Bridging Hearts

What Bridging Hearts does

Bridging Hearts is a Minnesota-based nonprofit that operates a private, members-only online social network called 'The Bridge' alongside a calendar of in-person and virtual events for neurodiverse young adults ages 19 to 45. The organization was founded in 2006 by Denise Martin in the Twin Cities and has expanded to three chapters — Twin Cities (headquarters), Greater Minnesota, and Duluth (established 2019 under Teresa Johnson). The membership product combines a screened and monitored website (member profiles, private and group messaging, event listings, and member-planned gatherings) with at least two organized in-person events per month, monthly Zoom-based sessions (including Healthy Cooking, Healthy Exercise, and Healthy Living), and an annual multi-day camp near Brainerd, MN. Bridging Hearts targets neurodiverse adults who are described as 'too high functioning for traditional special services, yet do not fit the mold of the mainstream,' addressing a documented gap in social support for this population.

The business model is a hybrid of subscription membership fees and donations. Published pricing includes a free 1-month trial, $20 per month, or $200 for 12 months; renewal tiers of $60 for 3 months and $120 for 6 months also exist, and an annual camp carries a $250 fee. Donations are processed primarily through GiveMN.org, with additional grant funding referenced by staff. The organization employs approximately 9 staff supplemented by an entirely volunteer Board of Directors (including a board president who is a special-needs estate planning attorney, a CIO, a child/adolescent psychiatrist, and IT professionals), and serves an implied low-hundreds of members across Minnesota. Go-to-market is entirely organic — word-of-mouth and therapist/parent referrals, supplemented by a neurodiversity-focused blog, community partnerships (e.g., Autism Society of Minnesota referrals), and earned media (The Jason Show, July 2024) — with no paid acquisition channels identified.

Name

Bridging Hearts

Legal name

Bridging Hearts

Website

https://bridginghearts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bridging Hearts is a Minnesota-based nonprofit operating a private, screened online social network ('The Bridge') and in-person plus virtual events for neurodiverse young adults ages 19 to 45 across Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota, and Duluth chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Community Services for Neurodiverse Adults

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Neurodiversity community support
• Social network membership
• Community event programming
• Nonprofit social services
• Learning differences support

Headquarters

HQ city

Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Bridging Hearts operates primarily as a membership-fee-funded nonprofit. Members pay recurring subscription fees (monthly or annual) to access the private online network, attend events, and participate in the community. Fees have varied over time across different terms of service and pricing pages. Current published pricing includes a free 1-month trial, $20/month, or $200 for 12 months. Renewal options include $120 for 6 months or $60 for 3 months.
2. Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, Bridging Hearts accepts donations through GiveMN.org and pursues community grant opportunities to maintain very low membership fees. The organization also relies on volunteer board members and community support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bridging Hearts operates a private, members-only online social network platform ("The Bridge") combined with monthly in-person social gatherings and virtual Zoom events for neurodiverse young adults ages 19-45 in Minnesota. Members pay subscription fees (with a free 1-month trial, $20/month, or $200/year) to access the screened and monitored platform, attend organized social activities, and plan their own member-sponsored events. The organization is funded as a Minnesota nonprofit through membership fees, donations via GiveMN.org, and community grants.

