Bridging Inc. Seeks Used Furniture Donations For Tornado Victims

Bridging Inc., a Twin Cities non-profit providing furniture and household goods to families and individuals emerging from homelessness and poverty, is now preparing to serve the recent tornado victims of north Minneapolis.

In the process, the group is also hoping to raise the visibility of its Roseville office, according to the head of Bridging.

To gear up for what it says will be an increased demand from individuals who lost their belongings from the recent tornado, Bridging is calling on Twin Cities’ residents to donate new or quality, gently used furniture and household goods to its Bloomington and Roseville locations. The Roseville location is at 1633 Terrace Drive; the Bloomington site is at a 201 West 87^th St.

“Bridging is facing a high demand for donated items,” Bridging Executive Director Sara Sternberger said in a statement. “To support those whose lives have been devastated by the recent tornado, many more items are needed now and in the months to come.”

Sternberger told Roseville Patch that Bridging opened its Roseville location about five years ago.

At this point, “we don’t have the penetration of awareness as Bloomington,” Bridging’s first  location, she said. “This is really an opportunity to raise awareness of the Roseville location.”

Sternberger said Bridging Roseville’s site is more likely to be visited by northeast Minneapolis residents because of its closer proximity to them than Bloomington.

She said at least 200 individuals were displaced due to the tornado.

Sternberger said between Bridging’s Roseville and Bloomington sites, the agency has 7,000 volunteers a year who donate the equivalent time of 41 full-time staff.  Volunteers help with such things as sorting through donated items, stocking items on shelves and helping unload and load furniture.  The agency also has 24 employees.

Bridging said it carries on its work in collaboration with more than 130 social service agencies and nonprofit organizations. To be eligible for services, tornado victims must be referred to Bridging by a current Bridging referral agency. A list of current referral agencies is available online at www.bridging.org, the group said.

In 2010, Bridging distributed 47,350 furniture and household good items from its Roseville location, said Heidi Schwitzer, Bridging’s communications and events manager. In 2010, the Bloomington location distributed 52,885 items, she said.

Since its origin in 1987, Bridging has served about 57,000 households or about 5,000 per year, according to the nonprofit. That's more than 13,000 individuals per year, it said.