Bridges Together (BT) empowers communities to implement successful and meaningful intergenerational programs that unite older adults and youth.In response to the United States’ growing older adult population, Bridges believes that individuals benefit and communities flourish when older adults and youth connect in meaningful ways. Strong intergenerational programs foment these connections and help to better support the aging population, their families, and their workplaces.

BT offers award-winning curricula, as well as professional development services for leaders in schools, senior centers, aging services, and other community organizations that are implementing intergenerational programs. Through a Tufts Health Plan Foundation grant, Bridges experienced success with expanding its Bridges Curriculum to greater Boston schools and senior centers, and it heard calls to expand the curriculum to other settings, as well as grow its professional development services. Before considering options to spread or scale its services, Bridges engaged Impact Catalysts to review its business model.

The review process led BT to begin building a membership network for organizations and individuals committed to intergenerational programming. The network both develops the field and disseminates best practices. Bridges Together will first roll out the membership through a pilot offering to individuals and organizations in early 2018.

Bridges Together brings two assets to the task of building a membership network. First, it is viewed nationally as a thought leader that has helped define the intergenerational field. Second, in its community-based work, Bridges Together has successfully brought together different groups to learn, grow, and collaborate with each other. Bridges Together is credibly positioned to connect a network of stakeholders to develop and strengthen their practices.