BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Hank is homeless.
He sat at a table inside the newly reopened New Bethany South Side Drop-In on West Fourth Street on Monday and dug into a nourishing lunch of pork chops, green beans, bread, mac and cheese and a cold refreshment. A slice of cheesecake waited in the wings.
Rarely lifting his eyes from his meal, the man offered thanks for the welcoming place where he can enjoy two meals each weekday. Earlier, he enjoyed a breakfast of French toast, western omelet, home fries, bacon, and coffee.
Sustenance he’d otherwise not have.
- New Bethany South Side Drop-in began serving in-person meals on Monday after being closed since March 2020 because of COVID-19
- Temporary and permanent housing on the second floor also resumed
- New Bethany announced it has gotten a $65,000 grant that will assist in supporting impoverished families
Hank’s physical hunger wasn’t all that was sated Monday, as New Bethany opened its doors for in-person meals for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced its closing in March 2020.
As much as he hungered for the wonderful food being dished up by caring volunteers and sponsored by the Just Born candy company of Bethlehem, Hank hungered for simple conversation.
“Nobody talks to me much out on the street,” he said. “I missed that when this place closed because of COVID. All these people in here, we missed having someone to talk to who understands what we’re going through.
"Sometimes, a guy just needs someone to talk to.”
'A place to get out of the cold'
Bethany, they understand. The reopening was held before a packed house, folks digging into food and conversation on brand new tables and chairs and surrounded by freshly painted walls.
Volunteers were serving up meals and smiles. Needy neighbors were feeling they were being offered a hand, not a handout.
“I love that we’re able to have a grand opening again to help these friends who have been living on the outside for the past three years,” New Bethany Executive Director Mark Rittle said.
“People can come in to have something to eat and have a place to get out of the cold.”
“When I serve my food to the people, all I hear is thank you. That makes me feel so good knowing how we’re helping them.”Patricia Wilkins, New Bethany volunteer
The pandemic did more than close New Bethany's doors to seated meals. It also suspended the housing of 12 families in apartments on the second floor.
The families are referred to New Bethany by Lehigh and Northampton counties Children and Youth Services and can stay a year.
Also affected were 14 residents living in single-room, low-rent permanent housing on the second floor.
The pandemic also impacted New Bethany clients’ access to showers and laundry facilities.
“We were letting people come in to shower one person at a time, and we only have two showers,” Rittle said. “And we could only let people come in to do laundry one at a time, which takes time. We were only able to let three or four people a day do laundry.
“We also lost 100 volunteers because of COVID. We told them to go home for their own health. We had four volunteers from AARP who came in every day and made the meals that people came to take out.”
Forging New Connections
On Monday, all housing and services were back up and running, bringing a tear to the eye of Tim Burke, New Bethany director of community and donor engagement.
“For me, looking into the clients’ eyes has been an emotional experience,” Burke said. “It’s been overwhelming.”
Earlier that morning, Burke spoke with a mother and her 8-year-old son who live in their car, hungered for breakfast and a much-needed shower.
“We go through our lives not really thinking about how lucky some of us are. Stories like that show how important this place is.”Tim Burke, New Bethany director of communications and donor engagement
“Watching them load up their plate for breakfast — French toast, bacon — really struck me,” Burke said. “We go through our lives not really thinking about how lucky some of us are. Stories like that show how important this place is.”
“We couldn’t wait to reopen because we knew people needed a place to come and eat and get out of the elements,” Rittle said. “Not being able to help them because of COVID was hard on our staff.”
The life-sustaining services provided by New Bethany are needed more today than ever.
According to the U.S. Agriculture, more than 34 million people in the country are food insecure, and 100% of U.S. counties have food insecurity.
More than 41 million Americans get funding for food through federal programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
But SNAP benefits in March were reduced to their pre-pandemic levels, cutting the average monthly allocation $82 per person. The reduction in SNAP benefits already has affected New Bethany, which recently served a record 124 meals in a single day.
New Bethany benefits from assistance from individuals and local businesses. Just Born provided funding to cover the cost of the renovations.
Also, the nonprofit has been awarded $65,000 from the Pennsylvania Neighborhood Assistance Program. Two local businesses, B. Braun and Client 1st Financial, made the funds possible.
The funding will help lessen the lasting impacts of the COVID pandemic on impoverished families and children in the Lehigh Valley.
“When I serve my food to the people, all I hear is 'Thank you,” said Patricia Wilkins, known to clients as Miss Cozy. “That makes me feel so good know how we’re helping them.”
'Good to know there are people who care'
Shawn is homeless.
Just as he did earlier that morning, he walked over from the tent he calls home under a nearby bridge. He sat alone at a table in the back of the room.
“A place like this really helps all of us."Shawn, a New Bethany client
A cup of coffee and a bag of rolls sat before him. On the wall immediately behind him was a message on a new mural: A Community of Hope and Support.
“A place like this really helps all of us,” he said. “It gives us a place to eat and talk. It’s good to know there are people who care.”
