Jim's Bridge to a Brighter Future

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Jim's Bridge to a Brighter Future

We strive to foster a legacy of giving and helping others. Our purpose is to establish a legacy of sharing, caring and helping others in memory of James F.

Mikulski, a wonderful and loving husband, step-father, son, brother, and friend who suddenly passed away on October 2, 2013. Jim's Bridge to a Brighter Future accomplishes its purpose through sponsored activities and fund-raising by promoting service and fostering an opportunity to support the wellness and education of disadvantaged school aged children. The organization is entirely run by volunte

ers. The James F. Mikulski Memorial Group, Inc (aka. Jim's Bridge to a Brighter Future) is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Jim's Bridge is funded through private donations, online contributions and donations in recognition of volunteer services. The beneficiaries of donations received through these activities are certified grade school educational institutions in the Chicago area.

04/14/2026

The Spring Newsletter from Jim’s Bridge is here!
- gives to students
- Meeting up with our amazing scholars
- Awesome Volunteers and upcoming opportunities for you
- Huge Successful Savers drive
- Annual Recap of 2025
- Save the Date - October 4, 2026 - Annual Fundraiser
https://www.jfmmemorial.org/Newsletter-CURRENT.pdf

04/10/2026

Spots are filling up for volunteering with Jim’s Bridge at the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge on Thursday evening, May 14th in Grant Park. Jim's Bridge will help manage the start corrals. If you would like to join us, please register soon!

Volunteers should arrive between 4:45pm and 5:00pm at the volunteer check-in on the NE corner of Columbus and Jackson. Upon check-in, volunteers will receive a complimentary event t-shirt as well as a boxed dinner or pizza. Our assignment should be done by 7:45pm.

Here is the link for volunteer registration. Please select “Jim’s Bridge” for the Group and “Start Corrals” for the volunteer location.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCO4cobeS0gXQqJSkUKc9QTpQE46Q6Gr91jClfOMDrzm7_ZQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

We have confirmed that discounted parking will be available once again this year. Also, we will have carpooling from our house in Palos Heights. If you would like to join us, please let me know.

Feel free to contact me by email or text/call at 708-267-9343 if you have any questions.

Maureen

03/23/2026

Join Jim’s Bridge as a volunteer at the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge on Thursday evening, May 14th in Grant Park. Jim's Bridge will help manage the start corrals.

Volunteers should arrive between 4:45pm and 5:00pm at the volunteer check-in on the NE corner of Columbus and Jackson. Upon check-in, volunteers will receive a complimentary event t-shirt as well as a boxed dinner or pizza. Our assignment should be done by 7:45pm.

Here is the link for volunteer registration. Please select “Jim’s Bridge” for the Group and “Start Corrals” for the volunteer location.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCO4cobeS0gXQqJSkUKc9QTpQE46Q6Gr91jClfOMDrzm7_ZQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

We have confirmed that discounted parking will be available once again this year. Also, we will have carpooling from our house in Palos Heights. If you would like to join us, please let me know.

Feel free to contact me by email or text/call at 708-267-9343 if you have any questions.

Maureen

03/21/2026

A big THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered with Jim's Bridge today at the Shamrock Shuffle Packet Pickup and T-Shirt Distribution! Was a nice day outside and a busy day inside of the Shamrock Shuffle Tent!

03/15/2026

Join Jim’s Bridge as a volunteer at the CARA Spring Trail Chase on Sunday May 17th at the Forge Adventure Park in Lemont.

We will be assigned to the Start/Finish area, as course marshals or wherever help is needed. Each volunteer will receive a T-Shirt. Volunteers should report to the Forge by 6:45 am. Our assignment will last no later than 10:45 am, and possibly finish sooner. Here is the registration link. You must register by EOD on May 13th.

https://register.hakuapp.com/?event=f66d0c097675424f3233&promoter_name=jim-s-bridge-9®istration_type=registration&pro=29283

(note that you can ignore the section on becoming a CARA member, that is not required)

Thank you for your support of Jim’s Bridge

03/01/2026

Tokyo Marathon 2026 Completed! Though it was a beautiful day and a great course, it was a bit of a struggle as I worked my way through all the miles/km. But I got it done and earned my World Majors Six Star medal!

My thanks to all who donated to Jim’s Bridge to help me get across the finish. If you’d still like to donate here is the info. All donation amounts are welcome and every dime makes a difference in our mission to serve school aged children in financial need. So far, we have raised over $2,000!

