2024 Annual Report
AN EMAIL FROM GRATEFUL MOM IN DALLAS
This is Kevin’s Mom.
Kevin had his five-year anniversary at the Hyatt. I’ve been meaning to email you about this milestone for months now.
Here is a photo his manager took of him on that day with his certificate. He also got a nifty catalog and got to pick out a five-year anniversary gift. He opted for a pair of wireless earbuds. 🙂
Thanks for all the work you do to help young adults like Kevin find employment. He has had a wonderful five years at the Hyatt!!

Kevin
Dallas
AISHA BUFORD OF CHICAGO
Chicago Bridges alumna Aisha Buford-Morrison got early work experience as a sales associate with Dylan’s Candy Bar. She performed so well that Bridges helped her progress into a role with Accenture as a location services associate, a position she held for more than four years.
Since August 2021, Aisha has worked as a claims assistant with the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, where she is a member of the union with full benefits, including a pension.

Aisha Buford
Chicago
PAUL OF GRAPEVINE, TX
At a Bridges event held in October 2023 at the Dallas Marriott Uptown, we recognized program alumnus Paul of Grapevine, TX. Paul has been employed more than four years at Michael’s, the arts and crafts store.
Paul, now 25, is pictured below with his senior youth employment specialist, Erica Jones, and his human resources manager from Michaels, Lauren Tarpley.
Paul’s mom, Heather, feared that her son, who has an intellectual disability, would never be able to get a job. Heather wrote a detailed testimonial explaining what Bridges has meant to her and Paul. To the right is an excerpt.

Left to Right: Lauren Tarpley, Micheals Human Resources Manager; Paul, Bridges Alumna; Erica Jones, Senior Youth Employment Specialist
Erica Jones with the Bridges program coached Paul through the interview and job application process. She helped him through the transition from being a sheltered special education student to an adult employee, including innumerable obstacles that emerged during the pandemic.”
ARMARK HIRES CHAMPIONS
Twenty-five-year-old Cameron of Plano, Texas, is a champion, whether he’s feeding a hungry lunch crowd or competing in a Special Olympics swim meet.
Cameron, pictured here and with his co-workers below, has worked full-time for nearly three years in the Capital One cafeteria managed by Aramark, where his co workers, along with his Bridges employment specialist Cassandra Poole, are always cheering him on.


CameronPlano
A CULINARY WORK ANNIVERSARY
A graduate of Moises Molina High School, Pedro, 21, has already surpassed 18 months of employment at the Dallas Renaissance Hotel, where he works full-time as a prep cook. Renaissance Human Resources Manager Blanca Barbosa says “Pedro is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is so sweet and kind and loves learning new culinary techniques. He even helps us recruit and has referred multiple people to apply for our openings.”

PedroDallas