Our History
In 1922, women from Calvary Episcopal Church and St. Mary's Episcopal
Cathedral established the Church Mission of Help, based on an outreach
mission begun at Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City in 1913. The
focus was on "wayward and delinquent women and girls over 16 who found
themselves in difficulty." The program was run by volunteers until 1924
when the first staff person was hired, Miss Theresa de Birmingham, as
Executive Secretary. In 1925, Miss Agnes Grabau became Executive
Secretary and served in that capacity until 1960. During her tenure,
many changes occurred. The agency's name was changed to Youth Service on
May 21, 1947 and the mission was expanded to include boys and to
provide vocational counseling in 1948.
In 1962, the agency was incorporated as an independent non-profit
organization known as Youth Service in Memphis. The Rev. Donald E.
Mowery was hired as Executive Director in 1963 and served until 1994
when he retired. In the past the agency had provided services to young
people in its office. "Father Don" took his work to the streets. During
this period, the agency became one of the first in Memphis to integrate
its programs and close ties to government agencies and Memphis City
Schools developed. During the civil unrest that followed the
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. it became increasingly
difficult to find outdoor spaces to hold integrated activities. This
prompted a partnership with the Naval Air Station in Millington.
In 1988, a community volunteer, Rebecca Webb Wilson, brought a program
called Bridge Builders® to Youth Service. Her idea was to bring together
high school students from diverse backgrounds for summer conferences
and year-long activities that would build leadership skills while
simultaneously forging ties between future leaders of the community. The
program began with 40
students from Northside and Briarcrest High
Schools. Today, the Bridge Builders® Program involves more than 1,000
youth representing every public, private and parochial high school in
Memphis and Shelby County.
In 1995, The Rev. James R. Boyd was chosen to lead the organization into
the 21st century and became President of Youth Service. Jim brought a
new vision to the agency, one based on entrepreneurial approach to
social services that lessened the organization's reliance on rapidly
diminishing government subsidies. In 1996, to more accurately reflect
the work the agency was doing, the name was changed to BRIDGES.
Today, BRIDGES programs serve 15,000 adults and youth in the Memphis
area annually, to build a community of leaders to advance racial,
economic, educational and environmental justice.