understood,
less widely understood is the secondary damage done by the crime and by our society's response to it.
Committing the crime, the process of prosecution, judgement, the incarceration can all be traumatic and
can lead to stigmatization, shame and remorse. The offender transforms remorse for the event into a
generalized shame about who he is. The remorse moves from being a positive motivator for change to
being an impediment to change. Trauma, regardless of the cause, also creates negative ongoing effects.
Services
Hamilton has a number of services accessible to our clients but few specializing in their specific needs
resulting from criminalization. Inmates in the Federal system who qualify may spend the last portion of their
incarceration living in a halfway house in the community. This provides an opportunity for the offenders to
begin to rebuild their lives, get jobs and look for living accommodations prior to their official release.
However, this is only available to some federal offenders and is not available at all for those being released
from the provincial system. For inmates released directly into the community at the end of their sentence,
there is no housing support.
The Bridge assists ex-offenders to access services where mental health issues or addictions create
barriers. The Bridge seeks to work closely with agencies to avoid duplication of services. Our Family
Support Group provides long term support for family members while the individual is incarcerated, through
the process of reintegration, and onward.
There are three streams of services delivered by The Bridge. Each is developed around the needs of the
clients as a group and adapted to the specific needs of each individual.
1. Discharge Planning
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Target Clients - Offenders to be released from the detention centres.
Activities - Our Discharge Planner meets with clients and assesses their immediate needs upon release.
The Bridge is able to book Ontario Works (OW) and housing specialists and addiction appointments for
individuals upon release and other arrangements as needed
Outputs - These are measured in terms of services delivered. Last year 25 Birth Certificates, 15 OHIP
cards, and 10 Social Insurance Numbers were replaced. Our Discharge Planner saw over 1700 offenders.
Outcomes - Clients will be housed upon release or soon afterward. Unfortunately due to cutbacks we are
no longer able to assist in a provide ID for Ontario Works, job applications which has allowed clients to
fully engage in many other aspects of daily life. By having an OW appointment upon release, clients will be
able to access necessary funds more quickly, softening the psychological blow upon release and reducing
the need for criminal behaviour for basic needs.
2.
Immediate Release Services
Target Clients - Offenders who have recently been released from custody.
Activities - Transitional Housing, Support Groups, Reintegration Planning, One-on-one emotional support.
Outputs - Some clients are provided a transitional home upon release, receive social education and peer
support through groups. Clients develop and are given assistance in
Implementing a reintegration plan that provides direction to rebuild their lives. This includes
finding jobs, housing and to support to address the issues that led to their crimes. These issues include
mental health, addictions and the opportunity to meet one-on-one to deal with immediate emotional needs.
Outcomes - Clients will avoid living on the street or in the shelter system; have a stable address and phone
number necessary for job procurement , be better able to cope having more information about handling
emotions, negotiating relationships and other Issues; have a realistic plan and a sense of hope that it can
be done; have the emotional resources to address deeper issues to be better able to make the changes
required by this plan in order to be a successful member of society.
3.
Ongoing Support Services
Target Clients - Men who have made some progress with reintegration but feel a need for ongoing support.
The transition of a client from initial support services to ongoing services is marked by the attainment of
early goals, such as finding housing and employment.
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Activities - Support groups, including one-on-one support, open to newly released clients and also to
clients who have been out for some time. Reintegration planning is less structured and focuses more on
underlying issues than immediate life circumstances.
Outputs - Clients receive ongoing social education and mutual support through groups; develop and are
given ongoing assistance to find and use resources to address issues such as mental health and
addictions; build a supportive, long term relationship with staff and volunteers.
Outcomes - Clients maintain housing and employment; are less likely to re-offend and not be
re-incarcerated; continue to build their social skills and emotional stability; become more emotionally
healthy; understand themselves differently in the context of healthy long term relationships
S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
Strengths - committed staff and volunteers; improved contemporary website; Restorative Justice
prevalence; community connections; longevity and brand
Weaknesses - not enough paid staff hours; lack of overnight supervision at bridge house; sufficient
contingency funds; evaluation of programs; need to enhance the image in the community
Opportunities - building improvements; cross-agency collaboration; alternate funding sources; attracting
qualified volunteers; program development, stigma; Actions of residents
Goals
The Bridge endeavors to:
1) Increase service capacity and program staff. Ongoing work with clients allows Bridge staff to identify
gaps in service. Bridge staff and volunteers seek creative solutions to meet needs and lead to potential
programs and begin looking for funding opportunities that match this program.
2) Strengthen the existing volunteer program by recruiting new volunteers through media advertisement in
places like Volunteer Hamilton, Kijiji and social media.
3) Strengthen relationships with educational institutions to seek to develop short term volunteer
opportunities for students who want to volunteer for a day, a week, or a semester only. Provide training
opportunities for volunteers on a regular basis.
4) Upgrade the Bridge House. Repairs will be ongoing but include major repairs to the roof and windows,
interior painting, façade repair, floor work, replacing baseboards, appliances, inadequate wiring, poor
water pressure and the structural supports that are not to code.
5) Address funding shortfalls. The single biggest liability and limit The Bridge faces is a
lack of adequate funding.
Funding Strategy
Historically, funding has been a constant struggle for The Bridge. Future growth will necessitate establishing
a stable base for core funding and accessing resources for expanding programming. To this end, The
Bridge has 5 strategies:
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1. Establish a secure basis of annualized grass roots funding by increasing revenue from private
contributors, small organizations and fundraising activities. Grow existing fundraising events, seek out new
fundraising projects, expand services and fundraising into Halton.
2. Pursue private sector corporate sponsors. Currently, The Bridge receives almost no money from this
segment so we will develop a more professional image that includes revising and developing new
promotional literature.
3. Expand the use of foundations and government grants to sponsor large capital projects and program
expansions. Maintain strong current relationships with current foundations and build a solid grant writing
team.
4. Create a contingency fund to cover emergency expenses and short term shortfalls.
5. Pursue estate funding. The Bridge does not currently actively pursue money from wills and inheritances
but can by advertising this option and placing cards at funeral homes and such places.
In closing, with regular funding we will be better equipped to provide leadership for reintegration through
additional and much needed programs; a safe sanctuary for ex-offenders; serve as an advocate for
rehabilitation through Restorative Justice; help ex-offenders improve in social, economic and educational
matters towards a more positive lifestyle; encourage the community to welcome ex-offenders into society.
The success of The Bridge is the result of limitless work of staff and volunteers over these many years. A
thank-you goes out from our community at large to all of you for your vision .
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