Reuniting families

Since her senior year at Temple, Kristal Bush, CLA ’12, has been running her own business. Bridging the Gap, LLC—a transportation service that drives family members in Philadelphia to see their incarcerated loved ones—began as a no-brainer. The criminal justice major was already making regular trips to prisons to visit both her father and brother, and she thought it made sense to bring others along who needed a ride. Soon enough she realized her “carpooling” had massive potential.

While balancing a full-time job following graduation, Bush managed to grow her business. In 2018, she and her two other drivers reunited more than 600 families.

“The more you visit your loved one, the healthier the relationship is,” says Bush.

Today, the 29-year-old has fleshed out her mission into a full-fledged nonprofit. She hopes one day to provide service at no cost to her customers, build a group home for children with incarcerated parents, and eventually open a store that hires returning citizens.

“Yes, all the men in my family were incarcerated,” says Bush. “But I lived through it, and I feel like it’s something I can help others with.”

—By Lauren Hertzler, KLN ’13