We’re Expanding Housing Options for Young Families – and We Need Your Voice!
The Bridge for Youth (The Bridge) centers youth voice, justice, and equity in all we do, and empowers youth experiencing homelessness through safe shelter, basic needs, and healthy relationships.
Our vision is a community where all youth feel safe, accepted, and supported. Since 1970, over 50,000 youth have found safety and stability at The Bridge through emergency shelter and transitional housing for youth, and we have pioneered a national model of innovative homeless youth services across the nation.
The Need for Supporting Young Families
In 2024, over 5,000 youth representing more than 1,930 young families were served by the homeless prevention, assessment, shelter, and housing system across all parts of Minnesota. These families included 2,900 children who were with their youth parents.
Navigating pregnancy and parenthood is challenging under any circumstances. Now imagine being a young family without access to resources, supportive and loving relationships, and the stability of home.
For young families experiencing homelessness, their family’s need for support is critical. The trauma they have experienced and the ongoing stress of having no safe or stable place to live with their children requires a tailored and timely response.
Our Vision to Meet the Need for Young Families
Our vision for expansion includes a new, specialized facility for young families that will include youth program and recreational space, administrative and program office space, and up to 45 new units of emergency shelter, transitional, and affordable housing for young families experiencing homelessness. Our vision also includes the renovation of vacated space in our current existing facility to better meet the needs of unaccompanied homeless youth within the current facility.
This expansion will provide immediate housing stability for young families experiencing homelessness, addressing the unique needs these young families and their children face, and empowering youth to disrupt multi-generational and adult homelessness.
BFY is currently seeking funds for phase one, which includes property acquisition, predesign, and design of a multiuse facility to be located in Hennepin County. Our goal for phase one is 50% (or $7.5M) of the $15M total project cost.
New Continuum of Holistic Supports
Prevention
Community outreach & mental health services
Emergency Shelter
Gloria’s Place
4 Units
Transitional Living Program (TLP)
Expansion of Marlene’s Place from 5 to 15 units
Non-Time Limited Supportive Housing
New portfolio of 20-24 units
Aftercare Services
Continuation of holistic supports
Current Holistic Services for Young Families
Culturally responsive and youth-informed programming, including individual and family therapeutic supports, Young Father’s programming, case management, and aftercare services.
Youth and their children have basic needs met, such as food, housing, clothing, and personal care. Young families have access to pre- and post-natal healthcare and birthing supports, parenting education, mentorship, health education, and support groups, learning life skills that address the whole self and can involve the whole family.
56 Years of Supporting Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Our 2026 Legislative Capital Request
A request of $7.5 million in state funds in fiscal year 2027, appropriated from the general fund to the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development for a grant to The Bridge for Youth for land acquisition and to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip a new multiuse facility in Hennepin County. The new facility shall include youth program and recreational space, administrative and program office space, and up to 45 new units of transitional and affordable housing and emergency shelter space for unaccompanied homeless youth and young families experiencing homelessness.
Project Milestones
Jan 2021 – Project Completion
The Bridge’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) – Consulting, informing, and advising on all phases of the project.
Jan 2021 – July 2021
John Paul Chaisson Cardenas – Strategic plan prioritizes program and housing expansion for young families by centering youth voice.
Sept 2021 – May 2022
Dunwoody College of Technology – Youth and staff engagement, project goals, and trauma-informed design and conceptualization by 5th-year architecture students.
Sept 2021 – Present
Joy Collaborative – Project consultation through all phases.
Dec 2022 – Aug 2023
Healthcare Reparations Cooperative (MN Housing capacity building grant) – Youth and community engagement, young families program design, input into ideal housing infrastructure and amenities.
Oct – Nov 2023
Capital Investment Committees – The Bridge for Youth hosted the committee members and staff on the bonding tour and presented our strategic housing expansion for young families.
Jan 2024
Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan – In January 2024, The Bridge hosted Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan to meet and hear from our young families and to learn about our strategic growth.
Jan – May 2024
The Bridge for Youth (BFY) requested $3.5 million in state funds for pre-design, design, property acquisition, project management, construction, and occupancy for new housing units in Hennepin County for youth (ages 16+) who are pregnant and/or parenting and have experienced homelessness. This request was not fulfilled because the Minnesota Legislature did not pass a bonding bill.
Jan – April 2025
Complete a 12-week strategic assessment of The Bridge’s future facilities and operational needs for the next ten years along with young families project scope and pricing with consultant 45 North.
June 2025
The Bridge for Youth (BFY) was awarded $250,000 during the 2025 Minnesota Legislative Session specifically restricted to begin predesign work on the expansion of The Bridge’s young families housing plan. This expansion is a significant step toward meeting the increasing need for trauma responsive, youth informed, and culturally focused housing for youth and their children. We extend our deepest gratitude to our legislative champions, Senator Scott Dibble and Representative Katie Jones, whose unwavering support made this possible.
October 2025 – January 2026
Capital campaign feasibility study by Crowley White Helmer & Sevig to determine fundraising capacity and available opportunities in private philanthropy and public funding to support the young families housing expansion.
May 2026
BFY was awarded $1M during the 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session specifically restricted for site acquisition, pre-design, and design to launch The Bridge’s Young Families expansion. We are deeply grateful to Capital Investment Committee chair, Representative Fue Lee, and our bill author, Representative Heather Keeler, whose support made this milestone possible.
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The Impact
By providing immediate housing stability for young families in crisis, this investment addresses the unique needs of young families and expands opportunities to secure safe and stable long-term housing; and empowers youth to increase their levels of safety, well-being, connections, and self-sufficiency, disrupts to multi-generational and adult homelessness, maintains family unification, and prevents systems involvement.
For 56-years, The Bridge for Youth has been a leader in supporting youth experiencing homelessness, and has evolved to meet the needs of our community. In 2025 alone, our impact included:
- Supporting youth in 22% of Minnesota’s counties.
- 10,575 youth supported in prevention services, including outreach, crisis calls and texts.
- 92% of youth progressed in their personal goal plans.
- 84% youth either attended school, were employed, or both.
- 268 young fathers supported through mentorship, access to holistic health supports, parenting education, legal advocacy, other resources.
More About The Bridge for Youth
What started as one of the first programs in the nation to provide refuge from child abuse, teen prostitution, drug abuse, and domestic violence, is today one of the most respected nonprofits in the country serving youth experiencing homelessness. The Bridge is committed to the most vulnerable youth in our community – minor-aged, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, sexually exploited, abandoned, and pregnant/parenting youth (PPY). Last year, The Bridge engaged 6,960 youth through emergency shelter, housing, holistic health supports, mental health, outreach, and other supportive services. The Bridge owns two buildings in south Minneapolis with two (2) emergency shelters (10-17 years old; PPY 15-17 years old and their child ages 0-3); a Transitional Living Program (PPY 16-20 years old and their child ages 0-3); and a 12-unit supportive housing (18-22 years old).
