A Bridge to Independence
Bridgeway and Cheshire provide supervised, shared, and supported living, supported employment, and job discovery services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), so they can live and work as independently as possible. Our programs in Picayune and Gulfport, Mississippi, are person-centered and fully integrated with the community.
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (18+) are eligible for residency and services. Applicants must have a desire to live independently, demonstrate personal responsibility, maintain employment, and participate in community activities.
Residential Services
On-call staff 24/7
24 fully-equipped energy-efficient units
Exercise room
Laundry facilities
Wellness programs
Supported Employment
Integrated work in community settings
Job seeking and development assistance
Employment profile
On-the-job support and systematic instruction
Transportation
Help with identifying potential business opportunities
Business plan development and business operation assistance
Job Discovery Services
Volunteer, self-determination, and self-advocacy support
Resumé assistance
Job exploration and job shadowing
Interview skill development
Job and task analysis activities
Business plan development
Certification and Funding
Bridgeway is a Community of Quality® national award winner as named by the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA). Bridgeway and Cheshire are certified by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. Funding is provided through the Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver (ID/DD Waiver) and Home and Community Based Services 1915 (i) programs.
Every person who resides at Bridgeway or Cheshire is a success story. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, friends, and volunteers, every person at Bridgeway and Cheshire can determine the course of their own life and reach their full potential.
Non-monetary gifts such as land, vehicles, and buildings are always welcome. Other in-kind gifts are also appreciated. Please call us for a list of needed items.
Getting Started
Help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities find jobs and live independently. Introduce Bridgeway and Cheshire programs to your church. Sponsor a cookout, social outing, or other recreational activity. Employ Bridgeway and Cheshire residents. Contribute financially to support these programs and remember Saint Francis Ministries Residential Programs in your estate plan.
Live and Work Independently
For Saint Francis, the right to self-determination is intimately tied to human dignity. The Bridgeway program in Picayune, Mississippi, and the Cheshire program in Gulfport, Mississippi, provide supervised living and supported employment services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) so they have a voice in how they live their lives.
Each of Bridgeway’s 24 and Cheshire’s 22 residents has his or her own apartment, plus access to recreational facilities and a range of social activities. Our staff supervises residents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to provide support and ensure their safety – all while encouraging the maximum level of independence for each person.
Supported Employment
Our Supported Employment program helps residents find fulfilling, paid work. Participants receive help in applying and interviewing for a job. Bridgeway and Cheshire job trainers then provide employees with ongoing training, coaching, and one-on-one support at no cost to the employer. But for one retired resident, everyone living at Bridgeway has been employed with a Picayune business for 3-16 years. The program is new for the Cheshire residents.
Saint Francis is currently the only organization in Picayune providing these services to persons with IDD. Yet, many more people need them, and Saint Francis is responding to that need. We are expanding our services in Mississippi by adding apartments and providing supported employment and quality-of-life programs for non-resident cognitively disabled persons living in the community.