Dalewood Middle School students with Bridge Chattanooga will volunteer with the Chattanooga Park Stewards to clean up the Brainerd Recreation Center on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. Bridge Chattanooga uses nature and outdoor adventures as a springboard to form relationships and teach students essential skills that help them lead “healthy, productive and joyful lives.”

Program Director for Bridge Chattanooga, Sarah Quattrochi, said, “Everyone owns the parks in our community, and when you have ownership over something, you automatically want to care for it more.”

Bridge Chattanooga is a trauma-informed outdoor adventure initiative that started in 2017 under the umbrella of Chattanooga First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Brainerd (Tennessee-Georgia Presbytery). Staff members serve as advocates for students, often connecting families to resources to bridge gaps.