The Bridge Marks Decade as ‘one-stop Shop' for Dallas' Homeless

David Woody scans the courtyard of The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, directly below his office.From there he can watch people file in and out of the cafeteria. He can see employees directing folks to the barbershop and the laundry room. He can intervene when someone is upset.Woody has been leading the shelter since the summer, but despite being named the permanent president and CEO last month he still hasn't moved into a larger office.He wants to observe how things are working. He wants to understand why people end up at shelter and — more important — how he can help them leave.This year, as The Bridge marks its 10th anniversary, thousands of people will pass through the shelter's doors, at the corner of Corsicana and St. Paul streets.There are 149 mats for people to sleep on every night, and 100 beds for those staying in transitional housing while they wait for a more permanent residence.The homeless can hang out at the shelter during the day, eat a hot meal, talk to social workers, attend 12-step meeting and take advantage of counseling, employment and health services. At an anniversary event Monday, Woody called The Bridge a "one-stop shop."   Continue reading...