Womelsdorf, PA - Bethany Children’s Home will again be expanding their services to provide a Helping Hands program to temporarily shelter unoccupied children who have crossed our borders to enter the United States. These children are seeking to reunite with their families who already reside in the United States. Many of these children are victims of human trafficking and/or have come from very dangerous environments. The children, ages infant through eighteen years of age, are in desperate need of a safe and appropriate shelter while seeking reunification with their family members.
The Children’s Home had previously reunited 188 children with their families approximately 5 years ago under a one-year Emergency Compelling Grant that Bethany named Helping Hands. The new grant is similar, however, it is a three-year grant. Staff at Bethany will tell you that working with these children was one of the most rewarding experiences in which they have been involved. “This is one of the greatest humanitarian crises that the United States has seen since the Civil War”, states Kevin Snyder, CEO.
Bethany Children’s Home will be adding 111 new positions to serve these children by the end of April. Staff will be providing onsite classroom education in addition to healthcare, socialization/recreation, mental health services, case management, and family reunification. The goal of the program is to facilitate safe and timely reunifications for its 65 new residents with family members or sponsors within a 30-day time period. This program is an extension of Bethany’s 156-year history of providing shelter and residential services for abused, neglected, and abandoned children.
Bethany Children’s Home will continue to provide Shelter, Short Term, Intensive 24-hour, Residential, Independent Living, Transitional Living, and Supervised Independent Living programs to over 300 local children annually. Bethany’s mission is to provide a safe place of nurture, protection, and supportive care to aid our youth in their self-understanding, growth, and healing toward a brighter future.
