Our mission is to improve well-being, build resilience, and create brighter futures.

Our mission is not just a statement but a commitment. Resilience is the process of effectively managing significant sources of stress or trauma. It’s about fostering assets and resources within the individual, their life, and environment to facilitate this capacity for adaptation and ‘bouncing back’ in the face of adversity.

We began as a Ladies Relief Society during the Civil War, helping local children. This evolved into the Bridgeport Orphan Asylum. In 1935, we became Woodfield Children’s Village and later merged with the Family Services Society to become Family Services of Woodfield (FSW). After several mergers, we rebranded to LifeBridge Community Services in 2015. Today, we are a leading provider of behavioral health services, with two additional divisions: Sign Language Interpreting and Senior Meals on Wheels.

Many children experience multiple traumatic events before adulthood. The city’s crime rate is 36% of Connecticut’s rate, with violent crime 75% higher than the national average. Poverty is a major concern, with 21% of residents living below the poverty line, compared to 2% in Fairfield County. One in three children in Bridgeport lives in poverty. The median household income in Bridgeport is $45,441, much lower than neighboring towns like Weston ($219,083) and Darien ($210,511). Bridgeport’s population is over 80% non-White, with 34.7% Black and 41.7% Hispanic or Latino. Additionally, 30% of residents are foreign-born, and 48.5% of homes speak a language other than English. Overall, wellbeing disparities in Bridgeport are among the largest in the country.

Bridgeport faces challenges but has many strengths, including its role as a transportation hub and cultural diversity. Located near New York City along the Northeast Corridor, it is important for travel. Many families trace their roots here, seeking better job opportunities and lives. Bridgeport has offered our nation industrial resources used to this day. Today, Bridgeport features a lively arts scene, recreational activities, seaside attractions, and Seaside Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, creator of Central Park. Bridgeport is a vibrant community filled with energy, color, culture, and grit.