“After graduating with my second higher education degree, a Bachelor of Arts, I came to The Bridge, and it became a sanctuary for me,”

My name is Emanuel Dillard, a double alumnus of higher education and a current graduate student in Communications and Marketing. I want to take a moment to express my deep and sincere gratitude for The Bridge. During a time when I was struggling with mental health challenges, family issues, and trauma, The Bridge became a sanctuary for me. While still navigating these difficulties, by God’s grace, I found The Bridge, where I received vital support—mental health care, food assistance, emergency housing guidance, and, most importantly, the strength to piece my life together and make a fresh start in Houston, Texas. The Bridge, in my eyes, is not just a recovery center; it is a home for those who are lost and don’t know where to turn. I am profoundly thankful for the refuge it provided me. When I faced homelessness, The Bridge took me in like a father welcoming his child in need. During my time there, someone said to me, “You are the best thing since sliced bread.” Today, I send that beautiful sentiment right back to The Bridge—the recovery center is truly the best thing since sliced bread. Though my time there was brief, it was not a misstep but a reminder that even in the face of life’s challenges, we must persevere. When life hands you lemons, you make strawberry lemonade—with diced pineapples! 

My experience at The Bridge taught me so much, and I believe that, through God’s grace, The Bridge will continue to grow and expand its mission. Homelessness can touch anyone, and I am living proof that The Bridge helps not only to survive but to thrive and go on to do great things. That said, I understand that the journey to stability doesn’t end when someone moves out of The Bridge; in many ways, it begins anew. As I continue on this path, I humbly ask that you keep me in your prayers. Pray for my safety, well-being, and stability as I work to build a new life. The Bridge is a beautiful place, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity I had to live there. I wish nothing but the best for The Bridge, its board of directors, and its employees, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.