Who We Are
Our Mission
Develop strong confident youth reaching their full potential.
Our Vision
Recognized community leader in empowering youth confidence and success by facilitating strong, healthy family relationships through informed, compassionate, efficient program delivery.
The Miami Bridge Way
Youth Centered
Empowering youth with individualized attention, opportunities and experiences to confidently succeed in life.
Strong Families
Collaborating to strengthen and empower healthy families who are the building blocks of our society
Community Engagement
Directly engage with communities to support the wellbeing of today’s youth who are the future of prosperity in our society
Our Team Values
Be Youth and Family Centric – Focus –Empathy - Structured
- Provide every youth, parent, family and sibling individual attention and care to promote positive development
- Use data and empathy to understand and anticipate the needs of our youth and families
- Factor youth and family into every decision we make
Act As A Team –Teamwork – Positive Energy - Synergy
- Continually work together to seek new growth opportunities as well as cost efficiencies
- Role model for calculated risk taking, stimulate others to do the same
- Do what’s best for Miami Bridge as a whole and not just your own area
Decide, Commit & Execute – Action – Outcomes – Results
- Stay focused on what really matters and clarify what we won’t do
- Simplify the way we work, eliminate bureaucracy and remove obstacles
- Decide, commit, and execute
Voice Opinions Confident – Listen – Understand – Respect
- Create a safe place for different opinions
- Actively listen and be curious
- Provide your perspective and expertise
- Respectfully accept and support decisions even when you disagree
Dedicated & Diverse Staff – Inclusion – Equity – Fairness
- Hire and promote within
- Build diverse teams and inclusive environments
- Recognize people based on performance and potential
- Build expertise and capacity
- Treat everyone equally
- Use data and empathy to understand and anticipate the needs of our youth and families
- Factor youth and family into every decision we make
Act With Integrity – The Driving Force Of The Organization – ALL
- Always do what is right
- Behave in a transparent and authentic way
- Trust others and empower them to deliver
Celebrate Success – Recognition – Everyone – Happiness
- Build a positive and supportive work environment
- Create moments of fun
- Show appreciation for each other’s contribution, both big and small
Success is no accident, it is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and MOST of all, love of what you are doing.
History of Miami Bridge
The Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services was founded in 1974 by Richard “Dick” Moran as part of Catholic Charities and was a leading force in helping homeless youth in South Florida. The Bridge’s original site was an old, dilapidated hotel in Downtown Miami. Reports from those who worked as housekeepers in the mid-70s recalled that approximately 3,000 kids were assisted in its first three years. Just like today, its mission was to assist youth who were runaways, abandoned, or caught up in the justice system.
In the late 1970s, Miami Bridge moved to a building in Liberty City. Prior to the move, Charles Barr, a counselor during the mid-70s, says the biggest concerns at the time were ensuring that weapons were not brought into the shelter and that the kids remained safe.
In 1975, Moran launched the Bridge, an Archdiocese of Miami temporary shelter for runaways in the county. The concept of providing resources to homeless kids during the 1970s was novel, but Miami Bridge was one of the first nonprofits to help in this way.
In July 1985, Moran headed to Washington, D.C. to advocate for homeless reform before Congress, sharing stories of both the challenges and successes of the children at Miami Bridge. He was so dedicated to this cause that the Coalition for the Homeless created the Dick Moran “Peace and Love” Award, which was first given to State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle in 1992.
A group of civic leaders partnered to establish a voluntary Board of Directors and incorporated Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services as a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. In 1991, the Board of Directors raised over $1,000,000 to construct six buildings on our two campuses, with a State of Florida matching grant award of $450,000. Miami Bridge has been providing residential and non-residential services for at-risk youth ages 10-17 for over 30 years.
