For the past 27 years, the Mavs Foundation has been dedicated to serving the North Texas community through its grant programs and the construction of 57 safe Learn & Play spaces.
The most recent Learn & Play tech center was unveiled on Wednesday, Sept. 4, when the Mavericks and Mavs Foundation partnered with Chime to present a transformative space at The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center.
Located in downtown Dallas, The Bridge offers 24-hour service to 85% of Dallas County’s homeless population, serving nearly 7,000 people annually. The Bridge has evolved into an internationally recognized model for homeless recovery due to its unique structure, which aims to craft an exit strategy for its guests experiencing homelessness.
The campus offers traditional basic needs services, like meals, shelter and showers, but also goes beyond those areas. In addition to its daily offerings, The Bridge accommodates 300-plus residents every evening and provides them with the tools to transition out of homelessness through comprehensive education, recovery and enlightenment services.
“The Mavs Foundation believes in empowering our community by building programs for women, children and families in need, and those needs can often be hunger, or housing or any of those critical things that we all require to be successful,” said Katie Edwards, the Mavericks’ chief impact officer & president of the Mavs Foundation.
“The Bridge has been a long-time grantee for the Mavs Foundation, providing those critical services both during the day and as an emergency shelter in the evening. They are a wonderful partner, and we’re so happy to support their work.”
While The Bridge has been a long-time charitable partner of the foundation, Wednesday’s donation was unlike any gift received thus far.
With help from Chime, the expansive upgrades included new computers, tablets, projectors, and furniture, a fresh coat of paint with a Mavs mural, a renovated storage closet, and the construction of a new dividing wall offering staff a private kitchen space.
“For the Mavs Foundation to come behind us and upgrade a space that has needed assistance for a long time is incredible,” said Dr. David Woody III, president & CEO of The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center. “Not only did we give the space a facial uplift, but we are now infusing into that space opportunities for folks to get connected to resources beyond The Bridge through tablets and laptops.
“And, because we sleep about eight to 10 females in that space, we now have a place to store our cots and mats out of the way, so we can take advantage of every inch during the day. We could not have done this without the Mavs Foundation, and we’re so grateful.”
The construction and setup of the space were completed in August with assistance from members of the Mavs front office. After nearly a month of operation, Dr. Woody has already seen the upside, saying the space functions just as they hoped— connecting guests with the tools needed to find and apply for jobs electronically while offering more comfortable housing for evening guests.
Following the ribbon cutting of the tech center, former Mavericks guard Devin Harris joined Edwards, mascots Champ and MavsMan, and members of the ManiAACs and D-Town Crew in the Second Chances Cafeteria for lunch service.
“I’ve been a part of the Mavs organization for over 20 years, and the foundation has always been involved in community initiatives,” said Harris. “Homelessness is a big issue around the city, so to be able to partner with the foundation and help people by feeding them and providing financial literacy to get back on their feet is a huge responsibility.”
Wednesday’s tech center dedication represented a significant milestone for The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center and the individuals it will support in the years to come.
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