New Bethany is on a mission to serve those most in need in our community, and we rely on the generous support of local organizations and community grants to make it happen.
Thanks to a $22,500 award from the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation’s 2024-2025 Good Neighbor Fund, New Bethany was able to strengthen its support for clients and help families avoid the devastating consequences of utility shutoffs. We are incredibly grateful to the LVCF and the PPL Foundation for their partnership and continued commitment to addressing housing instability and food insecurity in the Lehigh Valley.
The Good Neighbor Fund was created to ease the growing energy cost burdens for households across eastern and central Pennsylvania. With this funding, New Bethany has been able to provide critical utility assistance through our Housing Advocates & Assistance program, an initiative that removes barriers to safe, stable and permanent housing for low-income households.
Utility debt is often a hidden obstacle to maintaining housing stability. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Bethany expanded our Housing Advocates & Assistance programming to meet the growing needs of our neighbors. Since March 2020, New Bethany has distributed over $13 million in financial and rental assistance, including utility assistance, to over 3,000 households, helping families keep the lights on and secure the stable housing they need to thrive.
The impact of New Bethany’s work resonates deeply throughout the community. For many, it’s more than financial assistance. It’s relief, security and hope in times of uncertainty. Here are a few stories that illustrate how the Good Neighbor Fund grant has made a real difference in the lives of our neighbors:
- Jane*, a caretaker for her daughter with lupus and kidney failure, and a diabetic herself, relies on electricity to maintain a safe home environment for their health needs. With the help of New Bethany’s team, Jane and her family were able to secure the necessary documentation and receive utility assistance, preventing a shut-off and ensuring their electricity remained on. This assistance was critical to their well-being and housing stability. Jane and her family have expressed immense gratitude for the support they received.
- Another example of the fund’s impact is a married senior couple facing health challenges, including Parkinson’s Disease and a heart condition. Due to mobility issues, they were without oil for a month, affecting their health and safety. With the support of their case manager and New Bethany’s Housing Advocate, they gathered the necessary documentation and successfully received utility assistance. This support ensured they could stay safely in their own home, maintaining their well-being.
These are just a few cases of how the Good Neighbor Fund has been instrumental in keeping families housed and secure. But the work doesn’t stop here. We continue to work with our clients on long-term solutions to their housing and financial challenges through case management and wraparound services.
This funding not only provides immediate relief but also strengthens New Bethany’s capacity to provide the comprehensive, community-centered support for which we are known.
We are deeply grateful to the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation and the PPL Foundation, and are thrilled to share that New Bethany has been awarded a second Good Neighbor Fund grant of $20,000. This funding will allow us to continue this essential work and help even more families maintain stable, safe housing.
As we look ahead, we remain focused on meeting the evolving needs of our community, and with the support of generous donors, we know we are building a stronger, more resilient future for our neighbors in need.
Thank you to our funders and supporters, whose generosity is allowing us to make lasting change for those we serve.
* Name changed for anonymity
