BridgeLink

Our Purpose

BridgeLink exists to collaborate with other organizations in mobilizing people and other assets to meet the community needs of Anoka County, Minnesota.

 

Just as a bridge links people on two separate land masses, BridgeLink seeks to form collaborative relationships between Support Organizations, such as area businesses and the faith community, and non profit Service Providers, all for the purpose of solving community needs:

 

We sincerely believe that those in need of physical, emotional, financial, and social support  will be best served when we work together. To that end, BridgeLink identifies programs and events led by our Service Providers and communicates the resources needed for them to our Support Organizations. We then also coordinate the mobilization of those resources for these programs and events. This saves our Support Organizations time and funding and helps facilitate the mission of our Service Providers. More importantly, more community needs are met than would be otherwise.

Our Collaboration Values

The following Collaboration Values guide us as we seek to accomplish our purpose:

• Long term effective relationships
• Insuring the safety and security of our programs
• A balance between justice and mercy
• Common morals as a basis for collaboration
• Celebrating the progress of shared endeavors 
• Mobilizing assets in service to others
• Financial Accountability
• Strategic assessment and meeting of needs
• Both leadership vision and management execution
• Being a credible community resource

Our History

In 2005, BridgeLink was founded by Constance Free Church in Andover, Minnesota out of a desire to practice love and good deeds beyond the walls of the church. We are a separate legal entity from the church with a distinct purpose from the church. We were granted 501(c)(3) status that same year.

During 2005-2006, initial collaborative relationships were established with eight of our Service Providers and over 250 volunteers were mobilized. In the coming years, a steady stream of volunteers from Constance Free Church, other area churches, small businesses, concerned individuals and families participated. In addition, over $100,000 was mobilized to assist our Service Providers accomplish their missions.

2010 was a year of three significant developments:

• We were pleased to participate in the Anoka County initiative on homelessness by establishing collaborative relationships with two additional Service Providers: Stepping Stone Emergency Housing and Family Promise of Anoka County.
  

• Compassion Action Network invited us to collaborate by leading the Faith in Action portion of their Spring and Fall Forums

• We participated in and provided leadership to the Anoka-Hennepin School District Faith Community Partnership