Summit-area high schoolers packed 9,823 lunches this past school year — and that number wasn't arbitrary. It's the exact count of clients Bridges Outreach served in 2023, a target the students set for themselves and hit, while also raising more than $30,000 for people experiencing homelessness. The Summit Common Council formally recognized the group, Teens Tackle Homelessness, at its July 7 meeting.

"You all are the best of us. You are values in action. You work with creativity and tenacity, and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need with dignity and respect," Council Member Jaclyn Lasaracina told the students. Council Member Jamel Boyer pointed out these are teenagers juggling school, jobs and summer plans on top of all this. During public comment, resident Dorie Gagnon put it simply: the students help neighbors regardless of politics, and the room should just be saying thank you.

Teens Tackle Homelessness operates under Bridges Outreach, the Summit nonprofit that's served Union and Essex counties for more than 35 years. In 2024 alone, Bridges Outreach housed 480 people and brought services to nearly 10,000 more.

Three co-presidents — Sydney Counihan, Zach Battistella and Catherine Luzzi — take over for the 2025-2026 season. The group meets monthly at the Oakes Center, and any student in grades 9-12 can join; 10th graders and up are automatically welcomed onto the Leadership Council. Beyond meal prep and fundraising, TTH also works to educate the community about homelessness itself.

Want to help?

Bridges Outreach runs weekend outreach in Newark and Irvington and Thursday evenings in Rahway, with volunteers as young as 13 welcome alongside an adult. Client Service Days happen Fridays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Oakes Center. Sign up at bridgesoutreach.org or email [email protected]. Teens interested in TTH specifically can visit teenstacklehomelessness.org.