BT in Amesbury
Last week, Bridges Together hosted the first in a series of coffees for our “Bridges communities” (towns that are currently running a Bridges program). Last Friday, Julie Shaw (BT’s Community Engagement Director), Sarah Cavicchi (BT’s Membership Development Director), and BT Board Member Lee Ann Frigulietti traveled to Amesbury Elementary School to meet with teachers and the principal, as well as the president of Friends of the Amesbury COA and the older adult volunteers.
Volunteers and teachers shared about the impact of the Bridges program on students and how the volunteers enjoyed staying for lunch after the “official” end of the session each week.
The volunteers felt that the “homework” from the program gave them a stronger connection with their own grandchildren, and parents also gave positive feedback about their children’s “homework” citing strengthened bonds in their own families.
The older adult volunteers were able to help students without grandparents or a strong knowledge of their family history as they worked on an immigration project. In addition, one of the volunteers used a service dog, which the students enjoyed!
Final verdict: “The program has made a wonderful impact on everyone involved.” (You can read a fantastic article about Bridges Together and Amesbury here.)
Would you like to bring this impactful program to your community? Contact Julie Shaw (978.793.9509, julie@bridgestogether.org) today!