Product overview

Bridging Hearts is a nonprofit online social network providing a mix of virtual and in-person events for neurodiverse adults ages 19-45 in Minnesota. The offering consists of The Bridge, a private members-only website platform (the core technology product), combined with membership access to in-person events (at least twice monthly in the Twin Cities and Duluth), virtual events via video conferencing, and annual camp experiences. The Secure Online Network component provides screening and monitoring for member safety. The three primary connection methods are: (1) the private members-only website where members can communicate, view profiles, and plan get-togethers; (2) monthly in-person social events across the Twin Cities and Greater MN; and (3) virtual video conferencing events including educational series like Healthy Cooking, Healthy Exercise, and Healthy Living.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Bridge (Members-Only Online Social Network) Private, members-only online social network for neurodiverse adults ages 19-45. Allows screened members to view profiles, post pictures, send private and group messages, access event information, join groups, and plan their own get-togethers before meeting in person. The platform is monitored and reviewed for inappropriate content.
• Membership Program Subscription-based membership providing access to the private online community, monthly in-person events, and virtual events. Pricing includes a free 1-month trial, $20/month, or $200 for 12 months; renewals available at $120 for 6 months or $60 for 3 months. Includes a personal interview, profile posting, access to the private network, and ability to attend organized events.
• In-Person Social Events Organized monthly in-person social events for members, held at least twice per month across the Twin Cities metro and Duluth. Activities include bowling, theme parties, theatre visits, sporting events, hiking, bonfires, boat cruises, dances, sleigh rides, and camping. Designed to help neurodiverse young adults develop social skills and build friendships in a safe, supportive environment.
• Virtual Events (Zoom Programming)
• Annual Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• Members report increased self-determination, connectedness to others, and overall enjoyment of life.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Teresa Johnson (Duluth Chapter Founder)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Teresa Johnson, a Duluth-area parent, founded a similar organization to serve neurodiverse young adults in her area. After connecting with Denise Martin (founder of Bridging Hearts) in 2019, the two organizations merged and Teresa Johnson became the leader of the first official Duluth Chapter of Bridging Hearts, officially chartered as a regional extension of the main organization.
• The Nerdery (Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015In 2015, The Nerdery hosted an Overnight Website Challenge in which teams of developers built websites overnight for nonprofit organizations. Bridging Hearts was selected as a beneficiary. A team led by Kevin Roth created the new external-facing website (www.bridginghearts.org), whose core platform is still in use today. Several participants, including Kevin Roth and Adam Pascoe, subsequently joined the Bridging Hearts Board of Directors, making this a co-development relationship that yielded lasting organizational value.
• GiveMN.orgcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGiveMN.org is the primary donation platform for Bridging Hearts. The organization directs supporters to donate through GiveMN.org, which hosts the Bridging Hearts donation page. This is a key fundraising and visibility partnership for the nonprofit.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: The Arc is a national nonprofit advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Comparable to Bridging Hearts because it addresses social inclusion and community participation for the same population, but operates as a broad advocacy/service organization rather than a membership-based social network.
• Special Olympics: Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable to Bridging Hearts in serving neurodiverse adults through structured community programming, though its core modality is athletic rather than social networking.
• Best Buddies International: Best Buddies builds one-to-one friendships, employment, and leadership opportunities for people with IDD. Comparable to Bridging Hearts because of its focus on social connection and community for neurodiverse adults, though it operates nationally and at much larger scale.
• Easterseals: Easterseals provides disability services including autism services, adult day programs, and social/community programs across the U.S. Comparable to Bridging Hearts because of its broad service portfolio for people with disabilities including social/community participation offerings.

Direct peers

• Friendship Circle: Friendship Circle operates local chapters providing social, recreational, and educational programs for children and young adults with special needs. Most directly comparable to Bridging Hearts in the chapter-based, community-events-plus-friendship model serving neurodiverse youth and young adults.
• GiGi's Playhouse: GiGi's Playhouse is a network of Down syndrome achievement centers offering social, educational, and therapeutic programs. Comparable to Bridging Hearts in its chapter-based in-person programming for neurodiverse adults and focus on social inclusion through community events.

Emerging players

• Mentor North (formerly Birth to Twenty / related): Various regional mentoring and social-connection programs for young adults with disabilities. Emerging player in the same adjacent space of structured friendship-building for neurodiverse young adults, comparable to Bridging Hearts in target population and use of volunteer mentors.
• Social Autism (platform): Social Autism and similar online platforms target autistic adults seeking peer connection and community. Emerging player serving overlapping population but with primarily digital-only offerings rather than Bridging Hearts' hybrid in-person + online model.

Regional players

• Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM): AuSM is the Minnesota chapter of the Autism Society providing social, educational, and support services across the lifespan. Comparable to Bridging Hearts because it operates in the same Minnesota geography serving overlapping neurodiverse populations and is referenced as a referral partner.

Others

• JFK Partners /射 Community Alternatives: JFK Partners is part of the University of Colorado network providing services for individuals with developmental disabilities including social/community programs. Comparable as a regional disability services provider serving overlapping populations with similar social-inclusion goals.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bridging-hearts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Bridging Hearts