BRIDGES TO LIFE
The mission of Bridges To Life is to connect communities to prisons to reduce the recidivism rate (particularly that of violent crimes), reduce the number of crime victims, and enhance public safety. The spiritual mission of Bridges To Life is to minister to victims and offenders in an effort to show them the transforming power of God’s love and forgiveness.
About BRIDGES TO LIFE
Bridges To Life (BTL) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) restorative justice organization founded in 1998 that brings victims, volunteers, and incarcerated people together through a structured 14-week curriculum designed to promote accountability, healing, and reduced reoffending. BTL operates primarily in Texas state prisons and alternative facilities and has expanded to programs in other U.S. states and several countries; recent annual reporting shows thousands of graduates and sustained volunteer involvement. The organization tracks outcomes in partnership with corrections agencies and independent researchers and reports substantially lower recidivism among program graduates compared with national averages.
Notable achievements
Substantial program reach and graduates
In recent annual reports BTL reported completing hundreds of projects annually; in 2024 it completed 279 projects in 126 prisons and alternative facilities and graduated 7,346 participants, and the organization has graduated well over 85,000 participants since inception.
Measured reduction in recidivism
BTL reports long-term outcome tracking with corrections partners showing a three-year recidivism rate for studied BTL graduates near 13.7%, substantially below commonly cited national rates; independent evaluation cited by the organization found participation reduced odds of reincarceration by roughly 30% in the studied cohort.
Strong volunteer capacity and program restoration post-pandemic
In 2024 the program returned to its volunteer- and peer-facilitated delivery model across Texas, with 751 volunteers contributing 66,050 hours (valued as significant in-kind support) and enabling broad program delivery including expansion into treatment and residential settings.
At a glance
- Total assets
- $2.6M
- Annual revenue
- $1.6M
- Tax status
- 501(c)(3)Public charity
- EIN
- 76-0588279
- Location
- Houston, TX
- Website
- www.bridgestolife.org
- On Mahalo since
- May 2026
Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.
Recognition
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