New Bethany is a nonprofit located in South Bethlehem that offers support to residents experiencing poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness, from street-level services like showers and a food pantry to larger initiatives like housing assistance and case management.
As they celebrate 40 years of service in the Lehigh Valley this year, the nonprofit is looking back on their past work while anticipating the long road ahead.
Founded in 1985 as a single supportive housing program for unhoused families, New Bethany has evolved to meet changing community needs. In their first year, they added a day shelter, soup kitchen, and permanent adult housing program to their list of services. Their annual Souper Day fundraiser began in 1992 and their Representative Payee program – which helps individuals collect Social Security payments and create a savings plan – was initiated in 1996.
By the end of the early 2000s, New Bethany had doubled the number of clients served by the Representative Payee program, tripled the number of hot meals served every year, and substantially increased their food pantry services.
In the past five years alone, the nonprofit has prevented more than 3,000 cases of homelessness via emergency rental assistance and expanded their Thanksgiving Turkey Drive, collecting more than 1,600 last year.
Over its 40 years, New Bethany has provided more than 1.1 million meals, supported more than 2,000 residents through housing programs, and received help from 12,000 volunteers.
As they look toward the future, New Bethany plans to provide additional supportive housing options, a health hub with on-site mental and physical health services, and community services like drug and alcohol counseling, budgeting workshops, and more.
