Compassion, dignity and trust are at the core of The Bridges 2 Hope, a nonprofit organization helping individuals experiencing myriad issues related to homelessness.
To be sure, acquiring some of life’s basic necessities — clothing, shelter and food — can become a daily challenge for the region’s homeless population. The Bridges 2 Hope strives to tackle those immediate needs but also to build connections that can open doors and spark lasting transformations.
And, perhaps, invite the community in.
“We always need volunteers,” said Michele Verdugo, president of The Bridges to Hope. “Anybody who wants to volunteer and just come to an outreach night. We’re there every Tuesday at Abundant Life Church in Indio from 6 to 8 p.m.”
That haven provides a hot meal for homeless individuals. There is also food to go. Abuse resources and other medical services are also available.
“We have the County of Riverside there with their Justice Outreach Team there for anybody who wants to go to drug treatment,” Verdugo said. “They do an onsite intake and then look for a bed for people seeking treatment.”
Once that’s secured, The Bridges 2 Hope provides a duffel bag with clothes, socks, underwear and other necessities while in treatment.
A recent grant from the Inland Empire Community Foundation through the John and Sarah Kobara Foundation Fund offers yet another opportunity for the nonprofit to expand its reach.
“The grant will assist us with many things,” Verdugo said. “We like to help people with food insufficiency, and when the unhoused get secured housing, we help with a deposit, if necessary, or the first month’s rent. We also provide furnishings and beds.”
She added that portions of the grant funding will be used to furnish homes from items obtained from specialty stores like Revivals.
The nonprofit’s impact in 2025 has been significant.
More than 3,400 on-site meals were served. Nearly 500 first aid kits were distributed. There were about 2,400 Narcan distributions — that program offers naloxone, which is considered a safe, quick-acting medication that helps reverse opioid overdoses.
Sack lunches, on-site haircuts, on-site doctor visits and even the distributions of cat and dog food fall under the nonprofit’s many services.
“As we move into spring for the unhoused, I would like people to know that we do have mobile showers,” Verdugo said. “And for those who need medical treatment, we’ve got Volunteers in Medicine and Eisenhower (Health) at our outreach every week. It gets hotter in spring, so we always need donations of water, hydration packs and wipes.”
Events like the socks and T-shirt drive and Hot August Nights, held in 2025, also create opportunities for locals to make a difference by donating essential survival items.
Visit the nonprofit’s website for a list of upcoming events.
When asked what she appreciates most about being involved in such a far-reaching and noble enterprise, Verdugo is candid.
“I like to be one-on-one with people, so I enjoy the social part,” she said. “I have been clean and sober for 31 years. I feel my place in there is to encourage people to find sobriety. And I don’t judge anyone because I know it’s a difficult situation. I just want to build a relationship with people and sometimes it takes us a while for people to trust.”
She cites cases of individuals who have finally gone into treatment after living on the street for six years.
“One of the things I find most rewarding is when someone goes into treatment and then continues on,” she said. “Right now, we’ve got a mother who lived under the bridge for six years, and now she’s been clean and sober for over a year. It’s remarkable to witness that, to see somebody get off the street and start a whole new life.”
For more information, visit thebridges2hope.com.
IECF manages the details and provides local insight to help donors direct support where it is needed most across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Learn more at iegives.org/giving-with-iecf.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Foundation grant extends a bridge of hope
Reporting by Greg Archer, Inland Empire Community Foundation / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
