The Bridge at Southwind Villas

In the fall of 2003, the Jacksonville Housing Authority in partnership with the Jacksonville Children’s Commission asked The Bridge to begin an after school program in Southwind Villas Public Housing Project located at 8711 Newton Road in zip code 32216.  The Project is a” high poverty pocket” i.e. a high poverty community in a more affluent zip code. The project is riddled with poverty, hunger and crime. Today, The Bridge of Southwind Villas Program continues to provide critical educational, social, nutritional and cultural enrichment services to the children and families of Southwind Villas.

Approximately 131 at risk children and youth between the ages of 6- 18 signed up for The Bridge program in Southwind Villas.  The average household income is from government sources not work and falls below the national poverty level. The majority of households are headed by a single female with a high school education or less.

The goal of The Bridge of Northeast Florida, Inc. is to develop a campus-atmosphere to move from the after-school and summer program currently being provided at Southwind Villas Housing Project to the comprehensive model of programs conducted at The Bridge campus at 8th and Pearl Streets.

We believe there is a critical need in this location for a safe haven with comprehensive programming and positive influences for the children and youth. The housing complex and the community’s issues of school failure, low test scores, lack of motivation, drugs and lack of role models are directly addressed through program’s services.  88% of the students attending The Bridge program at Southwind Villas were promoted to the next grade.