Correction: We have corrected the spelling of the organization. We apologize for the error.
What began as one Elgin woman’s response to unfulfilled community needs has grown into Bridginghearts, a downtown organization founded by Katina Green that connects foster kids and residents with support, outreach, and essential resources.
Q: Can you tell me about your personal experiences that have shaped who you are?
A: Yes, my organization comes from personal experience of surviving foster care and sex trafficking. I believe it happened to me due to the lack of housing after we aged out. In starting the organization, I’m all about housing. Now, along with that, I do have to provide other resources like job placement, education, mental health, and mentoring.
Q: What moment or realization led you to start Bridginghearts?
A: Figuring out that I can make change. 230,000 kids age out of the foster care system every year. 60% of us will end up in sex trafficking. Those are big numbers. So if anything I can do to change that number, that’s my goal. Instead of pushing them on the street, send them to me.
Q: When Bridginghearts first opened its doors in 2021, what problem were you most urgently trying to address in the community?
A: Youth homelessness, giving those in need options, and sex trafficking.
Q: How would you describe the mission of Bridginghearts?
A: Building partnerships and relationships with people in my community to help provide short term or even long term housing for youth aging out. I have never had two people that came in here with the same stories and experiences. The name of the game is to figure out the 3 things that they would like to accomplish with their life.
Q: Can you share a story or interaction with someone your organization has helped that captures the impact Bridginghearts has on people’s lives?
A: There was once a student, living in this community, and there was a time where she needed to transition from high school to college. She had problems getting transcripts sent over from the school. One of my board members and I stepped in and made that transition happen. Once she got over that, she needed to do a college tour which she then ended up turning down because she had no support, or nobody to even do the tour with. My board member and I ended up taking her on that tour and she then ended up enrolling in college. It was just as simple as dedicating a little bit of my time.
Q: What challenges have you faced as a founder and CEO, especially while running a community-based organization?
A: I’m very discouraged and disappointed when it comes to housing. What I personally find hard is that when I talk to people about housing, and housing the youth, coming out of foster care, it’s like as soon as I say foster care, voucher, subsidize, rent, and things like that, I can’t get any positive feedback. People love thinking they’re bad, but they’re human, and everybody is not bad. That’s been the hardest thing.
Q: How does Bridginghearts collaborate with local residents, businesses, or other organizations to strengthen the Elgin community?
A: I start with connecting with them, telling them who I am, and what I’m doing. Then, I offer to meet on a more personal level and see how our businesses can possibly work together. I’m really big on if I don’t have to create it, I won’t. If it’s out here already and someone’s doing it, let me figure out who that person is and how we can connect.
Q: Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of Bridginghearts?
A: To be able to house them, between the age out, and for me to literally house them. The goal is to be able to give them all of these resources that will happen once they do become of age and setting them up for success before they age out. That way, they’re more ready than someone else saying “You’re 18, you got it”. Sometimes, I bring a kid to the office, give them a suitcase, and I let them put all the little goods in there or whatever they have, and they physically cry and keep thanking me and I believe that these are basic necessities that no one should have to cry over.”
