Investing strategically to strengthen our communities and enabling our employees to support causes that are meaningful to them have always been a part of our company culture and values. Amidst a global pandemic that affected people in unforeseen ways, Bridgewater's employees found new and creative ways to get involved. In support of Giving Tuesday, a global movement celebrating generosity and support for our communities, we are highlighting many of the nonprofit organizations which Bridgewater has partnered with this year:
- Homes with Hope is based in Westport, Connecticut and is dedicated to responding to the challenges of homelessness. The organization provides safe emergency shelter, supportive housing, individualized case management services, mentoring, youth education, daily meals and groceries, and life skills training essential to preventing homelessness from reoccurring — and they have seen a significant increase in demand for their services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through participating in food drives and meal donations, Bridgewater has helped to provide thousands of meals to Homes with Hope.
- Open Doors Shelter is a Norwalk, Connecticut-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, hot meals, and groceries to individuals and families dealing with homelessness. In addition to Bridgewater partnering with Open Doors to provide thousands of meals, several Bridgewater employees have volunteered their time and expertise to help the shelter upgrade its technology systems to better accommodate their increasing caseload.
- Norwalk Community College Foundation seeks to increase access to affordable higher education and support the development of the local community. Through scholarships, mentorship programs, and academic bridge programing for high school students, the NCC Foundation provides resources for students facing a variety of challenges. This year, members of Bridgewater’s Women’s Influence Network engaged in a virtual, multi-week mentorship and career coaching program — pairing Bridgewater employees with women attending Norwalk Community College.
- Local school districts: With many classrooms under-equipped for remote learning, our technology teams refurbished and donated over 1,000 de-commissioned iPads to students and teachers in nearby Bridgeport and Hartford.
This year Bridgewater also introduced a corporate employee donation matching program, providing a 1:1 match for employee donations to a list of specific of organizations. This inaugural group of nonprofits was chosen for their efforts on the front lines of COVID-19 relief and the fight for racial justice.
- The Fairfield County Community Foundation has provided over $2.5 million in emergency grants through their COVID-19 Resiliency Fund to nonprofits and individuals serving communities in Connecticut, where Bridgewater has been headquartered for over four decades.
- The Robin Hood Foundation fights poverty in New York City and has provided over $51 million in grants to organizations serving those impacted by COVID-19. Bridgewater also supports Robin Hood’s Power Fund, a new initiative aimed at funding and elevating nonprofit leaders of color who are dedicated to addressing racial and economic injustice.
- Harlem Children’s Zone is a pioneering education nonprofit that has provided resources to thousands of children and families over the years, seeking to disrupt the cycle of generational poverty. Beyond the organization’s pivot to providing virtual learning to its students locally, it also partnered with cities around the country to provide emergency resources and services designed to address the needs of Black communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Deepening our partnership this year, members of Bridgewater’s Black Network participated in a virtual career workshop for HCZ’s high school and college-aged students.
- The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund is a national nonprofit that provides vital advocacy, public education, and legal resources in the fight for racial justice and civil rights. The LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities and achieve racial justice and equality in society for all Americans.
- The Equal Justice Initiative is a nonprofit dedicated to challenging racial and economic injustice, protecting basic human rights, and working with advocates to support criminal justice reform. From providing legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted and unfairly sentenced to producing groundbreaking research, historical memorials, and films, EJI is transforming unjust systems and creating hope for marginalized communities.
Bridgewater is grateful for the dedication of countless individuals and organizations who strengthen our communities and is proud to support their work this year and in the years ahead.
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Supporting Our Community in 2020
Members of our hospitality staff have prepared over 7,000 meals, including a Thanksgiving feast, for Homes with Hope and Open Doors Shelter
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Sam Bowlby from our facilities team helped to organize a canned food and essential goods drive, picking up employees’ donations from their doorsteps and delivering them to nearby food pantries who were seeing a rise in food insecurity
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Volunteers from our technology team work together virtually to refurbish decommissioned iPads — over 1,000 devices were donated to local schools
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Members of our Women's Influence Network engage in career coaching and mentoring with students in partnership with the Norwalk Community College Foundation, which continued in a virtual format during the pandemic
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