Step back into time when you attend our Gatsby Casino Benefit for The Bridge! On April 27, 2024, The Wild Onion Brewery Great Hall will be transformed into a 1920’s Speakeasy Casino. As you enjoy a night full of fun, food, entertainment, and mission moments, you are making a big impact on the lives of youth and families in your community. 100% of the event proceeds goes back to The Bridge in its mission of providing mental health services to support youth and families. When you purchase a ticket, here are 4 ways that you make a difference.

Ticket proceeds support our counseling and therapy services specializing in depression and anxiety facing children and families. No one is ever turned away from our services because of an inability to pay. Fees are based on family income and financial situation. Currently, The Bridge serves clients in Palatine, Barrington, Hanover, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Maine Township. We hope to expand our services and make it easier for individuals in our community to receive mental health services and support.

Proceeds go to our mentoring program outings where mentors and mentees can enjoy monthly activities together. The Bridge Mentor Program pairs adult mentors one-on-one with youth who need an extra caring adult in their lives for additional support and guidance. Every month, the program plans a mentor outing where all program members can enjoy an activity together and create stronger bonds. In the past, these outings included a Wolves and Boomers game, paddle boat rides at Twin Lakes, a day at Brookfield Zoo, and more. We have seen our mentoring members create friends and memories throughout the program that lead to healthier decisions and outcomes.

The Bridge Family Stabilization Team helps youth that are runaways, lockouts, and/or homeless. Proceeds help support our 24/7/365 service of partnering with our Education and Law Enforcement partners. Once a youth has been returned home, placed with a family member/friend, or been provided with short-term 48-hour respite shelter, the Family Stabilization Counselor provides intensive support to the family to reunify them if placement occurred, maintain a safe and healthy home if the youth returned home, and ensures long-term success by providing services and support that reinforce family expectations, boundaries, and relationships. The Bridge also provides free services for up to 90 days with no insurance requirements for the family. All proceeds help The Bridge grow and give us the ability to help more individuals in a crisis.

We provide free groups to our clients and schools in surrounding areas. Proceeds from The Gatsby Casino will help The Bridge with supplies to build more activities and form even more groups in the future. Currently, we have four groups at The Bridge (SPARCS, Newcomers, Peer Connections, Sunflower Society) for middle and high school students. These groups aim to build relationships, skills, connections, self-esteem, and more.