Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

LIVABLE NEIGHBORHOODS/STRONG REGIONSFunder InterestBethel’s scope of social services and 25-year historywith the foundation community blur specific reasonswhy foundations have been and continue to beinterested. Each foundation interviewed for this profileagrees that Bethel’s persistence, constant evolution inprograms, tirelessness, and faith-based vision make itdifficult not to support its proposals and initiatives.For example, in 1979, the Field Foundation wasinterested in providing $15,000 to $20,000 in seedmoney and name credibility to smaller emergingorganizations. According to Aurie Pennick, executivedirector of the Field Foundation, it fundedorganizations with diversity on the board, strongstaff, and vision. Bethel weathered volatile times byremaining focused on action in the community. Overtime, the Field Foundation granted support forBethel’s housing development and school reforminitiatives. “Bethel understood the needs of thepeople and approached issues with morecomprehensive services than other organizations,”cites Pennick.Meanwhile, LISC/Chicago has also had a 20-yearrelationship with Bethel. Together, they partnered onhousing programs, the St. Anne Hospitalredevelopment, and an employment center, amongother initiatives. 33 With West Garfield’s reputation asa high risk area and Bethel’s cutting-edge programs,“There were ups and downs but overall Bethelenjoyed a success rate of 80 percent [of the attemptedprograms],” according to Andrew Mooney, seniorprogram director with LISC. Bethel was thusshowing results, leadership, and vision.The MacArthur Foundation had resolved to makegeneral operating grants to organizations with atrack record of providing effective services for acommunity. Bethel’s Nelson had paid closeattention to the smart growth and regionalequity conversations and adapted the principlesto her neighborhood. So, working throughLISC, MacArthur funded general operating grantsto Bethel.Bethel—as the only organization in theneighborhood that enabled seniors to stay rooted inthe community as independent people, keeping themfrom nursing homes—peaked the interest of TheRetirement Research Foundation (RRF). WhileRRF’s first grant to Bethel (aimed at replicating asenior health program) was not as successful asinitially hoped, RRF continued to assist Bethel’ssenior programs, such as adult day care and aninformation management system, because Bethel’swork aligns with RRF’s mission to use innovativeapproaches when providing assistance for seniorswho desired independent lifestyles, according toMarilyn Hennessy, president of RRF.Regional/Neighborhood Equity ImpactsAfter the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., and theresulting uprising, Russian Jews, Italian, and Polishoccupants fled to the suburbs and vacated the localeconomy of West Garfield Park. After years ofdecay and neglect,African Americanfamilies slowlypopulated the area,but without the sameluxuries of accessibletransportation,housing, oremployment. Feelingdistressed byvanishing resources in“Bethel understood theneeds of the people andapproached issues withmore comprehensiveservices than otherorganizations.”— Aurie Pennickthe neighborhood, Mary Nelson and her pastoralbrother and the small Bethel Lutheran Churchcongregation collected $9,000 and began torebuild. Based on Nelson’s notion of “buildingcommunity from the inside out,” Bethel New Lifewas founded following the congregation’s collectivepurchase of a three-story building for low-incomehousing. Over the years, Nelson and her staffadmittedly made mistakes, changed business plans,and grew in bits and pieces but never got distractedfrom their principle that nothing is impossiblewhen you work with faith because, in Nelson’swords, “faith is gas for the long haul.” Bethel’s corecomponent of housing reached far beyond theimaginable. Since 1979, Bethel has built andrenovated over 1,000 affordable homes for families,seniors, and other tenant groups, and redevelopedthe formerly abandoned St. Anne’s Hospital into anine-acre mixed-use complex containing affordablehousing and services for seniors, children’s day care,health care, and performing arts space. Now, Bethel33Bethel New Life purchased the closed St. Anne’s Hospital in 1989. It isnow known as Beth-Anne Place and includes Beth-Anne Residences,Bethel New Life’s office, Cultural and Performing Arts Center, AdultDay Services Facility, Assisted (Supportive) Living for Seniors, andentrepreneurial opportunities open to seniors and local residents (coffeeshop, sundries shop, beauty salon/barber shop).75Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities