Paying it forward in the East Bay
Bridges placed Nick at a neighborhood Kids' Club in 2018. Six years later, he's the one doing the hiring.
“It's so rewarding to see former Bridges participants advance into positions with more responsibility and hire youth who come after them.”
In 2018, Nick Bell was a student at Oakland Technical High School when Bridges helped him land a job at the Kids' Club of the Claremont Club & Spa — close enough to walk home from.
Six years later, he runs the place. Now 24 and an assistant manager, Nick recently hired a 2024 Bridges participant named Max as a member of his team. Max is on track to reach six months of employment at the Kids' Club — the same place where Nick started.
"It's so rewarding to see former Bridges participants advance into positions with more responsibility and hire youth who come after them," said Lisel Brunson, the senior employment specialist with Bridges in Oakland who helped both young men get their jobs.
A Fairmont property in the East Bay with breathtaking views of San Francisco, the Claremont Club & Spa is more than a workplace for Nick and Max. It's proof that one first job can become a career — and a career can become an opportunity to open the door for someone else.
Stories like this happen because of partnership.
Hire through Bridges, fund a placement, refer a young adult, or share your own story.
