Our History
1919
Bethesda Children's Home was officially incorporated in 1919 as the Orphans’ Home of the Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, through the generosity of Mr. William S. Wise who donated his farm for the purpose of creating an orphanage.
…“a home for orphaned, destitute, friendless, defective or delinquent children without distinction as to race, creed or condition” where these children would be raised and prepared for “the stern duties of life and citizenship”
The early program at Bethesda was primarily one of custodial care. The girls were taught housework, sewing, and domestic science. The boys worked on the farm, in the fields, gardens, and barn. There was also an on-grounds school which was attended by local children as well.
1948
Social attitudes regarding children and institutions began to change. Bethesda stopped accepting kids under the age of six and began to shift focus from a place that provided basic physical needs of children to one that provided the complex needs of the whole individual and their family.
1950's
Throughout the 1950's boys at Bethesda continued to care for some of the farm animals but the Synod hired out the majority of the farming.
1966
Thanks to a generous donation from Tom Cozy, a pool was purchased and installed for the children- The Cozy pool. Which is still used today.
1978
Bethesda opened its Residential Program
1985
Bethesda had begun to focus on the most disturbed youth and by 1985 the population had grown from zero to thirty youth residing on campus and Bethesda decided to resume its own operations.
1991-1992
Alternative Education & Partial Hospitalization programs were opened on the Meadville Campus.
1996
Bethesda merges with the Trinity Center ministry to take over operations of the Trinity Center, one of Erie's oldest community centers.
2012
Erie County Independent Living Program is established. ECILP provides services to youth ages 14-21 from Erie County.
2013
Right Start for Young Mothers Program accepted their first young mother. This program focuses on behavior stabilization, education, and parenting classes. This program has partnered with the New Life Unit at Meadville Medical Center, Early Intervention, and WIC to provide comprehensive care to the mothers and their babies.
2016
Bethesda's Education Center underwent a 17,000 sq foot renovation & expansion.
2017
Thanks to a generous donation, Bethesda acquired a beautiful state of the art building in Elderton, PA to expand programming to the south. IN addition Bethesda underwent a re branding, changing from Bethesda Children's Home to Bethesda Lutheran Services. Rounding out 2017, Bethesda won the prestigious Winslow Award.
2018
Bethesda opens an Acute Partial Hospitalization program and expands to offer Truancy services to Erie Schools. In addition Bethesda opened a new Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility.
2019
Bethesda is proud to be celebrating 100 Years of Promising Futures!
From our humble beginnings as an Orphanage to today serving over 900 children, youth and families daily all across Western Pennsylvania. We are proud to continue to be a leading agency in behavioral and mental health services and plan to continue to be as we enter our next 100 years. To continue our mission, in Spring of 2019, Bethesda will be breaking ground on a new house which will serve as a home for four to six youth that are younger than those able to be served currently.
