Summit-based Bridges Outreach, a cornerstone of New Jersey’s homelessness response, on Friday announced the appointment of Michael Callahan as its new chief operating officer. Callahan, a veteran leader in the field, officially rejoins the organization on Feb. 17, after serving as a top official for the State of New Jersey.
The move marks a homecoming for Callahan, who previously served as Bridges’ director of Programs and Impact before being tapped to lead the Office of Homelessness Prevention at the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
During his tenure with the DCA, Callahan was instrumental in modernizing New Jersey’s response to housing instability. He led several high-stakes initiatives under the Murphy administration that significantly reshaped the state’s safety net.
Key achievements during his state service include:
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Scaling Street Outreach: Tripling the capacity of unsheltered outreach programs across rural and suburban New Jersey.
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“Bringing Veterans Home”: Spearheading the initiative to functionally end homelessness among veterans and National Guard members.
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Health Care Integration: Leveraging Medicaid 1115 waivers to fund housing-focused supportive services.
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Public-Private Synergies: Unlocking over $160 million in flexible capital through partnerships with healthcare systems and municipal leaders.
Bridges Outreach has evolved from a small volunteer group delivering soup under the Brooklyn Bridge in 1988 to a sophisticated, data-driven nonprofit. Today, it serves nearly 10,000 clients annually in Newark, Summit and throughout Essex and Union Counties.
“Michael’s return comes at a pivotal moment,” Rich Uniacke, president of Bridges Outreach said. “His experience translating evidence-based housing strategies into executable systems… is exactly what Bridges needs as we scale our impact.”
“I’m excited to return to Bridges at a moment when the organization is poised to deepen its impact,” Callahan said. “Bridges has always grounded its work in what actually helps people move from crisis to stability.”
Under Callahan’s operational leadership, Bridges plans to further its goal of making homelessness in New Jersey “rare, brief, and nonrecurring.”
