Our
Story
About Us
Our Vision
The Team Up Project believes in the power of relationships and service to bridge divides and transform communities.
Our Mission
The Team Up Project equips people to build meaningful connections and work together across differences for the well-being and flourishing of all people and communities.
Why Bridgebuilding
Across the country, communities are feeling the impact of rising polarization, deepening isolation, and the erosion of trust. At the same time, people are longing for connection, purpose, and a sense of belonging. Bridgebuilding meets this moment by helping people work together across lines of difference in ways that strengthen relationships, strengthen communities, and serve the common good.
Why We Team Up
In a time of heightened divisiveness and deepening social fragmentation, creating meaningful connections among neighbors can help lessen the chasm. Through this coordinated and wide-ranging effort, we hope to forge uncommon partnerships and collaborations in communities around the country by embracing our common humanity, celebrating our shared values and respecting our differences.”
Kerry Alys Robinson
Catholic Charities USA President & CEO
Living in modern America often means living and working with those with whom we deeply disagree. The institutions we lead show that it is possible to have conflicting views on major policy issues, even vote for different candidates, and still work with one another to build a Habitat for Humanity house, support a YMCA summer camp, or feed people at a Catholic Charities agency.
Eboo Patel
Founder and President of Interfaith America
Civic institutions across the nation have been living by this ideal for generations. As leaders of four prominent nonprofits, we are proud to renew our commitment to bring people together, facilitate conversations across differences, and unite our communities around common goals. We have the opportunity to address one of the greatest challenges of our time, and we urge leaders from civic institutions across the nation to join us. Together, we can build a more unified nation.”
Suzanne McCormick
YMCA of the USA President & CEO
This partnership demonstrates what we all know to be true: that we accomplish more together than divided. Through each of our organizations, millions of mission-driven volunteers collaborate to build bridges and a greater sense of community with neighbors from all walks of life. Meaningful and lasting change happens when people put aside their differences to work alongside one another toward a shared goal.”
Jonathan Reckford
CEO of Habitat for Humanity International
Founding Organizations
FAQs
Who are the founding partners?
Interfaith America, Catholic Charities USA, Habitat for Humanity International and YMCA of the USA are the founding partners of Team Up.
The initiative is the first of its kind in terms of scope, scale and reach, with several of the largest service-oriented organizations in the country uniting behind a common purpose: creating community in a divided society and achieving more, together. The founding partners will utilize their organizational strengths and expertise – including their vast networks and resources – to facilitate bridgebuilding across the U.S. and elevate the important work that is already under way.
How did the Team Up Project start?
Team Up began as a part of the bipartisan United We Stand Summit at the White House in September 2022, which sought to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and put forward a shared vision for a more united America. During this Summit, then President Biden charged our organizations with the task of training 10,000 volunteers in bridgebuilding. We have surpassed this goal and now look to grow and embed this work further.
In the face of growing polarization, our four organizations saw an opportunity to not only leverage our unique strengths and resources to empower individuals to bridge differences, but also create a dedicated space for other non-profits, organizers and leaders to collaborate and advance their community-building work.
What kind of work will the initiative do?
The initiative promotes bridgebuilding through a variety of distinct and interconnected methods. We:
- Equip organizations and communities with practical resources, tools, and training to strengthen and sustain bridgebuilding efforts, and elevate local organizations as models and co-creators of effective, community-driven service.
- Amplify bridgebuilding in action by sharing compelling stories, highlighting impact, and demonstrating the power of human connection.
- Activate and embed a culture of bridgebuilding across partner organizations and their networks.
- Assess outcomes, capture lessons learned, and share evidence of success to make the case for bridgebuilding as a powerful approach to reducing division, and advancing the common good
Are there plans to expand the initiative beyond the four founding partner organizations?
Yes, the goal of the initiative is to build a vast network of national, state, local and community organizations that will all work together to create personal connection, bridge existing societal divides and create lasting change that benefits all Americans.
What is Bridgebuilding?
For the Team Up Project, bridgebuilding is an activity that brings people together to foster understanding and collaboration across diverse identities and divergent ideologies, whether they are social, cultural, political or professional in a way that builds trust, fosters respect, facilitates mutual relationships, and encourages cooperation toward a common good.
In other words, we see three core components of bridgebuilding:
- Respect:
- Relate:
- Cooperate:
What work is Team Up doing?
Bridgebuilding work is already underway! With financial support from generous partners, the Team Up Project has spent the last three years:
- Engaging with YMCA, Habitat, and CC leaders from 32 communities across the country – from Nashville, Tennessee to San Diego, California and beyond – and awarded grants to support local projects focused on creating bonds, fostering understanding and collaborating to address a community need among people with different socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, racial and political backgrounds and affiliations. You can learn more about specific projects and see if your community has been involved by exploring the Best of America Campaign, our map of projects, and our Playbooks.
- Developing learning tools and resources that can be used by any individual or organization interested in enhancing their own bridgebuilding capacities through our Resource Library.
- Telling stories of bridgebuilding to local and national audiences – from the Ad Council’s Shared Table Campaign to the Best of America video series and more – to foster a culture where connection and collaboration are the norm, not the exception.
How can I get involved in the initiative?
From community volunteers and local leaders to PTA parents and t-ball coaches, we want everyone to get involved – in big ways and small. If you’re interested in ending the cycle of distrust and alienation and creating communities that celebrate differences and foster understanding, we hope you will Team Up With Us.
You can start by:
- Exploring our resource library for tools and resources
- Getting in touch with your local YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, or Catholic Charities to ask about volunteer opportunities
- Sign up for Interfaith America’s monthly Bridgebuilding Bulletin; and
- If you are an organization looking to become a partner, fill out the contact form and a representative from our team will be in touch.