Heartbridge needs helping hands

Non-profit looking for volunteers

NEWPORT — Two women make their way up the staircase of the Martin Building, one of the historic structures in downtown Newport that is having new life breathed into it after years of being shuttered. Heather Kreager, executive director of the non-profit Heartbridge Life Center, and treasurer Jeanine Pilarski walks out on to the second floor and excitedly share their plans for what will one day be Heartbridge’s office. Currently, it’s very much under construction, but Kreager and Pilarski have a grander vision in mind.

“The idea is to eventually have computer spaces where people can get online and job hunt, apply for school and just have better access to those resources that will help them improve their lives,” Kreager says. “We want to eventually have a commercial kitchen here too where people can take classes or preserve food to sell for them- selves and their families.”

“It would be nice to have a shower room too where people can clean up,” Pilarski says. “If you’re homeless or you live somewhere without running water, hygiene can be a hurdle to employment, to health. Ideally, we’d like to have a men’s shower and women’s shower where people can come and clean up.”

Heartbridge Life Center started as an idea that Kreager was entertaining several years ago, when her husband passed away.

“I was so sad and thinking about going to counseling and that kind of turned into the thought that so many people are hurting and don’t know how to ask for help, or where to go to get it,” says Kreager, who works as a full-time med tech and recently married Cody Kreager, who she commends as one of her biggest supporters. “The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like it should be official.”

Heartbridge Life Center plans to offer counseling for individuals and families, anti-trafficking, domestic violence and sexual abuse education and survivor support, and resources for the homeless or people who have been displaced due to human trafficking or domestic violence. Kreager and Pilarski hope to work with other organizations in the community addressing some of the same issues, like Youth Emergency Services of Pend Oreille County and Family Crisis Services. It’s a Christian-based organization, but the doors are open to everyone.

“Our faith leads us to help the community, which means we help anyone who comes to us, no matter what they believe,” Pilarski says.

While Heartbridge has their non-profit status and a seven-member board, it’s currently struggling with an issue that many philanthropical organizations do: manpower. Volunteers are needed to help construct the office in the Martin Building, assist with fundraising and help to coordinate services.

“We need people,” Kreager says. “We realize that times are hard, and people are strapped for time and money, so any assistance we can get is not taken for granted.”

For more information about Heartbridge Life Center, go to www.heartbridgelife.org, follow the Facebook page and email [email protected].

SOPHIA MATTICE-ALDOUS IS A MURROW NEWS FELLOW WORKING DIRECTLY WITH NEWSROOMS AT RANGE MEDIA AND THE NEWPORT MINER NEWSPAPERS THROUGH A PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY. HER REPORTING IS AVAILABLE FOR USE VIA CREATIVE COMMONS WITH CREDIT.