The Hands Across the Bridge Project is a vehicle to provide leadership development in the recovering community, give a voice to people that they may speak out on recovery related issues, and learn to advocate for treatment and prevention resources in the community. Our leaders will become proficient in public speaking, event planning, and fundraising.

Our Signature Event, in helping break the stigma of addiction, will be held annually on Labor Day. This event would include leaders from the recovery community, elected officials, community organizations, treatment centers, and people who support recovery and substance abuse prevention.

The Story of Hands Across the Bridge

Ten years ago, two women in recovery read an article about National Recovery Month and realized people all over the United States were celebrating their recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. They decided they would stand on top of the Burnside Bridge at daybreak to celebrate that they were no longer under the bridge in their addictions, but on top of the bridge to celebrate their recovery. This decision marked the beginning of the Hands Across the Bridge event, a collaboration between Oregon and Washington to celebrate National Recovery Month.

Patty Katz and Louise Wedge, along with the support of the Recovery Association Project and several people from the recovering community, held the first Hands Across the Bridge celebration on the I-5 bridge in 2002. That first year saw about 200 people and the following year's event grew to include 500 people. Using the principles of Grass Roots organizing and leadership development, Hands Across the Bridge has stirred the support of elected officials, faith-based leaders, community organizations, and thousands of people from the recovery community.

As of 2009, we have expanded our service to the recovery community by developing the corporation called “Hands Across the Bridge Project” with our main signature event as “Hands Across the Bridge.” We have also been accepted by the IRS as a non-profit exempt corporation with approved 501c3 status. We have incorporated to ensure that this event will continue on for years to come.

All work for this project is coordinated by volunteers and those with a passion for recovery. In 2010, we had nearly 150 volunteers who organized all of the fundraising, story development, logistics, outreach, and built relationships with community members, organizations, elected officials, and professionals in the recovery field.

We have also joined with Oxfest for the past four years. Oxfest is a one day celebration of recovery from substance addiction and is sponsored by the 400 Oxford Houses of Oregon and Washington, Self Run, Self Supported, Recovery Houses. Oxfest is filled with family fun, including, multiple bands, food vendors, family activities, raffles, and a multitude of other games. The day starts with Hands Across the Bridge at 10:00am to noon with Oxfest following directly after. Oxfest and Hands Across the Bridge are expecting to have more than 3,000 people in attendance. Both events are free for anyone in recovery, their families, supporters, and other community members. For more information about Oxfest visit WWW.OXFEST.NET.

Today as a corporation, we are working to expand our efforts by developing leaders in our community to advocate further for the rights of those seeking recovery, in recovery, or for the much needed recovery resources. We have developed and initiated leadership trainings to help those in recovery and advocates to speak out on recovery related issues. The most important piece of this project is this leadership development. Watching as people find their voice and their personal gifts are the most amazing and powerful outcome of our project. Watching people come into their personal power and take ownership of the project and their community.