BridgeWell Foundation Launches “Be the Bridge of Hope” Summer Campaign to Aid Northern Colorado Families Facing Serious Health Crises
 
Campaign seeks to raise $50,000 and add 15 monthly donors by August 1 to support the Patient Assistance Fund
 
LOVELAND, Colo. (June 29, 2026) — BridgeWell Foundation of Northern Colorado today announced the launch of “Be the Bridge of Hope,” an urgent summer campaign to help meet rapidly growing demand for direct financial assistance among Northern Colorado residents facing serious health crises.
 
Since late 2024, applications to BridgeWell’s Patient Assistance Fund have surged by more than 1,000 percent, and demand has not slowed. Each approved application provides up to $1,000 in direct relief to help residents cover essential expenses such as rent, utilities, cell phone bills, insurance deductibles, and other basic needs while they focus on treatment and recovery.
 
The campaign has two goals by August 1: raise $50,000 to help 50 Northern Colorado families and welcome 15 new monthly donors who can provide dependable support beyond the campaign period.
 
“Illness can strip away a paycheck, medical coverage, and a family’s sense of stability all at once,” said Nate Lamkin, Executive Director of BridgeWell Foundation. “Our Patient Assistance Fund is designed to be a bridge at exactly that moment. A gift to this campaign can help keep the lights on, preserve housing, and give a neighbor the dignity and breathing room to focus on healing.”
 
The campaign is inspired in part by Doug, a BridgeWell Patient Assistance recipient who spent the past year fighting a rare breast cancer diagnosis while also losing his job, medical insurance, and Social Security benefits because of a paperwork error. At 63 and living on his own, Doug found himself with no income in the middle of chemotherapy.
 
“Cancer consumes your whole life. Every bit of it, every day,” Doug said. With support from BridgeWell donors, Doug received assistance with rent, utility bills, and his cell phone bill, helping him maintain stability during treatment. “I didn’t have to worry about how I was going to pay my bills. I could focus on my recovery.”
 
BridgeWell is inviting donors to make one-time gifts or join its Bridge Builder Monthly Giving Club. A $35 gift can help offset a gas bill, $75 can help cover a cell phone bill, $150 can provide relief toward an overdue electricity bill, $300 can contribute toward rent, and $1,000 can fully fund one approved application.
 
Monthly gifts are especially important because they allow BridgeWell to respond quickly when another family calls for help. Giving levels include Footbridge (under $25 per month), Span ($25 per month), Arch ($50 per month), and Keystone ($100 per month).
 
This year, Independence Day also marks America’s 250th anniversary. BridgeWell is using the moment to call on Northern Colorado residents to honor that milestone by helping neighbors maintain dignity, stability, and hope when illness threatens everything.
 
“One-time gifts meet today’s need; monthly gifts make sure we’re ready for whoever calls tomorrow,” Lamkin said. “Right now, families across Northern Colorado need someone to show up. We are asking our community to be the bridge.”
 
Donations can be made by visiting bridgewellnoco.org or by calling BridgeWell Foundation at 970-617-2575.
 
About BridgeWell Foundation of Northern Colorado
BridgeWell Foundation of Northern Colorado helps Northern Colorado neighbors facing serious health crises maintain stability, dignity, and hope. Through its Patient Assistance Fund and related health and wellness initiatives, BridgeWell works to bridge gaps in health and wellness for families and individuals across the region.