In 2024, we continued to amplify our mission and vision for the future – a future in which the residents East of the Anacostia River experience vital, thriving communities characterized by social, cultural, economic and racial equity.
Dear Friends,
At Building Bridges Across the River, our mission remains steadfast: to provide East of the Anacostia River residents with world-class facilities, programs, and services that support their growth and well-being. Through multi-sector partnerships, we provide community members with essential resources to thrive. Together with our partners, we offer pathways for economic empowerment, access to health and wellness resources, and opportunities for creative expression through the arts.
In 2024, we made tremendous strides in expanding our impact. After convening a series of community conversations due to the increased violence experienced the year prior, we launched Midnight Basketball at THEARC. Midnight basketball provided a safe space for Ward 8 youth to engage in mentorship and recreation, culminating in a championship hosted at the SE Entertainment and Sports Arena courtesy of Monumental Sports. We celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Skyland Workforce Center, continuing to connect residents with job training and employment opportunities. Our commitment to food access remained strong, serving nearly 3,000 residents with fresh produce distributed through Food and Farm Fridays. We also hosted the largest-ever Ward 8 Winter Wonderland led by the 11th Street Bridge Park team, bringing together 580 families for a record-breaking holiday bike giveaway, festive activities, and community connection.
Our work is deeply rooted in listening to and uplifting our community. Whether through engagement at THEARC, convenings with local leaders, or conversations with parents, we remain committed to building an equitable future where residents East of the Anacostia River have access to opportunities that empower them to thrive.
Rashaan Bernard
President & CEO
Building Bridges Across the River
Building Bridges to innovative homegrown artistic and cultural experiences East of the River
iCAN interns provided technical support at 13 theater and community events, with 5 graduates pursuing college, careers, or technical theater paths by fall.
“During the iCAN Technical Theater Internship, one of the main things that shaped my whole view is the problem-solving aspect of it. Every day, there is a new problem you have to solve—whether something is not going right or the client needs something else. I was originally only interested in computer science and coding, but this program opened my mind to the world of tech and changed my perspective. One word that describes ICAN is enriching.” — Tyler Samson, Morgan State University, Class of 2028
neighbors joined us for the 2024 Taste of the Harvest Festival, a celebration of community, culture, and cuisine in our Oxon Run woods —marking a year of exciting firsts! We debuted a new location with fairly lights dangling from the trees, introduced the first-ever Children’s Corner with kid-friendly chef experiences, and highlighted local talent at our Harvest Market—including two entrepreneurs under 12. It was a day of flavor, fun, and community spirit!
Building Bridges to education pathways, affordable housing, and sustainable employment East of the River.
hiring fairs in 2024 connected community members to jobs through the Skyland Workforce Center, featuring employers like IHOP, AppleTree Early Learning, Mezeh Restaurant, USPS, and Sunshine Early Learning.
“The Workforce is not just a center, it’s a home to many of us” – Skyland Workforce Center Alumni, Damon Donelson
homes were purchased this year, bringing the total to 167 since the program’s start. Homebuyers Club monthly meetings welcomed 1,282 attendees in 2024.
Building Bridges to a resilient food network and access to urban agriculture education East of the River.
students visited the farm to plant, smell flowers, measure beds, admire insects, inoculate logs with shiitake mushroom spores and taste fresh veggies and herbs straight from the plants.
community members participated in hands-on workshops, learning skills in mushroom cultivation, honey harvesting, starting a garden, and crafting holiday wreaths from foraged greenery during the Holiday Neighborhood Block Party.
weeks of Food and Farm Fridays provided 2,758 people with fresh food, distributing 5,805 meals from DC Central Kitchen. We gave away 793 seedlings with gardening advice, purchased 1,256 products from local Black businesses, and shared 493 recipe copies to promote healthy eating.
Thank you to all of our donors and supporters for continuing to build bridges with us. Your commitment helps to build thriving communities East of the Anacostia River characterized by social, cultural and economic equity.
Building Bridges Across the River (Building Bridges) exists to reduce structural barriers to social and economic mobility to build a stronger, resilient and fair city. Founded in 1997, the organization has created an effective blueprint for preserving communities in SE DC that has become a national model for building inter-generational wealth.
Building Bridges operates facilities, programs, and key partnerships focused on arts and culture, economic opportunity, and health and well-being. Its Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) houses more than a dozen nonprofits in a 203,000 square foot, state-of-the-art campus in DC’s Ward 8. THEARC is the country’s largest multisector social service nonprofit collaboration. Additional Building Bridges projects include the 11th Street Bridge Park, the Skyland Workforce Center, THEARC Theater, and Building Bridges Farms.
Dear Friends,
At Building Bridges Across the River, we connect residents East of the Anacostia River to world class programs and services. The multi-sector collaboration we facilitate connects community members to the critical resources they need. We will continue to provide resources for economic opportunity, health and well-being, and engagement with arts to our community.
Thanks to our network of deeply engaged givers and public servants, we were able to continue our work during the pandemic, providing critical resources such as vaccines and groceries. We will continue this work because the people in our community deserve the best opportunities to succeed in this continuously shifting environment.
The work we do is deeply needed and as we faced new challenges, formed new partnerships, and began reopening our campuses in 2021, we stayed focused on our vision for the future – a future in which the residents East of the Anacostia River experience vital, thriving communities characterized by social, cultural, economic and racial equity.
Rashaan Bernard
President
Building Bridges Across the River
©2022 & 2023 Building Bridges Across The River
