New Bethany Ministries--Timeline

1982–83: Various Southside Bethlehem churches form a coalition, recognizing a need to provide assistance to the area’s homeless, economically disadvantaged, and mentally challenged residents.

1985: New Bethany Ministries is created and moves into its new home on Wyandotte and 3rd Streets. Its first director is Reverend DeRemer, who guides the organization until 1995.

1986: A grant facilitates renovation on the Transitional Housing Program Building, and the Fourth Street Meal Center and Center City Ministries join forces with the organization.

1987: Additional grants of $350K enable the Meal Center to operate in the Drop-In Center (later renamed the Mollard Hospitality Center in 1990) and assisted completion of the Hospitality House’s 14 single rooms, designed to provide permanent, affordable housing.

1988: New Bethany Ministries buys the Wyandotte Street Victorian and uses funding to create seven HUD-subsidized apartments for families.

1990: This year brings many changes and growth including 8 full and part-time staff who identify and serve a wider spectrum of homeless, poor, and mentally ill clients. The organization shifts its focus to more effectively serve the population in its Drop-In Center.

New Bethany Ministries also introduces the Representative Payee Program, designed to provide financial case management for mentally-challenged individuals who receive disability income. It launches the Employability Program to assist clients in finding employment, partnering with the Private Industry Council and AARP to provide employment training, and opens the emergency pantry.

1993: After partnering with Sunburst Property Management, the New Bethany Ministries acquires and opens the Columbia House, which provides 20 single rooms and social services to its clients.

New Bethany also expands the Restoration House to provide additional services for the mentally ill including housing, meals, and personal care services, although by 1996, referrals decline and the organization decides to reorganize.

1998: Robert Wilkins becomes volunteer interim executive director and he, along with the Blue Ribbon Committee of local community leaders, led by Bishop Marshall, conclude that the community needs New Bethany and develop a plan to convert Restoration House from a 38-bed personal care facility to a 10-apartment housing project for homeless families. It reopens in 1999 as Transitional Housing for homeless families.

1999: Reverend William J. Kuntze joins New Bethany as the new Executive Director.

2000–2002: The organization creates multiple new fundraising initiatives, a website to spread news of its mission, and forms a Future Care Society to accept differed and current gifts and oversee an endowment program designed to fund New Bethany.

2004–2005: The Board of Directors approves a major fundraising program to expand the Transitional Housing program 30%, begin major property upgrades, and ensure future upgrades.

2006-Present: The number of clients utilizing the Mallard Hospitality Center increases from 70 people requesting a meal daily to serving over 200 people in an hour. The center offers food baskets with a 3-day supply of items. The need for these baskets has increased from several weekly requests to five or six a day.

New Bethany Ministries continues to seek grants to grow its programs, especially those that serve a client population with increasing mental health needs.

Compiled by Joanna Ireland