To empower individuals to release their inherent intellectual capacities and to build quality lives leading to a legacy of wisdom and humanity. We foster belief in the stewardship of the environment; promote the building of relationships among people, without discrimination in race, religion, or sexual orientation; and center our focus upon the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical aspects of our shared past, the present, and with faith in the future.
THE BRIDGE first emerged as an Indian Training Trust Fund more than 10 years ago and quickly became the “bridge” between organized labor, employers and the Native American Communities in Southern California. Programming evolved and expanded to include all ethnicities, races and people for jobs within the high growth industries including construction, utilities, retail, medical and video production that would provide them with living wages and leading to self-sufficiency.
Currently, THE BRIDGE receives more than $3.5 million in public funding from various agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Highways Division, Orange County Workforce Investment Area, Long Beach Workforce Investment Area and the Employment Training Panel to provide outreach and recruitment, case management, assessment, referral to high growth occupational training, job placement and follow-up and retention services to at-risk youth, youth offenders, incumbent workers, disadvantaged adults and dislocated workers Additionally, THE BRIDGE receives funding from several employers, labor unions and tribal governments including Granite Construction, Southern California Indian Manpower Consortium, Torres-Martinez Reservation, Pipe fitters, Operating Engineers, Teamsters, and Painters and Allied Trades to name a few. In the recent past, THE BRIDGE has received an Earmark Grant, Governor’s 15%, Training and Technical Assistance (TAT) Grants and funding from the Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association. The BRIDGE has participated actively in regional U.S. Department of Labor activities, including the Youth Opportunity Leadership Institute, President’s Faith-Based Summit, many California Workforce Association-sponsored events, and the One Stop/One System Regional Conference in Anaheim as presenters, panelists and subject matter experts. We also work collaboratively with organized labor and regional and national Employment Training Administration, Apprenticeship Training, Employment Labor Services, Division of Indian and Native American Programs and Job Corps.
THE BRIDGE’s highly effective youth program model provides a “wholestic” approach to working with this population and strives to meet their needs to become self-sufficient through intensive and focused services and leveraged resources. We target youth between the ages of 16 to 21 years old who are offenders, under foster care, independent living and disenfranchised at-risk youth population transitioning into the workforce. We offer structured programming including life skills, financial management, anger management, National Retail Federation Foundation Customer Service Certification training and job readiness courses along with the opportunity for occupational skills training within high growth industries, job placement assistance and access to other types of resources that will assist this youth population grow and plan for a better future by setting proper goals and becoming a successful, contributing member of society.
Our Board of Directors
Current Staff Members
Jeffrey Jackson, Executive Director: Mr. Jackson has more than twenty years of experience working with Native American and Tribal entities as well as providing Native Americans with customized training in a variety of pre-apprenticeship and introductory courses to the building and construction trades. He is a licensed construction contractor and successfully contracted with HUD to build homes for various projects. Mr. Jackson works with various Workforce Development Boards and One-Stops, other faith and community-based organizations, alternative high schools, Regional Occupational Centers and Community Colleges and employers leveraging funds for various workforce and economic development projects, and individual tribal governments. He currently sits on the San Diego Workforce Investment Board and is a participating member of their Youth Committee. Additionally Jackson is on the state-wide small business committee and chairs the CalTrans Toll Roads DBE Subcommittee and the Participation Over-site Subcommittee. For the past 10 years as the Executive Director, Jackson has overseen the inception and growth of the 501 © (3) non-profit, The BRIDGE and steered the organization from a small narrowly, focused Indian initiative, into a NGO serving disadvantaged people from all racial communities.
Will Fulton Director of Operations: Mr. Fulton has more than 20 years of experience in union apprenticeship management and training with both a K-12 and a junior college vocational teaching credentials; more than ten years experience as a building and construction trades union organizer; more than 20 years as a building trades craftsman; who oversees the day-to-day project and fiscal operations, monitors project delivery and supervises project staff and training.
Tony Hord, N.D., Regional Field Supervisor: Mr. Hord has more than 15 years of experience working in the workforce and economic development arena. He was the Director of Education for various Alternative High Schools within the greater Los Angeles area, managing all educational programs for adjudicated youth as well as the liaison/advocate for youth employment with the entertainment industry labor unions. Prior to that, he was the Regional Program Director for the Silicon Valley Workforce Investment area managing all Rapid Response activities and programming for dislocated workers and adults throughout the region’s five area One-Stops and satellite locations. He holds a B.A. degree form Loyola University and an N.D. degree from Trinity College.