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 Values
We are guided by the following Collaboration Values as we seek to accomplish our purpose:
Long-Term effective relationships.
Safe and secure programs.
Being financially accountable.
Balancing meeting daily needs with long-term change.
Celebrating the win-win of collaborative efforts.
Our Current Focus
We are currently focusing on building collaborative relationships with both businesses and faith communities to support our existing eight non profit Service Providers. If you would like to collaborate with us, click here for Businesses , or here for Faith Communities. We will also add other Service Providers after careful consideration.
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.
Parallel to the establishment of BridgeLink, Business Leadership Forum was developed to bring leadership concepts and life balance skills to the business community.
During 2006, collaborative relationships were established with our Service Providers and over 250 volunteers were mobilized. Business Leadership Forum also incorporated business collaboration into its programming and area businesses began to collaborate.
Late in 2007, BridgeLink participated in the national Make a Difference Day, and then led a Serve Day in April, 2008. Several area faith communitites joined us for this Serve Day.
The BridgeLink Board
As a Minnesota non profit, BridgeLink is overseen by a Board of Directors as follows:
Jim Barber, President and Treasurer Jill Discher, Vice President
Therese Hamel, Vice President Natalie Hare, Secretary
Jim Scott, Board Member
BridgeLink is currently seeking to add board members from our Support Organizations.
