Opening Doors

‘Tis the season of graduation. Students are leaving what they know to start new adventures and move on to new challenges. This can be exciting, challenging, and sometimes even scary. New experiences, learning, meeting new people, and broadening your horizon can be like opening a present. You’re not sure what is inside, but once opened...it delights! However, for some people these experiences force us to face the unknown. And, that can be an uncomfortable spot.

At LifeBridge Partnership we are always operating in the “season” of next steps and opening new doors. Our clients face these challenges and adventures on a daily basis. We walk alongside them as they pursue community life and persevere through the challenges of exploring the community, building relationships, trying new things...all within a safety net of peers.

We have a wonderful example of what that journey looks like. Meet TyReeke who joined LifeBridge Partnership in 2013 as a middle school student in SPARK Club, our after-school program.

Most people would’ve described him as reserved, quiet, and shy, but always involved in activities and helpful to his peers. He was soon attending the various camps LifeBridge offers, too. Over time, he became more confident, outgoing, and responsible. LifeBridge staff recognized this growth and opened a new door for him by creating a volunteer “counselor in training” role. TyReeke completed volunteer training and was given a LifeBridge Volunteer shirt to promote a sense of belonging in our team and acknowledge his new role to other volunteers, staff, and campers. TyReeke was assigned specific duties including keeping head counts of campers, completing daily reports to parents, and providing support to clients during activities. He went above and beyond assigned duties and independently took on more tasks for his team.

In 2019, LifeBridge expanded the after-school program by forming the Leaders Club at Nottingham CAJT High School. Leaders Club provides enrichment, socialization, and opportunities to develop social skills for success in the workplace and community. TyReeke enrolled and continued to flourish. In need of a van aide to support clients in route from Leaders Club, a new door opened. We asked him to interview for the van aide position for the 2020 spring semester and ultimately offered TyReeke the job.

First job...This was a significant accomplishment for TyReeke. It ignited a desire to continue developing leadership skills and serving others. His journey also opened doors for LifeBridge Partnership. He is now a permanent part-time employee with LifeBridge Partnership - our first client to employee transition. And, we developed an official Counselor in Training program for clients.

I hope you will consider joining us on our journey. Visit www.lifebridgestl.org to donate or learn more about volunteering.

Karen Schuster, CEO