by Scott Dunwoody, Executive Director

New birth; new life; counting our blessings; giving wondrous gifts; enjoying fellowship with family and friends.

These are all examples of what the Christmas season can mean to many of us.

But you know the other side of the story; the one we see daily of lives seemingly destroyed by addiction, abuse, and chaos; ones with very little hope. Up against this setting, Bethesda offers the hope of a loving God and a life-changing relationship with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of the world.

At Bethesda Mission, we count our blessings daily for your faithfulness as your wondrous gifts enable us to offer real hope to increasing numbers of hurting men, women, and children in Harrisburg.

Bethesda Mission receives about a third of its operating budget during the holiday season, the last quarter of the year. Here are some challenges and opportunities as you determine your level of investment this season in the lives God has entrusted to our care:

• Men’s Mission – We see 100 new faces each month – a staggering number! 50 are first-timers, and the other 50 have received our services in the past, but are returning again due to relapse or a new determination to work toward change. Long-term recovery is being bolstered, creating a more trauma-sensitive environment by working with community partners to reduce the number of overnight guests this winter.
• Women’s Mission – Calls come in every day from women who need help, making our waiting list grow longer by the day. Our present capacity is 25, planning to expand to 50+ by raising funds to begin renewing the existing site with a newly constructed $3M Shelter in 2019.
• Community Center – The highly anticipated expansion and renovation of our existing Youth Center and former printing company building will begin in spring 2018. This will mean reaching 200+ children, teens, and families, up from the current 75.

So, this holiday season, I am writing to ask you to renew your partnership with Bethesda Mission, enabling us to grow and continue offering life-changing opportunities for our guests.

Success stories abound from men, women, and children who’ve come through our programs. You can watch them share their stories here. Or better yet, come for a tour to experience this reality first-hand and consider how you might become further involved as a volunteer.

Here are some reasons why I believe Bethesda Mission is a worthwhile investment:

• We are completely community funded: no money comes from the government
• Your donation stays local: you are investing directly into the community where you live
• 86% of funding goes straight to programs
• We’re seeing results: men and women are graduating from our addiction recovery programs every year and going back into society as independent, contributing members
• Our impact is growing: we’re…
  • taking preventative action by investing in the young people of Harrisburg;
  • providing quality medical and dental care for all of our guests;
  • distributing over 1,500 bags of food and household items every month, extending our reach to hungry families throughout the region; and
  • taking basic supplies, food, and encouragement straight to the streets every weekend through Mobile Mission.

Most of all, we are committed to seeing permanent change take place in the lives of men, women, and children in Harrisburg. This is only possible through God’s grace and generous donations from community members like you.

This holiday season, please consider a gift that will give hurting men, women, and children the opportunity for a changed life. May I be so bold as to encourage your gift this season to be sacrificial? If you would like to donate today, click here.

Note: Be on the lookout for our January 2018 Newsletter which will highlight in detail the progress on both the Community Center and Women’s Mission Renewal projects.

Thank you for your partnership with Bethesda in the past – we couldn’t have made it 103 years without you. May God richly bless you and your family and friends as you celebrate together, and have a very happy New Year!

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Luke 2:14 (NKJV)