Participant Story· Claremont Club & Spa (Fairmont)

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.

Oakland, CA
Nick Bell (left) and Max (right) at the Claremont Club & Spa Kids' Club in Oakland — Nick was a 2018 Bridges placement, Max joined the team in 2024

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 the senior Youth Employment Specialist with Bridges in Oakland who helped both young men get their jobs.

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