Bridges . . . from school to work

The Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities is a not-for-profit organization and was established in 1989 by the family of J. Willard Marriott, founder of Marriott International. "Bridges... from school to work" is a program which places young people with disabilities who have recently exited, or are preparing to exit, high school in jobs with local employers. With a long term focus on career development, the program continues to work with these youth after placement to help them grow and advance on the job. Bridges was launched in late 1989 in Montgomery County, Maryland, where it continues to operate. It has since been established in the inner cities of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

The Foundation's mission is to foster the employment of young people with disabilities.

From 1990 through 2005, Bridges has enrolled over 11,400 youth, and placed more than 8,400 into competitive employment. Some 6,300 of these young people have been retained a minimum of 90 days on the job.