About Us
Bridging The Gap has stepped into the forefront to become stakeholders in the community we serve with an invested interest. Our team of dedicated professionals offer an individualized approach to help each person build the skills they need to be successful. Whether it's a youth struggling with academic difficulties or a young adult struggling with mental health, our team is here to provide the support, guidance, and resources they need to reach their goals.
Bridging The Gap services clients of all ages and we like to say that we are willing to go into the trenches to meet our clients where they are at in life. Our comprehensive approach combines mentoring, academic assistance, skill-building, and mental health services in a wraparound approach.
At Bridging The Gap, our priority is providing the best services and experiences for each client. Our team is ready to help you or your loved one succeed. Contact us today and let us help you bridge the gap to a brighter future.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide a safe and secure environment for youth and young adults that stimulates growth. Through mentoring and life skills we will produce exceptional results. We will encourage every youth and young adult in our organization to reach the highest level of integrity, excellence, expertise, drive, and focus.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be an impressionable organization filled with resources and diverse services. The vision of Bridging The Gap is to be a mainstay within the community and a vital asset for youth, families, schools, and local businesses in assisting youth in becoming commendable adults.
At Bridging The Gap, we believe in the power of mentoring and guidance. Our goal is to bridge the gap between youth and families while providing the resources they need to achieve success. We provide the tools, guidance, and support for young people to learn life skills, gain confidence, and see a clear vision on what their life can become.
A Letter from the Owner
My Why
My name is Lester Neal and I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois in a gang and drug infested neighborhood. I am the second oldest of four sons by my mother and we all share different fathers. I spent most of my childhood growing up in a 16 story high rise that housed 160 apartments. Our family lived in a 3-bedroom, 1 bath apartment with twelve of my relatives; my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a total of sixteen of us at one point. I remember many nights of no food and we looked foward to the free breakfast and lunches the next day.
Education wasn’t strictly enforced in our household. We didn’t have any scholars in our family. At one point I followed my big brothers footsteps and dropped out of high school shortly after becoming a father at the age of fifteen. I got back in school and I eventually went on to become the first person in my entire family to graduate high school.
I then went on to become the first person in my family to attend college in Ventura California. While in college I felt like I didn’t belong and I wasn’t smart enough. I wanted to go back to Chicago. It was an academic counselor Becky Hull who encouraged me to buy into the resources the school had to offer. I learned how to study, I learned time management, I learned how to say no to the things I wanted to say yes to. More importantly I learned how to ask for help when I needed it. I went from a struggling student to a student who believed he belonged. I eventually went on to become the first person in my family to graduate from college. I earned my AA Degree from Ventura College and my Bachelors Degree from Arizona State University.
I did not survive Chicago without the help of a mentor named Jesse from the local Boys & Girls Club. Jesse stood in and "bridged the gap" in the absence of the resources in my family. He made a huge impact on my life. I did not stay in college without Becky Hull “bridging the gap” and providing me with the resources and confidence that I needed to become an excellent student. I personally know how effective a mentor can be in shaping a person's life. This is my why.
The struggles I’ve experienced as a troubled, emotionally off balanced kid with limited resources are some of the same challenges young people are faced with today. I have taken my twenty-five plus years in youth development and behavioral health from being an employee at Adobe Mountain School, Salt River Indian Community Youth Services, case management at Southwest Networks and I have applied them to Bridging The Gap. I have chosen to answer my calling and be a servant to youth, young adults and families who need someone to step in and be a bridge to their success. This is my Why.
Sincerely,
Lester Neal
