How The Bridge Fund Helps Prevent Homelessness

While homelessness has no easy remedies, The Bridge Fund of New York Inc. has pioneered the concept of prevention of homelessness targeted to the working poor who have the possibility of helping themselves when given temporary assistance. The key elements of our approach have proven effective for 87%-92% of the more than 22,200 people who have received our assistance since 1991.

• We aid working poor families and individuals in imminent danger of losing their housing, generally due to eviction. Clients are treated with respect and with special attention because every client’s situation is different.


• Clients must have work-related income and be able to maintain their housing once we have provided modest financial assistance to resolve the current crisis.


• By using a preventive approach, we help stabilize households at risk of homelessness in their present housing or help them move to more affordable apartments.


• We utilize business principles to offer a form of credit that our clients cannot get elsewhere. Our clients are not eligible for public assistance because their incomes, while modest, exceed federal poverty guidelines.


• We do not charge interest on our loans and often give modest grants to clients who have the potential to maintain their housing, but cannot afford to repay a loan. Repayments are a moral, rather than a legal obligation.


• Our financial assistance is temporary and specifically targeted to resolve the immediate crisis. Our check is written directly to the landlord or real-estate management company to pay the client’s rental arrears.


• At the same time, we provide one-on-one budget counseling to give our clients the tools to better manage their finances on an ongoing basis.


• The Bridge Fund’s operations are largely funded by private contributions, which gives us great freedom and flexibility in meeting client needs with swift and effective solutions.


• We work cooperatively with both public and private agencies to maximize limited resources in order to help the greatest number of households.


• Clients are monitored after our intervention to assess the effectiveness of The Bridge Fund model.

This model is effective because it is based on the willingness of most people to help their neighbors in need and on the desire of most families to help themselves.