In the photo: Marc Rittle, Ellen Dodel, Isaiah Price
New Bethany Receives $5K From Penn Community Bank
The funding will support the nonprofit’s mission of supporting Lehigh Valley neighbors in need.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (May 20, 2025) – New Bethany, Inc., a local nonprofit that provides nutritious food access, housing and social services to under-resourced communities, received a $5,000 grant from Penn Community Bank.
“The grant from Penn Community Bank helps ensure that we can continue to provide vital services and resources, including food access, housing and case management,” said New Bethany’s Executive Director Marc Rittle. “We are grateful for their commitment to improving the well-being of those who are struggling in our region.”
The grant, which was presented to New Bethany by Penn Community Bank during the bank’s Bethlehem branch grand opening in January, will be used to feed the increasing population of neighbors who visit the Southside Drop-in Center. In 2024, the Southside Drop-in Center served more than 40,000 hot meals to over 1,000 New Bethany neighbors.
As New Bethany celebrates 40 years of supporting the community, the organization continues to build on its legacy of providing critical services, including nutritious food access, housing assistance and social services. The $5,000 grant will be used to further the organization’s mission, ensuring that these essential resources remain available to those who need them most.
For more information on New Bethany, visit www.newbethany.org.
About New Bethany, Inc.
New Bethany, Inc., celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, offers hope and support to neighbors experiencing poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness in the Lehigh Valley. Formerly known as New Bethany Ministries, the organization was founded in March 1985 and has provided over 1.1 million meals and assisted more than 2,000 residents through its housing programs. New Bethany believes that all people, regardless of circumstances, should be treated with dignity and care without judgment. No one who seeks help is turned away.
New Bethany offers wraparound services designed to remove barriers and assist individuals and families in reaching self-sufficiency. It starts with a meal and other street-level human services, including showers, laundry services, mailing address, and access to the Choice Food Pantry, and continues with housing assistance, job search support and tools and case management.
To learn more, visit www.newbethany.org or find New Bethany on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram @NewBethanyLV.
Information provided to TVL by:
Amiee Goldy
