Statements
Mission
We believe every child deserves to be safe, loved, and connected through family. Bethany is a global nonprofit that supports children and families with world-class social services, all designed to help families thrive.
Over 75 years ago, we began our work by serving a single child. Today, we work in more than 30 states and more than a dozen countries worldwide.
Our mission is to bring families together and help keep families together, while creating optimum environments for children to thrive. We measure our success by the longevity of stability a child experiences, and our first priority is for a child to be cared for by its biological family. Our experience has shown that creating a community of support and encouragement for individuals who are struggling to parent has the greatest impact on the long-term success of the home environment. We focus efforts on identifying sources of support and encouragement in our clients' existing circles, and providing short-term community for them while strategically inviting them to connect with individuals and programs to create long-term support.
Background
Nationally, Bethany Christian Services began in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1944. Our Middle Tennessee office opened in 1989 as a satellite of the Chattanooga office and became an independent office in 2003. There are over 75 independent Bethany locations nationwide and 15 international offices. Our office serves 38 counties in Middle Tennessee.
At Bethany we live out our mission, vision and values as we serve children and families though Global services focused on serving families and children in their home country, Refugee and Immigrant services focused on serving families and individuals, including migrant children when they arrive in the US, and finally we focus on children and families in the US through programs like pregnancy counseling, adoption services, foster care, and family preservation services like Safe Families for Children.
Impact
Bethany served 36 mothers facing an unintended pregnancy, found forever families for 13 children, and recruited 22 new families for vulnerable and orphaned children. In addition, in Middle TN we hosted 51 children through the Safe Families for Children ministry. We recruited families for domestic and short term immigrant foster care. Bethany Christian Services will prevent 60 children from entering state custody through Safe Families for Children, serve 38 mothers facing an unintended pregnancy, recruit 24 new families for children seeking a loving home, raise $130,000 in donations to provide pregnancy counseling and Safe Families for Children hostings, recruit 8 families for medically fragile and older children, and hold 10 ministry tours to engage new donors and volunteers in Middle Tennessee.
Needs
Raise $70,000 to prevent 80 children in from entering state custody through Safe Families for Children and to train foster parents. Recruit 20 families to serve as foster parents. Recruit 4 additional board members to provide guidance and oversight of our programs. Recruit 18 new trained volunteers to serve as host families for children.
CEO Statement
Bethany Christian Services pursues situations involving medically fragile and special needs children, whereas many other agencies are unable to assist these families. Bethany has an extensive network of over 100 offices in 36 states and 8 different countries to connect the right family with the right child. Bethany views the healthiest environment for a child to be in a family setting rather than an orphanage or institution, so our ministry is centered around bringing families together and keeping families together. Our motive to achieve these goals comes from our faith in our heavenly Father, who adopted us as children of His own. Statement from the Board Chair/President From a governance perspective, discuss the successes and challenges facing your organization and how they are being addressed. Donors appreciate personal stories about your passion for this organization. Character limit: 3300
Board Chair Statement
The Bethany Board is in a great place for opportunity. Our board as well as staff has gone through numerous changes over the past year which has opened new doors of growth and opportunity for us. Luke joining as the new Executive Director was the beginning of Bethany becoming a stronger organization and having the opportunity to put new strategies and initiatives in place. We have spent the last year adding to the staff as well as making a very intentional board recruitment effort. The Board of Directors was in a place that needed new blood and energy and we have been successful to date at bringing that to fruition as well as retaining board members that have been dedicated and passionate for several years. This is a wonderful place for us to be and give the community our very best. We are currently in the process of planning an inaugural fundraising event which will give us the opportunity to reach out to those that have been involved with Bethany for years as well as introduce ourselves to many more in our community and share our ministry and touch their heart. We are also in a place of educating the community that Bethany is much more than an adoption agency and this has opened new doors and hearts to our organization simply by raising awareness. I am proud to be a part of such a growing organization that has a very promising future ahead which in return gives a promising future to the lives of those we strive to help.
Service Categories |
|
| Primary Category: | Human Services - Adoption |
| Secondary Category: | Religion- Related - Christianity |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Davidson & all 38 counties in Middle Tennessee,
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Bedford |
| TN - Cannon |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Clay |
| TN - Coffee |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - DeKalb |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Fentress |
| TN - Giles |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Houston |
| TN - Humphreys |
| TN - Jackson |
| TN - Lawrence |
| TN - Lewis |
| TN - Lincoln |
| TN - Macon |
| TN - Marshall |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Moore |
| TN - Overton |
| TN - Perry |
| TN - Pickett |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Smith |
| TN - Stewart |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Trousdale |
| TN - Van Buren |
| TN - Warren |
| TN - Wayne |
| TN - White |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
