How The Bridge Works
Why do you shop at Amazon? Amazon believes you shop with them because they have unified a diverse range of products under one accessible roof. Up until the double levy failure, Yelm families were able to access a wide range of educational services under the single roof of Yelm Community Schools (YCS). By enrolling your student at YCS, they had access to multiple programs of instruction ranging from band, art, music, drama, technology, guitar, sports. At the publishing of this website, it is still uncertain how deep the cuts to each of these programs (and more) will be. We do, however, know that all of these programs will be affected to some degree with some disappearing all together. 
Thankfully, all of the above listed programs are already being offered to students in some capacity through community clubs and local non-profits. It is the vision of The Bridge to see these organizations brought together, resourced, and accessibly linked so that students can continue their instruction in one or more of the areas they will potentially miss otherwise.
The minimum product, if no organizations decide to partner with us, will be an easy to navigate directory of services that families can use to connect their student with desired instructional opportunities.
We hope to be so much more though.
Many of the clubs and non-profits operate on a limited basis because of a lack of facility space, volunteers, or funding. Working closely with the school district, local businesses, churches, and even the city of Yelm, we hope to connect these organizations with meeting spaces, volunteers, funding, and possibly even transportation to legitimize them as viable after-school educational opportunities.
One example might be a middle-grade student who wants to continue their involvement in drama. We are working with Standing Room Only (SRO), a local theater club, to connect them with facility space to lead performing arts instruction and put on plays at the Middle Schools. Perhaps that student can continue their performing arts education at an after school program at their school or at a local church or business. We also want to connect community and parent volunteers into SRO for added support as well as possible fund-raising opportunities through the network to bolster their program offerings to students.
Once SRO is connected in to The Bridge their services will be added to The Bridge website where families can get information about the program and register their student to participate.
The Bridge website will also contain organization and volunteer portals that will streamline the process for all required documentation, insurance, applications to receive any available funds, background checks, and etc.
We are establishing The Bridge Yelm as a 501(c)3 to be able to receive and disperse funds to any organization within The Bridge Network. Any funds received will be poured directly into the network and associated organizations to offset enrollment costs, pay facility rental fees, and purchase required supplies that will directly affect student education.