Bridges For Brain Injury

What Bridges For Brain Injury does

Bridges For Brain Injury, Inc. is a New York State 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 by Laura Donaldson and headquartered in Farmington, NY. The organization provides community-based rehabilitation and support services to adult survivors (18+) of traumatic brain injuries, adults with physical disabilities, and individuals with debilitating diseases across the Rochester and Finger Lakes Regions. Core service lines include Brain Injury Services (NYS Medicaid Waiver service coordination, life skills training, and day program services), Health Home Care Management for Medicaid-enrolled adults with chronic conditions in six counties, and a Social Care Network / FLIPA program addressing social determinants of health.

The organization's distinctive offering is the Wildlife Rockstars program — a USDA- and NYS DEC-licensed initiative in which brain injury survivors train in the care of more than 50 rescued animal ambassadors (including alligators, kangaroos, opossums, and goats) and deliver wildlife education presentations at schools, libraries, senior facilities, and community events. Supporting offerings include a tiered Adopt-An-Animal sponsorship program ($25-$500/month), engraved brick sales, a Community Pavilion matching donation campaign, and an 11-episode "Bridging the Gap" documentary series distributed on YouTube.

The technology infrastructure is standard for a regional nonprofit: a Firespring-hosted website with DonorPerfect for donation processing, HIPAA-compliant handling of protected health information, and broad social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, and X. Revenue is generated through Medicaid reimbursements, individual and corporate donations, recurring animal sponsorships, third-party fundraisers, and donation-based fees for Wildlife Rockstars programs, with the organization's 11-50 employees serving a dispersed individual and institutional customer base.

Name

Bridges For Brain Injury

Legal name

Bridges for Brain Injury, Inc.

Website

https://bridgesforbraininjury.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bridges For Brain Injury is a New York nonprofit providing Medicaid Waiver rehabilitation, Health Home Care Management, and day programs for adult brain injury survivors and people with physical disabilities in the Rochester and Finger Lakes regions, distinguished by its USDA-licensed Wildlife Rockstars animal-assisted therapy program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brain Injury Rehabilitation and Disability Support Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Brain injury rehabilitation
• Medicaid waiver services
• Community based services
• Care management services
• Wildlife education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, monthly giving programs, birthday fundraisers, and third-party fundraising events. Donors can contribute through the website or by designating United Way gifts using code 2491.
2. Animal Adoption Program: Monthly recurring adoption packages for animal ambassadors with tiered pricing: Buddy ($25/month), Best Friend ($50/month), Protector ($125/month), Guardian ($250/month), Wildlife Rockstar ($500/month).
3. Medicaid Waiver Services: Home and community-based services for adult survivors of brain injuries, those with physical disabilities and debilitating diseases. Funded through New York State Medicaid Waiver, Managed Care, or private pay.
4. Engraved Brick Sales: Engraved bricks sold to honor family members, friends, or memory of loved ones, with proceeds supporting programs.
5. Wildlife Rockstars Program Fees: Donation-based pricing for wildlife education programs presented at schools, libraries, senior facilities, corporate events, and birthday parties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Bridges For Brain Injury delivers community-based rehabilitation and support services for adult survivors of traumatic brain injuries and individuals with physical disabilities. Core services include service coordination, life skills training, and structured day programs. A signature offering is the Wildlife Rockstars program, a USDA-licensed wildlife education initiative where members train in handling rescued non-releasable animals and deliver public education presentations.

Product overview

Bridges for Brain Injury is a nonprofit organization offering a unified suite of community-based rehabilitation and support services for adult brain injury survivors and people with physical disabilities. The core offering centers on Brain Injury Services, which includes Day Program Services (featuring modules like Outside the Lines for artistic expression and Without Walls for community outings), Service Coordination, and Life Skills Training. A distinctive component is the Wildlife Rockstars Program—a USDA-licensed wildlife education initiative where members train in animal care and deliver educational presentations. Supporting services include Health Home Care Management and a Social Care Network for benefits assistance. An Adopt-An-Animal program enables donor support of the animal ambassadors. The organization is a New York State Medicaid Waiver provider serving the Rochester and Finger Lakes Regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wildlife Rockstars: A wildlife education outreach program where brain injury survivors learn to care for non-releasable animals and educate the public about wildlife conservation and traumatic brain injuries.

Products and services

• Brain Injury Services (TBI Waiver Services)
• Day Program Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130 presentations delivered in 2024 with over 112 already booked for 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dr. Dana Coover, Finger Lakes Mobile Veterinary ServicescoreOthersLicensed veterinarian providing comprehensive veterinary care and oversight for all animal ambassadors in the Wildlife Rockstars program. Ensures all animals have current health certificates (within 90 days) and proper medical care.
• Jarod Miller, Zoologist and Television HostcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoologist, naturalist, television host and producer who provides his time as Zoological Consultant for the Wildlife Rockstars program, contributing expertise in animal care and conservation education.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Pet Partners: National nonprofit that trains and registers therapy animal teams for animal-assisted interventions in healthcare, education, and community settings. Directly comparable to Bridges' Wildlife Rockstars model of using animals as therapeutic and educational tools, though Pet Partners uses domesticated therapy animals rather than wildlife ambassadors.
• CP Rochester: Rochester-area nonprofit serving children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities through day habilitation, recreation, and therapeutic programs. Direct regional peer operating in the same geography with overlapping day program and disability services, and is also a Bridges Wildlife Rockstars customer.
• Heritage Christian Services: Rochester-area nonprofit supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through day programs, residential services, and community integration. Direct regional peer offering Medicaid-funded services in the same Western New York geography, with overlapping adult day program capabilities.
• Brain Injury Association of New York State: Statewide nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals with brain injuries and their families through advocacy, education, and resources. Directly comparable to Bridges' core brain injury rehabilitation and support mission in the same New York geography, though BIANYS focuses on advocacy and resource connection rather than direct service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services including rehabilitation, day programs, vocational training, and accessibility services across the U.S. Broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities in adult disability services and Medicaid-funded programs, though Easterseals operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope than Bridges.
• The Arc of the United States: National nonprofit advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through day programs, employment support, and community living services. Broad incumbent with overlapping adult day services and disability rehabilitation offerings, though The Arc focuses on intellectual/developmental rather than acquired brain injuries.

Regional players

• Center for Wildlife: Wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and public education organization in New England. Comparable in mission to Bridges' Wildlife Rockstars program in caring for injured wildlife and delivering public education, but operates in a different geography and focuses on rehabilitation and release of native wildlife.
• WildCare Marin: Wildlife rehabilitation and education organization serving Marin County and the Bay Area in Northern California. Comparable to the wildlife rescue, care, and public education aspects of Bridges' Wildlife Rockstars program, but operates in a different geography with a primary focus on rehabilitation and release of native species.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bridgesforbrain
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bridgesforbraininjury
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Bridges-For-Brain-Injury-Inc/100064911813374
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bridges-for-brain-injury-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/bridgesforbraininjury
• TikToktiktok.com/@bridgesforbraininjury
• Pinterestpinterest.com/bridgesforbraininjury

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bridges For Brain Injury