Bethesda Lutheran Services renews dedication to supporting children, families during rebranding event

July 26--WOODCOCK TOWNSHIP -- A 98-year old Crawford County institution will enter its second century with a new name and a renewed dedication to supporting children and families throughout northwestern Pennsylvania.

Bethesda Children's Home, established in 1919 as an orphanage, has grown into a multifaceted organization serving more than 700 families each year at its 250-acre campus four miles north of Meadville and two Erie locations. To better capture the breadth and spirit of its current functions, the organization unveiled a new name on a new entrance sign just off Route 86.

A crowd of more than 50 people gathered at the campus Tuesday to watch the blue shroud come off, revealing the nonprofit's new identity, Bethesda Lutheran Services and its new slogan, "Promising Futures."

The new name comes with a new logo, website and campus signage as well. The logo consists of a house in the foreground, with a window revealing a light that's always on and the panes of the window forming a cross to emphasize the facility's Lutheran affiliation. Two mountains stand symbolically in the background.

"What do our youth do every day?" CEO George Trauner asked the audience after unveiling the new sign. "They climb mountains. Sometimes they fall down, but it's people like Bethesda Lutheran Services that help to pick them up."

Less visible than the new sign that greets visitors but just as important, the new name comes as part of a larger strategy, according to Greg Furer, president of the Bethesda Foundation Board, which raises funds to support the facility.

"It's more than just a rebranding of a logo, it's a refocusing on a mission statement," Furer said. "It's a complete rebirth."

Evidence of that rebirth can be seen on campus, most prominently in the 19,000-square-foot addition that was opened almost a year ago. It can also be seen organizationally in the restructuring of the nonprofit's two governing boards and the setting of a 10-year, $10-million fundraising goal last year, Furer said.

The changes are all part of plan to achieve self-sufficiency following the economic challenges of recent years and dwindling support from the state, Furer said.

Bethesda weathered the state budget crisis of 2015 with no cuts in services despite a nine-month delay in payments from the state, he said. While Bethesda's financial health is strong, the fundraising goal is simply a recognition of the economic challenges faced by the state, according to Furer.

"That's the reality that all nonprofits are facing, especially health and human services," he said. "It's really easy when you don't see the face of a child to say no to a service."

Children's faces were never far from Tuesday's events. As Trauner addressed the crowd gathered by the new entrance sign, kids could be heard in the nearby swimming pool. Later, several dozen children were busy in the upstairs classrooms as visitors toured the school's new addition.

Maria Elkady, director of residential services, said 65 children are currently being housed at the facility. The children are residing there as the result of court orders, Elkady said, and they typically stay for six to nine months before returning to their families.

Kids who live at Bethesda are just a small part of the organization's activities, Trauner reminded the audience.

"When we started two years ago to look at what we're doing and how we're doing it, we realized that we're not just a children's home anymore," he said of the institution that serves children and families throughout the northwestern part of the state and even as far south as Allegheny and Washington counties. Today, Bethesda offers a wide range of services at its three locations, including partial hospitalization that allows children to receive therapy during the day before returning home at night, alternative education, after-school programs, behavioral health rehabilitation as well as foster care and adoption services. Other innovative projects include a therapeutic drumming program as well as a positive behavior reinforcement program using minibikes.

"We're not just that little orphanage that started in 1919," Trauner told the audience.

Just as the rebranding effort reflects the changing face of Bethesda's responsibilities, Trauner reminded the audience of the need to change the stereotypical image too often associated with those served by Bethesda. To do so, he asked the audience how many of them knew a bad child. When a number of people raised their hands, he pointed to the dozens of Bethesda staff members arranged behind him, none of whom were raising their hands.

"How many of you know a child who needs a little extra help?" he asked next.

This time all of the staff members raised their hands.

"We're not the place where the bad kids come," Trauner told the audience. "So any time any of you hear that, you represent us strong and say, 'That's where kids go to get a little extra help.'"

Mike Crowley can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.

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