In 2025, we continued to amplify our mission and vision and celebrated 20 years of THEARC, marking two decades of impact and a future in which residents east of the Anacostia River experience a prosperous, healthy and joyful community.
Dear Friends,
In September 2025, I was honored to step into the role of President and CEO of Building Bridges Across the River, following the extraordinary ten-year tenure of Rahsaan Bernard. Rahsaan’s leadership set a powerful foundation of impact and community-centered growth. As we head into 2026 and beyond, we continue to be committed to creating economic opportunity, promoting health and wellness, and celebrating arts and culture in Southeast DC.
With the support of our partners, neighbors, and donors, we made meaningful progress toward a Washington, D.C. where every resident, regardless of zip code, can thrive. This year, our workforce development efforts helped residents access training, hiring fairs, and certifications that opened doors to economic mobility. Through our Skyland Workforce Center, we hosted nine hiring fairs and supported residents in securing new jobs, while continuing to build pathways to long-term financial stability.
We also deepened our commitment to food access and health equity. In 2025, our Food & Farm Fridays program connected residents with fresh produce, prepared meals, and nutrition resources through strong partnerships with local farms, chefs, and the team at DC Central Kitchen. During the fall, as food insecurity intensified across Ward 8, participation increased by more than 200 percent, reinforcing the program’s essential role in our community. We also launched our seventh urban farm at Washington View Apartments, reaching 2,500 residents with fresh food and community-based programming – part of a larger initiative to address the social determinants of health for Ward 8 residents.
Arts and culture continued to bring our community together to celebrate the gifts, talents and abilities of local residents. At THEARC Theater, thousands of patrons experienced performances that reflected the history and culture of Wards 7 and 8, while thousands more gathered at festivals and events celebrating local culture and connection.
We also reached a long-awaited milestone for the 11th Street Bridge Park, securing all necessary permits and approvals to break ground in 2026. Thirteen years and over 1,000 stakeholder meetings in the making, this achievement reflects the power of sustained community advocacy and partnership. Through small business support, housing initiatives, and health and wellness programming, we strengthened pathways for residents and local entrepreneurs to benefit from future growth.
2025 also marked the 20th anniversary of THEARC, a milestone that reflects two decades of community-driven impact and collaboration. I am deeply proud of what we accomplished together this year and so very optimistic about the future we are co-creating with our residents for Washington, D.C.
With gratitude,
Scott Kratz
President & CEO
Building Bridges Across the River
Building bridges to innovative homegrown artistic and cultural experiences east of the river.
iCAN interns completed the technical theater internship program and continued on as paid contractors, providing technical theater support for performances and community events including DC Black Broadway’s Annie-Costia: Beat Ya Feet Go-Go Musical, the SEED School of Washington, D.C.’s production of Moana, and Building Bridges’ signature events such as Spring Fling.
“I found solace in the iCAN Technical Theater internship program.” – Kaiden Brown, 2025 iCAN Alumni
neighbors joined us for the 2025 Taste of the Harvest Festival, a joyful celebration of community, culture, cuisine, and the bounty of Building Bridges Farms. The day came alive with chef recipe demonstrations, live performances, a vibrant harvest market, and hands-on experiences like bouquet making and the Plant-It Pop-Up Gardens, where families planted herbs and took home kits to continue growing and cooking together. The event ended with a sit down dinner for 700 residents followed by roasting s’mores under the stars.
Building bridges to expanded access to education, affordable housing, and sustainable employment east of the river.
hiring fairs in 2025 connected community members to jobs through the Skyland Workforce Center, featuring employers like Clark Construction, Gaylord National Hotel, AppleTree Early Learning, and PeopleShores.
“The Workforce Center is a vital resource in Ward 7” – Anthony Woods, Safety Cohort 39
homes were purchased in 2025 through the Ward 8 Homebuyers Club, which welcomed 816 attendees to monthly meetings and provides renters with education, counseling, financial guidance, and support to become mortgage-ready and purchase their first homes.
Building Bridges to a resilient food network and access to urban agriculture education east of the river.
prepared meals from DC Central Kitchen were distributed over 24 weeks of Food & Farm Fridays.
residents engaged in Summer Health & Wellness programming, including free Summer Workout Series sessions offering senior fitness, cardio movement, and mindfulness across parks and community spaces.
volunteers supported our network of seven urban farms and Food & Farm Fridays in 2025.
Thank you to all our donors and supporters for continuing to build bridges with us. Your commitment helps to empower thriving communities east of the Anacostia River characterized by social, cultural, and economic prosperity.
Building Bridges Across the River (Building Bridges) exists to reduce structural barriers to social and economic mobility to build a stronger, resilient and fair city. Founded in 1997, the organization has created an effective blueprint for preserving communities in Southeast DC that has become a national model for building inter-generational wealth.
Building Bridges operates facilities, programs, and key partnerships focused on arts and culture, economic opportunity, and health and well-being. Its Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) houses more than a dozen nonprofits in a 236,000 square foot, state-of-the-art campus in DC’s Ward 8. THEARC is the country’s largest multisector social service nonprofit collaboration. Building Bridges projects include the 11th Street Bridge Park, the Skyland Workforce Center, THEARC Theater, and Building Bridges Farms.
Dear Friends,
At Building Bridges Across the River, we connect residents East of the Anacostia River to world class programs and services. The multi-sector collaboration we facilitate connects community members to the critical resources they need. We will continue to provide resources for economic opportunity, health and well-being, and engagement with arts to our community.
Thanks to our network of deeply engaged givers and public servants, we were able to continue our work during the pandemic, providing critical resources such as vaccines and groceries. We will continue this work because the people in our community deserve the best opportunities to succeed in this continuously shifting environment.
The work we do is deeply needed and as we faced new challenges, formed new partnerships, and began reopening our campuses in 2021, we stayed focused on our vision for the future – a future in which the residents East of the Anacostia River experience vital, thriving communities characterized by social, cultural, economic and racial equity.
Rashaan Bernard
President
Building Bridges Across the River
©2022 & 2023 Building Bridges Across The River
