LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN) — Wilson County and growth commonly go hand in hand. However, as the population rises, so does the demand for critical services, such as foster care.

News 2 spoke to local nonprofit, The Bridge House, which is meeting the need for housing, support, and hope for the most vulnerable population.

Tucked away in Lebanon is a safe haven for young women aging out of foster care.

“This is just my heart and my passion," said Jennifer Gallahar, Director of Operations at The Bridge House.

Since 2022, The Bridge House has been providing transitional housing for children in the foster care system.

“There is a shortage of foster homes, so on average we have five to six children there all across the state of Tennessee each night,” Gallahar said.

A few weeks ago, the nonprofit opened its second home for young women between 18-20 who are aging out of the system.

“And that is kind of what birthed this location, we just saw so many kids coming in and out of the location that were aging out of foster care and had no idea where to go next and our team just really believed they wanted to do something in this space,” John Widrick, Executive Director and Founder of the Bridge House said.

Widrick said the need for housing has increased for children in foster care.  

“When you look at the state of Tennessee, you're talking over 8,000 children in custody in the state of Tennessee, 900 aging out of the foster care,” Widrick said.

He said Middle Tennessee has become a hot spot. So here at The Bridge House, their mission is not just providing housing, but hope, mentorship, and even life skills workshops.

“We have a pantry here, dishwasher, oven, hopefully we will be able to teach women cooking skills in this kitchen,” Gallahar said.

Over at Two Hidden Acres, there are six bedrooms in total. The nonprofit helps young women learn how to live independently. 

“One of the things we say at the Bridge House, we want kids to transition with purpose,” Widrick said.

And for both Widrick and Gallahar, they told News 2 this is more than a job, both of them fostering over a dozen children with their own families.

“And really, this whole thing we do at the Bridge House, it's that project house, it's the DNA of my life,” Widrick said.

If you are interested in volunteering or donating, click here. The nonprofit relies solely on private funding.

The next step is potentially opening a transitional house for young men aging out of the system.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/wilson-county-opens-housing-for-young-adults-transitioning-out-of-foster-care/