BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WLVT) - It’s a modest lunch, but that’s on purpose: a bowl of soup and some salad for supporters of New Bethany Ministries.
The annual "Souper Day" is the organization's biggest fundraiser. It was held Tuesday afternoon at Blue in Bethlehem Township.
"People really give of themselves in ways that I really never knew was possible, so that really helps the people who come here," said executive director Marc Rittle.
For 34 years, New Bethany has provided food, housing and other support for people in the Lehigh Valley needing a hand. In August, PBS39 shared how the organization is helping people with rental assistance.
'They saved me right there, because at that point, I was very tight on money," explained Diana Garcia of Bethlehem. "They avoided me getting evicted."
"Just [Monday], a person was dropped off on our doorstep with her luggage and looking for a place to stay," Rittle said. "So, we had staff that went out and immediately tried to find ways to help her."
New Bethany helped more than 9,000 people last year. On Souper Day 2019, businesses, churches and individuals donated to support the organization -- more than $100,000 in total.
"Homelessness isn't going away anytime soon, and I think it's an idea that we need to change -- that perception of what homelessness is," shared Meg Dowd, corporate affairs specialist at Just Born Quality Confections. "It could happen to any one of us. If a paycheck stops for any extended period of time, who's to say we could all pay our mortgage from savings?"
The event’s keynote speaker was Bill White, a retired columnist for The Morning Call who wrote several pieces about New Bethany. He’s worked with the organization for years and said the work it does is "tremendous."
"They offer a hand up to people who need it, and you realize, as you meet people who are in poverty or homeless, that we could all be in the same situation very easily," he said, "and we would all hope for the same kind of hand up that New Bethany gives these folks every day."
To learn more about New Bethany Ministries, click HERE.