MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Award...Fran Heitzman, Founder of Bridging, Inc. in Bloomington, Minnesota receives highest honor

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) announces that Fran Heitzman of Bloomington will receive top honors in the MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards during a ceremony on April 28, 2006 in Washington D.C. Mr. Heitzman is the Gold Honoree in the Community Champion Category for his work with Bridging, Inc.

Eighteen years ago, Fran was a maintenance man at Pax Christi Catholic Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. A parishioner approached him wishing to donate a baby crib that they no longer needed to the church nursery. Fran politely told them that the church could not use it, but he would find a home for it. He called a social service agency in the Twin Cities and they were overjoyed to receive the crib.

Later that day, Heitzman came up with the concept of Bridging, a non- profit agency that would take items families no longer needed and give them to families in need.

At 81-years-old, Fran continues his work on a daily basis, surrounded by a corps of over 2,000 volunteers.

Bridging, Inc., the non-profit he started, now employs 17 full-time staff who are committed to empower volunteers to assist with the problems of homelessness and poverty.

Fran is involved with all components of the program, from fund raising to product procurement to soliciting new volunteers. Fran is a dear, humble man whose charisma and dedication to helping those in need is infectious. It is very fitting that this award is being presented during National Volunteer Week.

The twenty-six recipients were selected from organizations and programs nationwide. Nominees were required to be age 50-years or older and to have volunteered for the program or organization for at least one year. Members of the Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards Blue Ribbon Panel and Advisory Board made award selections in three categories. Team Spirit Awards honor older volunteers who assist other older adults; Mentor Awards recognize older volunteers who work with young people and their families; and Community Champion Awards recognize those who use their time and talent to make their community a better place to live. All honorees receive an engraved gift celebrating their achievement, and each honoree's nominating organization receives a monetary award to further its work.

Bridging, Inc.

Bridging employs seventeen full-time employees and operates over 65,000 square feet of warehouse in Bloomington and St. Cloud, Minnesota. In 2006, Bridging will provide services to over 4,000 families. Since its inception, Bridging has provided free household items and furnishings to over 32,500 families in need. Bridging relies on referrals from 140 social service agencies and the generosity of more than 2,000 volunteers who donate over 60,000 hours annually to help run the organization. For more information on Bridging, Inc., visit http://www.bridging.org/ .

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is the leading voice on aging issues for Area Agencies on Aging across the country and a champion for Title VI-Native American aging programs in our nation's capital. For more information visit http://www.n4a.org/