community impact
Of the three pillars Bridge City is built on, Community Impact is fully dependent on the other two to exist authentically. As mentioned in the video, we believe it is hypocrisy if we try to take care of those far away before doing so for those closest to us.
Because of that belief, before moving outward into the community, we strove for an effective and functioning internal business model. We are so grateful and excited to share that it is working!
areas of impact
1. physical shop locations
Our physical shops are where the tangible manifestation of our relationship with the community begins. We have put countless hours of loving effort into making Bridge City a safe place where all feel welcome regardless of who you are, where you are coming from, or where you are going. One of our Core Values is treat everyone like they matter, because they do. Every customer interaction is a chance for us to be the positive turning point in someone’s day.
2. be a bridge for non-profit partners
Bridge City was created to be what our name indicates, a bridge, and one of the biggest ways we set out to do that was picking up where our non-profit partners leave off. These organizations do an incredible job caring for their participants, but if they are successful their participants will eventually phase out. Our goal is to act as a bridge when this happens by picking up where our partners left off and equipping these incredible people to be ready for the real world.
3. financial & resource support
We engage the community around us is by providing financial support, training, and sharing the resources we have. This looks different depending on what we have to offer and what a partner needs, but the heart of any engagement in this realm is relational, not transactional. We are looking for lasting relationships that are built over time and through a commitment to help each other grow.
community partners
Each partnership with these incredible organizations differs, but they all yield tangible results. We’ve highlighted the main mission of each organization, or what our unique partnership with them looks like.
Looking to learn more? Follow the links to their website!
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“Mill Community Ministries is a collection of social entrepreneurs working to develop communities for success in Greenville, South Carolina. We are a group dedicated to seeing individuals and communities thrive.”
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“[Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery] envisions a community that celebrates and supports a just and sustainable food system that allows small local farmers to thrive.”
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“United Ministries has thoughtful services that serve, transform, and empower those in need toward achieving self-sufficiency. This means that our services can be quite different from one another, but they all work toward a common goal.”
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“Our mission is to offer women who are trapped in a cycle of sexual exploitation and addiction a path to freedom, a haven for healing, and the opportunity to flourish, leading to generational change and the betterment of our Greenville community.”
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“The Lead Collective exists to equip, and elevate leaders in the way of Jesus, from vulnerable communities in Greenville, SC.“
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“Soteria CDC advocates for economic and social justice for those and their families impacted by the criminal justice system. We work to create opportunities for previously incarcerated men to reenter society through transitional housing, life skills, and job training”
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“Every time you dine with us, we dedicate a portion of our proceeds to the Sidewall Pizza Community Fund.
The Sidewall Pizza Community Fund is an ongoing fund from which we donate to individuals, families, and organizations in need in our area.”
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“[Exchange Coffee Co.] seeks to foster this culture to help support the fatherless in our community. A portion of our efforts and proceeds goes to help support local foster care and adoption agencies and families.”
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“Enriching young women with positive formative experiences that replace obstacles with opportunities.
Each day at GirlUp GVL, girls are connecting, growing, learning, and flourishing with their peers and mentors who share a passion for their happiness, success, and dignity”
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“TreesUpstate is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005. We plant trees in parks, schools, and neighborhoods. We promote the benefits of trees. We protect by providing education and technical support to help inform policies and systems change.”
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“The Dream Center offers emergency assistance to those in crisis, but the primary focus is to encourage, educate, and empower people with a hand up instead of a hand out.”
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“Set Free believes in a world where all are set free in the name of Christ. Working to accomplish this vision, we work with in-country partners to rescue children, provide clean water, host medical clinics, and plant churches to make disciples of Christ.”
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The Village Grind supplies the community with more opportunities for employment. We love getting to build bridges in the community with other coffee shops who strive for excellence. Their shop is beautiful and their coffee is delicious.
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“I’m Sammy, a 9-year-old entrepreneur living in Greenville, South Carolina! I make the yummiest homemade granola and I take orders each month. I have two sizes, large ($10 for 8 ounces) and small ($5 for 4 ounces.)”
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“Enoree Grove is a small-scale family farm with a heart to cultivate, care, and connect. From composting and growing to hosting community events and field trips, we are committed to creating space that is both ecologically responsible and personally edifying.”
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“From commercials, to TV series, to social media campaigns, to in-store experiences, our team offers full creative services for video production and photography: from pre-production to final delivery.”
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“We want to cultivate growth in the lives of our people, our community, and our city by fostering relationships – and some of the best relational growth happens over fabulous food. We believe that life truly is sweeter together!”
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“Our mission is to create and curate lasting experiences through cotton candy. We elevate our cotton candy by using the highest quality ingredients which means that any and all unnecessary ingredients are not included. Specifically, our sugars are both gluten-free and vegan with no artificial dyes.”
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“We were created to provide a forum for the exchange of local products and goods, as well as educational and cultural activities for increasing knowledge about, appreciation for, and participation in the local production of natural products, while also fostering a sense of community among the residents and visitors of the Travelers Rest area.”
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“We started by baking bread for our neighbors, and that’s what we’re still up to today. Our neighborhood has grown into the larger Greenville community, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of your nightly dinners and big celebrations.”
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“We are a coffeehouse with a bold vision to make a difference in both our local and global communities. As a missional coffeehouse focused on sustainable solutions to poverty, we turn profits into hope. We do this by creating a product you love, serving you with a smile, and giving all of our profits to people in need.
We love coffee. We love people even more.”
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“We believe that a community blooms when it grows and works together. For this reason, we offer a number of community programs and events year-round, including competitions, member nights, educational clinics, adult climbing leagues, youth teams, camps, yoga classes, and more. These are a targeted selection of ways to experience and help grow our community. We hope you will join us and offer your unique qualities, too.”
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Bel-Aire exists to know, love and partner with our neighbors by promoting and giving opportunity for their spiritual, educational and relational growth.
there’s always room for a greater impact
Interested in playing a part in what Bridge City is doing? We would absolutely love to hear from you. How can we be a part of your impact?