Supporters

Bridges Gala

Each year, Richard Marriott, along with a celebrity headliner, hosts this event in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the successes of Bridges and honor youth achievement. Our generous supporters are essential in generating additional resources to support Bridges services and help young adults with disabilities find a path to a brighter future through competitive employment.

Last year, the Bridges Gala raised a record-breaking $2.1M which directly impacted the lives of hundreds of young adults with disabilities.

This year, the 2023 Bridges Gala will fuel our work to continue to support challenged young adults in the year ahead. We are excited to gather in person on Monday, June 26 at the Marriott Marquis Washington DC. Please plan to join us for this fun and inspiring evening and help make a real difference in the lives of the young people Bridges serves across the country. We are grateful for the many generous sponsors who have contributed so far.

Bridges is thrilled to announce that Julie Sweet, Chair and Chief Executive Officer at Accenture, has graciously accepted the roll of Co-Chair, joining Richard Marriott on stage at the 2023 Bridges Gala.

We are also excited to share that Richard Lui, renowned MSNBC/NBC News Anchor and journalist will be returning to host the program. He will be joined by the inspiring Anthony Robles, an NCAA Champion, wrestling coach, commentator, and motivational speaker.

Confirm your participation

You may submit your sponsorship payment via check, ACH, or credit card. For further information or if you have any questions, please contact the Gala Team at (202) 719-8057 or [email protected].

Event Details:

Date: Monday, June 26, 2023
Time: 6pm Reception | 7pm Dinner
Location:
Marriott Marquis
901 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
Dress: Business Attire

Lodging Information:

For your convenience, a hotel room block has been reserved at the Washington Marriott Marquis (901 Massachusetts Avenue, NW) for the night of the Gala. The rate for the night of June 26 is $299 + tax.

If you would like to reserve a room, please visit: https://book.passkey.com/go/BridgesFromSchool

Please note, rooms are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested in using the room block, it is recommended that you make your reservation as soon as possible. The deadline to make a reservation at the group rate is June 5, 2023.

2022 Bridges Gala

After two years of hosting the event virtually, we were thrilled to gather in person on June 8th, 2022, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC. Mr. Marriott and his co-chair, Scott Barghaan, VP and General Manager, Travel and Hospitality Vertical, Salesforce, welcomed almost 1,000 guests, representing more than 190 sponsors, who helped us raise a record-breaking $2,214,000 to help Bridges transform lives through the power of a job.

We honored William Bedford with the Stephen G. Marriott Youth Achievement Award for his hard work and job success through the Bridges program. We were also treated to a lively conversation between award-winning journalist Richard Lui, and Jershika Maple, a Top 5 Finalist on NBC’s The Voice, Season 21, who graced us with a powerful performance that showcased her outstanding talent.

We are grateful for the many generous supporters who make this work possible.

2021 Virtual Bridges Gala

Though 2020 forced us to confront obstacles, Bridges From School to Work was more committed than ever to serve its young adults and provide them with a brighter future. Adapting to the circumstances, we hosted a virtual Gala on the evening of June 15, 2021. Our event co-chairs, Richard E. Marriott and Steve King celebrated the Magic of Bridges, featuring Michael Carbonaro, magician and creator of The Carbonaro Effect.

More than 400 guests attended, raising over $1.53M to ensure that Bridges can continue to provide young adults with opportunities for employment.