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Shelly Lippold serves a 'Breakfast Club' patron Gregg McNabb on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 during Shelby's Bridge's 7th Anniversary celebration. (Photo by Ann Reagan)
Shelby’s Bridge in Sudan, Texas is celebrating their seventh anniversary during the month of February 2024. In 2017 Shelby’s Bridge received the buildings at 110 N Main St. they now occupy in Sudan, Texas. They also have erected a warehouse at 123 Hornet in Sudan. The locations provide an educational “ bridge” from high school to meaningful employment. The Sunshine Cafe regularly hosts their Breakfast Club, as well as a ladies Bible Study group. The Thrift/Gift shop has grown to be a favorite shopping stop in the area as well.
Shelby’s Bridge is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization passionate about providing meaningful life experiences for people with disabilities. The Sunshine Cafe and the Gift and Thrift Shop serve as a bridge for young people with disabilities between high school to “the rest of their lives.” Proceeds from the cafe and gift/thrift shop support the program.
The focus of the program is to develop an understanding of working with people as well as a basic, needed sense of money and numbers skills. The organization maintains an outreach program that works within the area’s school systems and communities as well as in the Shelby’s Bridge setting. They serve people as young as 15 and the oldest person is 40. Shelby’s Bridge also for school systems and communities throughout the area.
In 2022, Shelby Lippold and Shelby’s Bridge was recognized by the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for the Unifying Project by teachers across the state.
To date they have worked with 290 people and 20 of them are currently employed in Lubbock,
Texas.