FRIDLEY, Minn. – (May 15, 2015) – The Compassion Action Network is a collaborative effort of Anoka County Human Services, faith communities and non-profit organizations. The organization holds quarterly CAN-Connect meetings to bring together a network of individuals to discuss and learn about a topic of relevancy in Anoka County.
This week, award winning author and family advocate Andrew Bridge was the keynote speaker. Bridge is a Harvard Law grad who endured a undeniably tragic childhood. “I entered foster care because my mom…at the age of about 22 or 23 years old had her first schizophrenic break. We lived on the streets for a long time and I really watched this person who I loved more than anything in the world, who was my world, really collapse.”
Bridge’s life experiences have turned into a passion to make the world a better place for all families. He is currently CEO of the Southern California Foster Family and Adoption Agency. “I work for an organizations that does both policy reform work and direct services for kids.”
One of the messages that Bridge wanted to share was that families who find themselves in need of help should not be pushed aside but embraced. “I think that it is important to know that families that become involved in child welfare systems are not demons or monsters. They often enter because of issues with poverty, because of issues of mental illness. I think more than anything else have some compassion for those families.”
Bridge told the story of his upbringing in his 2008 memoir Hope’s Boy. One week after its release it was declared a New York Times best-seller.
