From Sign Up to Support System: Helping Girls Thrive

"SignUpGenius has made a tremendous impact....it saved us a lot of time, energy, and provided the ability to serve more.”

Empowering Girls to Lead with Confidence

When girls are given space to lead, they rise. One nonprofit is helping them do just that.

Based in Montgomery County, Maryland, Community Bridges is an organization that supports girls from under-resourced communities from fourth grade through high school graduation. Their mission? To nurture the next generation of resilient students, engaged community members, and confident young leaders. You can learn more about their program at https://communitybridges-md.org/

Through afterschool enrichment and one-on-one college access coaching, Community Bridges walks with each girl through some of the most important years of her life, from building self-esteem to submitting college applications.

But with limited resources and growing demand, staying organized across multiple programs — and meeting the increasing needs of families — was becoming a challenge.

What they needed was the right tool. A platform flexible enough to manage giving campaigns, simple enough to use without training, and powerful enough to save time across the board. 

They found it in SignUpGenius.

Bringing the Community Together, One Family at a Time

One of Community Bridges’ most meaningful initiatives happens each winter through their Adopt-a-Family program. With families facing tough choices between heating bills and holiday meals, the team knew the community wanted to help. All that was missing was an easy way to do it.

Shannon recalls how the shift changed everything:

“We were able to list each family’s needs — from winter coats to grocery gift cards — and let community members sign up instantly. Some people picked one item. Others rallied their book clubs or office teams to adopt a whole family. It made giving simple, shareable, and deeply personal.”

One girl even shared that her siblings hadn’t smiled like that in months. “That kind of joy,” Shannon said, “is what keeps us going.”

From empowering girls to mobilizing generosity, Community Bridges proves that the right support system can spark real transformation.

And you don’t have to run a nonprofit to make a difference! Whether you're organizing a local drive, rallying volunteers, or simply looking for a way to support those around you — your next act of kindness could start with a sign up.