Donate to Jim’s Bridge with PayPal/Credit/Debit/Venmo
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/B2YXCTZS6FU5C

Or send a donation via Zelle - [email protected]
Thank you for your consideration and support of Jim’s Bridge.
Maureen
www.jfmmemorial.org
Jim's Bridge to a Brighter Future

02/20/2026

Join in as I complete one last marathon for Jim's Bridge. This time it's Tokyo! You don't have to run, but benefiting Jim's Bridge would help the miles fly by.

Although the Chicago 2024 marathon was to be my last, by completing the Tokyo Marathon on March 1st, I will earn the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star award, recognizing Tokyo as well as the Boston, Berlin, London, New York and Chicago marathons I have run since 1998.

It will be a great way to wrap up my marathon journey, but I would only do it with Jim’s Bridge.

Many of you already know that Jim’s Bridge to a Brighter Future is the charity that we set up after the passing of my son, Jim, in 2013. We are proud of the work and amazing community that Jim’s Bridge has built within the last decade. So many children have been helped with their academic and extracurricular activities, and our volunteer opportunities continue to be meaningful for the individuals that serve others.

If you’d like to help me as I traverse the 26.2 miles in Tokyo, please consider a donation to Jim’s Bridge. All donation amounts are welcome and every dime makes a difference in our mission to serve school aged children in financial need.

Donate to Jim’s Bridge with PayPal/Credit/Debit/Venmo

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/B2YXCTZS6FU5C

Or send a donation via Zelle - [email protected]

Thank you for your consideration and support of Jim’s Bridge.
Maureen
www.jfmmemorial.org
Jim's Bridge to a Brighter Future

02/14/2026

WOW! We did it! Our largest single clothing drive delivery today of 8,233 pounds to Savers Thrift Stores. What a lot of stuff - Over 4 Tons!!! More than 650 bags of soft goods and 1466 pounds of books/media. That will result $1400+ for Jim’s Bridge. Since 2017, Jim’s Bridge has delivered 105,589 pounds of goods from our clothing drives. That’s a lot diverted from landfills and resulted in $20,000 to Jim’s Bridge over those years.

Our thanks to everyone who helped us load, deliver and unload all of the items collected in the Jim's Bridge Winter Savers Clothing Drive. Special thanks to Callaghan's Moving Services for donating the truck and crew to transport everything to Savers Thrift Store. Plus, a big shout out to the volunteers from Marist High School who did an awesome job helping us move all the bags from our house to the truck.

Next drive will be in the summer time TBD. In the meantime, once again, my garage is cleared out!

02/07/2026

So glad Jim's Bridge could support a fun day for the St. Gall students!

02/06/2026

Volunteer with Jim’s Bridge at the Shamrock Shuffle Packet Pickup on 3/21/26.

Our shift will be on the morning before the race, on Saturday March 21st between 7:45am and 12:45pm. Packet Pickup is near Buckingham Fountain in a climate-controlled tent. Each volunteer will receive a complimentary long sleeve t-shirt, hat and credentials.

Here is the link to volunteer for Packet Pickup (must be at least 18 years old).
https://cemevent.rosterfy.com/invite/gVxa1qpdP8f3phXLmQQRjpPd0oiJUeFSvxHTb47AWqNdzPOsgd13AvOxmNJP

Registration closes at 11:59pm on Sunday March 15th. The spots will close once we reach our max limit.

If you have already registered as a volunteer for the Shamrock Shuffle but would like to be on the Jim’s Bridge ‘team’, then let me know and I can work with the race organizer to move you over to our team.

As always, your effort in getting up in the early morning to help is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or any issues related to registering as a volunteer, then please feel free to either message me or text/call me (708-267-9343).

02/04/2026

We are in the final few days for the Jim’s Bridge Winter Clothing Drive - It ends on Saturday February 7, 2025. Let me know soon if you still have items you'd like to contribute and we will arrange a drop off/pickup.

Although we are mainly focusing on gently used ‘soft goods’, we will also accept books and DVDs/CDs/VHS tapes.

Clothing/Coats/Hats Bedding/Blankets
Shoes/Boots Towels
Purses/Backpacks Linens
Personal Accessories Curtains/Draperies
Books DVDs/CDs/VHS tapes

Message me or text/call 708-267-9343 if you have any items to contribute or if you have any questions. We can pick up from you or you can drop off items by us.

Once again, it’s a fundraiser with a triple win - you get to de-clutter, the Jim’s Bridge charity raises funds for school children in Chicago and the environment is kept a bit greener by reducing items sent to landfills. Tell all your family and friends!

Address

405 Shadow Creek Court
Palos Heights, IL
60463

Website

http://www.jfmmemorial.org/about.html

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