Case Study

ArcStone transformed Bridging’s text-heavy website into an accessible, engaging platform for their diverse community.

Bridging empowers people to thrive in their homes by providing quality furniture and household goods for those pursuing housing stability. Founded in 1987, this Twin Cities nonprofit serves as Minnesota’s largest “furniture bank,” partnering with over 260 social service agencies to serve families transitioning out of homelessness and poverty. Each year, Bridging furnishes more than 5,000 households—over 13,000 individuals, nearly half of whom are children—with comprehensive home essentials including beds, seating, dishes, appliances, and everything needed to transform an empty space into a functioning home.

Operating warehouses in Roseville, Bloomington, and Plymouth, Bridging is powered by over 4,000 volunteers who contribute more than 70,000 hours of service annually. This community-driven approach not only provides families with hope and dignity during critical transitions, but also prevents approximately 14 million pounds of quality furniture from entering landfills each year. Bridging’s vision is simple yet profound: that everyone lives in a furnished home, because stable housing provides the foundation for employment, education, health, and family connections that help people build lasting independence.

Our Role

Blueprint Discovery & Strategy
WordPress Development
Accessibility Implementation
Content Migration Strategy
Third-Party System Integration
SEO Fundamentals
Training & Support
Ongoing Marketing Partnership

The Challenge:

Bridging’s existing website was informative and resource-rich but suffered from significant usability barriers. The site was overly text-heavy, making it difficult for users unfamiliar with Bridging’s model to navigate and find essential information. Accessibility standards weren’t met, creating barriers for community members with disabilities, while the design felt outdated and didn’t reflect the diverse community Bridging serves.

Additionally, key functionality was missing throughout the site, including effective search capabilities, volunteer scheduling integration, language translation options, and streamlined donation processes. The site’s complex structure made it challenging for staff to update content efficiently, while the lack of mobile optimization created barriers for service recipients who primarily accessed resources via smartphones.

Image of a laptop displaying the previous Bridging website homepage. The screen features a child jumping on a bed and a large orange banner that reads 'We Furnish Homes With Hope.' Below the headline is a short paragraph about Bridging’s mission and a teal button labeled 'Watch Our Story.' The top navigation bar includes links for Get Involved, How to Get Help, News & Events, and About Us. At the bottom, there is a video thumbnail titled 'This Is Our Story' and a section encouraging users to donate household items.

Our Approach

ArcStone began with a comprehensive Blueprint Discovery Phase, conducting stakeholder interviews, heatmap analysis of the existing site, and content auditing to understand user behavior and organizational needs. We created a new information architecture that organized content around user journeys rather than internal structure, developing wireframes for nine key page templates that would serve Bridging’s diverse audiences effectively.

The WordPress rebuild utilized Kadence blocks for easy content management while implementing WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards throughout the entire site. We integrated Google Translate for multi-language support, SearchWP for improved search functionality, and prepared infrastructure for VolunteerHub integration. Content migration included programmatic transfer where possible and manual styling for up to 40 pages, ensuring all content met the new design and accessibility standards.

Throughout the four-month process, we maintained close collaboration through Basecamp project management and provided comprehensive WordPress training for the internal team. Post-launch, ArcStone continued supporting Bridging through an ongoing marketing partnership, providing monthly SEO optimization, content strategy guidance, and performance analytics to help maximize the site’s impact in serving the community.

Bridging website page explaining how to get furniture and housewares. The header reads 'How can I get furniture and housewares from Bridging?' in a bold orange banner. Below, a photo shows three women being guided through shelves of home goods. The left section describes Bridging's mission to provide foundational home setups including furniture and essentials. The right section titled 'Getting a Referral to Bridging' explains the need for a referral through agency partners, with a 'Find an Agency' button at the bottom.

Bridging's online donation form page titled 'Donate Now.' The form includes options for gift amount with preset buttons for $50, $100 (selected), $250, $500, $1,000, and an 'Other amount' option. Users can choose between a one-time or recurring donation. Below, the form collects donor information including name, address, city, state, and ZIP code. A checkbox allows users to give on behalf of an organization. At the top, navigation buttons include Matching Gifts, Donor Advised Funds, Honor & Memorial, IRA Gifts, Legacy Giving, and Stock Gifts.

Reviewing The Results

Bridging now has a modern, accessible website that effectively serves their diverse community. The streamlined navigation and mobile-optimized design make it easier for service recipients to access resources, while enhanced donation pathways and volunteer information improve engagement with supporters. Full accessibility compliance ensures equal access for all community members, and the user-friendly content management system empowers staff to maintain and update the site efficiently. The foundation is set for future growth with integrated systems and scalable architecture supporting Bridging’s expanding impact in the community.