By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-840094.mp3
Dallas, TX – The Bridge, the Dallas homeless assistance center downtown, is one year old. KERA's BJ Austin says officials are applauding the center's progress.
The Bridge, the 23 million dollar center downtown near the Farmers Market, opened a year ago this month and was swamped with twice the anticipated number of people seeking shelter. There was a scramble to fix management and logistical problems. At a Bridge birthday event, Erin McFaye says the programs are working. She is operations coordinator for The Bridge, and was once among the chronically homeless on Dallas streets.
McFaye: I have seen amazing things happen. We started out a little shaky. We had some overcrowding issues. The partnerships we've made with the other shelters in town, with DPD, with everybody, I've just seen amazing transformation.
Over the past year, the center helped 800 people find jobs, and got housing for more than 400 - far exceeding its goals.