Dear Bridges community,

As Bridges celebrates 30 years of growing impact in Baltimore, I am thrilled to share that Bridges Baltimore and McDonogh School have agreed to establish Bridges at McDonogh. Bridges at McDonogh will open in June 2024 and serve 35 4th and 5th-grade students from Baltimore City and 70 volunteers from McDonogh’s upper school in its inaugural year. Over time, Bridges at McDonogh will grow to support the long-term success of 180 Baltimore City students ages 9-23, and will provide 90 upper school students from McDonogh each year with the opportunity to build relationships with Baltimore City youth, learn about issues of unequal access in Baltimore, and be a part of creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

For the past three years, McDonogh’s Head of School, Dave Farace, and I have been working together to make Bridges at McDonogh a reality. Dave shares, “I am so excited about McDonogh’s new partnership with Bridges. Supporting talented students from around Baltimore in their pursuit of academic success and providing our upper schoolers the opportunity to develop a commitment to civic engagement truly aligns with McDonogh’s mission—to provide life-altering educational experiences that inspire personal and intellectual growth. I could not be more excited for what is ahead.”

Bridges at McDonogh is the fourth Bridges location in Baltimore – and the first on the west side of town. The opening of this program represents a key milestone toward our vision of Bridges programs serving 2,200 participants per year at 8 locations throughout the city. Bridges’ legacy exists and continues to grow thanks to the support of so many dedicated people and institutions. The St. Paul’s Schools brought Bridges to life 30 years ago and has remained an indispensable partner. Bridges at Gilman School has been flourishing for nearly a decade, and Bridges at The Bryn Mawr School has built a solid foundation in its early years. An incredible group of supporters and partners has also invested faithfully in our work through the years. We are grateful for all they have and continue to do to make milestones like the opening of Bridges at McDonogh possible.

There is a lot to do over the next few months as we open a search for a site director, recruit the first volunteer cohort from McDonogh’s upper school, and raise a seed fund to underwrite the first three years of the program. We are so excited to celebrate this moment with you and to share more as we approach Bridges at McDonogh’s launch in 2024. Thank you for being an important part of Bridges’ history, evolution, and outlook.

All the best,

Rob Paymer
Executive Director, Bridges Baltimore