Photos: Connecting the needy with homeware necessities

Issues Jennifer Simonson · BLOOMINGTON, Minn. ·

1 Bridging founder Fran Heitzman, who recently celebrated his 88th birthday, watches a truck filled with furniture donations back up toward the warehouse Thursday, Mar. 7, 2013 at Bridging's location in Bloomington. For 25 years the organization has been providing furniture and household goods to people in need. 
2 Bridging founder Fran Heitzman visits with volunteers and staff during a party to celebrate his 88th birthday at Bridging's Bloomington office. 
3 Volunteers Bob Lindahl, center, of Lakeville, and Sandy Hinkley, right, of Eagan, unload donations at Bridging in Bloomington. 
4 Volunteers Dick Hertel, left, and Maurice Ranasinghe put new legs on a table in the Bridging "fix it" shop in Bloomington. The two men are from Bloomington and volunteer once a week repairing furniture that needs to be fixed before it can be donated to a family in need. This particular table was cut in half because it was bigger than most Bridging clients need, and then legs were custom built for the two halves. 
5 Volunteers, including John Klescz who was reupholstering a seat cushion, work in the "fix it" shop at Bridging in Bloomington. 
6 Volunteers sort silverware and dishes into matching sets before it is given away to families in need at Bridging in Bloomington. 
7 Volunteer Evelyn Skoog, left, turns an old sheet into strips of fabric that are used to tie blankets together at Bridging in Bloomington. It's an example of how volunteers find uses for everything and nothing goes to waste at Bridging. 
8 Volunteer Bob Lindahl, of Lakeville, hauls a donated mattress into the warehouse storage area at Bridging in Bloomington. 
9 Donated chairs at Bridging in Bloomington. 
10 Bridging founder Fran Heitzman, left, chats with Gary Vierkant after Vierkant donated a dining room table and chairs. Vierkant, who owns a disposal business, said he donates furniture at least once a month and sometimes more often. 
11 Bridging volunteers unload a donation from Gary Vierkant, second from left.