A Conversation with The Bridge Project

A Conversation with The Bridge Project

with Christine Switzer & Holly Fogle

Bridging the Gap: Unconditional Support for Moms and Babies in Boston
Join The Impact Collective for a special Collective Conversation featuring Christine Switzer and Holly Fogle, co-founders of The Bridge Project—the nation’s largest unconditional cash program for mothers and babies. Through biweekly cash transfers beginning in pregnancy and extending through a child’s first 1,000 days, The Bridge Project provides families the resources and autonomy they need to thrive. Backed by more than 50 peer-reviewed studies showing that direct cash improves maternal health, housing stability, and infant development, the Bridge model represents a bold reimagining of how we invest in early life and economic mobility.

In Boston, this work has already reached 171 mothers, each living below the federal poverty line and navigating the city’s high cost of living on an average income of just $17,929. With Bridge’s support—$1,125 prenatal stipends, followed by $750/month for 15 months, then $375/month for 21 months—these women are building savings, accessing doulas and legal advocates, and finding community through programs like Empower Hours. Their stories illuminate the profound power of trust and unconditional support to break intergenerational cycles of poverty. Together, we’ll explore how this groundbreaking model is transforming lives—and how collective action can expand its impact across Greater Boston and beyond.

Guest Speaker

Meet Christine

Christine Switzer is head of philanthropy at the Monarch Foundation, which focuses on addressing child poverty and the climate crisis, including through The Bridge Project, the largest direct cash program for babies and mothers in the United States. She brings more than 25 years of experience across philanthropy, consulting, and nonprofit leadership, having held senior roles at Fidelity Investments and Fidelity Charitable, where she advised donors on strategic and impactful giving.

Previously, Christine held director-level roles at organizations including Accenture, the University of California Berkeley, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, the Global Fund for Women, the International Museum of Women, and the U.S. Embassy in Paris and Madrid, and she has served as an independent advisor to family foundations and nonprofits. She holds degrees from the University of Virginia and the Fletcher School at Tufts University, studied abroad in Paris, is multilingual, half-Mexican, and a Certified Philanthropy Advisor. She serves as vice chair of the board of Hispanics in Philanthropy and on the Leadership Council of UVA’s Batten School of Public Policy, and she is passionate about collaborative philanthropy, gender equity, economic empowerment, early childhood development, climate activism, and impact investing; in 2024, she was recognized by Amplify Latinx as one of the top Latina leaders in Massachusetts.

Meet Holly

Holly Fogle is the co-Founder and co-Executive Director of Nido de Esperanza (Nest of Hope) in New York City where she spends her time working with immigrant families and their young children living in poverty. Holly is also the co-founder of The Bridge Project, New York City’s first direct cash program, designed to support babies living in poverty with unconditional cash during the first 1,000 days of their lives. And, like any good entrepreneur, Holly's next impact project is still in stealth mode. Her philanthropy focuses on the intersections of women and trust.

Whenever possible, she avoids board seats, galas, naming rights, and restricted giving. She relishes authentic one-on-one conversations with people trying to change their corner of the world.

She graduated from The Wharton School and was a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, where she worked for 13 years serving healthcare clients. She ran McKinsey’s New Jersey Office and served on their global partner selection committee.

Collective Conversation Series

Mark your calendars for our 2026 Collective Conversation Series! Every first Friday we will gather from 12-1 pm over Zoom to learn, take action, and build community. This series is designed as a community forum focused on inviting experts from the Impact Collective community to share wisdom and spark conversation about topics relating to closing the racial wealth gap. Upcoming topics include direct giving, investing to close the racial wealth gap, Boston’s Black business ecosystem, and more!

Learn more about our Collective Conversations.

The Impact Collective

Our mission is to close the racial wealth gap by educating and activating people with wealth to leverage their influence and affluence within a diverse and connected community. We envision a truly equitable America where all people can access the capital and opportunities they seek to thrive regardless of their skin color or socioeconomic status.

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