History

In 1998, a seasonal shelter initiated by Christian Ministries and supported only by volunteers, opened south of Cortez, CO. This effort lasted four years.
In 2005, a variety of stakeholders representing a cross-section of the community devised a plan for a new shelter to address the problems of homelessness and hypothermia in the city of Cortez.
Since its opening in 2006 in the Old Justice Building, The Bridge has housed more than 3,650 guests and provided 58,332 nights of stay and more than 100,000 meals (meals include breakfast and dinner).
During its early years, The Bridge was staffed only by volunteers. Today, it operates with a staff of 12. It also continues to depend on its many volunteers to fully operate the shelter.
In 2010, The Bridge began operating and managing the Cortez Day Labor Center, providing income opportunities for guests at The Bridge and others seeking short-term labor in the community.
The Bridge completed construction of a new facility in September 2019. The new building is located at 735 N. Park St. in Cortez.
On the first floor, the new building provides sheltering for 26 people, a sobering space for up to 15 people, Day Labor facilities and office space. The second floor houses up to 26 formerly homeless people in 1 – 2 bedroom apartments. The transitional apartments generate income to offset costs of sheltering operations.
The new facility is the first of its kind in the state of Colorado that includes sheltering, labor opportunities and transitional apartments under one roof.

Developed by Cortez Web Services

History

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