Bethlehem Center of Charlotte

Help an At-Risk Child Grow Through Kids2Camp

2011-03-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Want to build an at-risk child’s self-esteem, character and spiritual relationship with God? Then help support Bethlehem Center of Charlotte’s Kids2Camp program! For over 50 years, Bethlehem Center has sent kids in need away to Summer Camp. This year is no different! Our goal is to raise donations to send 70 kids, ages 7-12 years, to either Camp Tekoa in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina or SeeWee Coastal Retreat Center near Charleston, SC. Jared Keaton, our Associate Executive Director explains, "Our Kids2Camp program not only exposes kids to the “great outdoors” it helps build the elements of a successful Christ-centered life: faith, fellowship, hope, and love."

Right now, we are thrilled to be halfway to our goal of raising $16,000 to send all 70 of our children to camp. How much does it cost for a child to be away for four days of personal growth and great food? A total of $230 which is less than $60 per day!

But what does Summer Camp really mean to these at-risk youth? Well, we asked our kids and here is what they said:

"What I learned at camp was to be friendly and to be at peace with God. Camp was a fun experience for me. I would really like to go back, because we went camping and I got to be closer to God." -TaDarian G.

"What I’ve learned going to camp is to be yourself, the most important thing. Make a decision that you think is right. Be a leader, never follow. If you lead other kids would want to do the same." -TaSia G.

For more information on our Kids2Camp program, contact Renee Bromfield, Director of Community Relations at rbromfield@bethlehemcenter.org or by phone at 704-371-7404.

2011-03-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Bethlehem Center of Charlotte welcomes Ms. Tamisha Williams as the new Site Administrator for the After-school program at Bethlehem Center. The last two years, Ms. Williams was with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools where she was the Site Administrator for children grades 6 thru 12 at the Northwest School of Art.

She is a graduate of Barber-Scotia College in Concord, NC and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Journalism. She also obtained her Early Childhood credentials from Central Piedmont Community College. Since 1997, Ms. Williams has worked with children at all grade levels in both the classroom and in After-school programs. She explains, “My passion is children; my drive is children; my love is children. Listening and lending a helping hand to help children; to make this world a better place is my motto. “

Welcome Renée Bromfield!

2010-08-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

The Bethlehem Center of Charlotte is proud to welcome Renée Bromfield as the new Director of Community Relations. Renée moved to Charlotte from Dallas, Texas in July of 2008 where she managed her own company specializing in marketing, branding, events and fundraising. In addition, she served as Director of International Business Relations for the Dallas Regional Chamber.

Renée is an alumna of Vanderbilt University and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University where she majored in Marketing and minored in Psychology. Upon graduation, she was inducted into the Golden Key National Honor Society.

In addition, Renée is an actively engaged in her church and the community. In the past, she has worked with various philanthropic organizations in Dallas including Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), The Center for Non-Profit Management, Parkland Hospital and Scottish Right Hospital for Children. Currently, she is involved with Room in the Inn, Carolina Breast Friends and the Mint Museum.

An active member of the Episcopal Church community, Renee has served on over 15 committees and ministries. Recently, Renée joined Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Charlotte where she serves as a lector and may co-lead an adult bible study in the fall. She also attends a weekly Methodist bible study called Companions for Christ. During her free time, Renée likes to Skype with her three year old nephew in Denver, CO, read, travel and needlepoint.

Exercise as a part of programming

2010-07-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

Last night, the teens started their season of tennis lessons held Tuesdays and Thursday nights during the summer. It was a perfect day for it. At least, the best you can get in a Carolina summer. It was approximately 80 degrees, sunny, with shade surrounding the courts for on-looking parents.

Teens were split into two groups for some friendly competition. The game? See which line can hit the most balls "in" on the other side.

Next stop was elimination fences. It's kind of like playing doubles, except there is a line of people waiting for you to mess up so they can take your place. Hit the ball out or into the net? Go to the back of the line. Miss the ball completely? Elimination. Of course there was some (friendly) trash talk as to who would get out first. The one who beat us all? A 6-year-old who stood no more than 4 feet tall.

The Bethlehem Center incorporates healthy living and exercise into all of our programs. With childhood obesity on the rise, we want to make sure our kids are out and about playing sports (or at least, in the auditorium dancing) as much as possible. Of course, the staff favorite event is the staff vs. kids basketball tournament, where at least for the last 3 years the kids have beaten the staff by at least 20 points. Maybe this year...

If you have a special sporting skill that you'd like to share with the kids or teens, let us know! We'd love to have you!

5-Star Ratings

2010-06-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

At many child care centers, the goal of licensing is to simply stay operational.

But not here.

Our goal is to achieve 5-star ratings at all of our locations. A lofty goal? Absolutely! For those of you reading this who have experience within the child care community, you know that achieving a 3 or 4 star rating will get you lots of business. But 5 star? That means the children we are serving here through free programs are getting the best of the best quality!

At BC Main, we bumped up from a 4-star to a 5-star rating 2 years ago, achieving 13 out of 15 points.

But for two of our sites, "bumping up" from a 4-star wasn't good enough... they wanted to achieve the 5-star right away! Congratulations to our two newest sites, the Jennings Center and Siegle Avenue, for achieving 5-star ratings!

For more information about the rating system used by the North Carolina Division of Child Development, click here.

Impact Charlotte-The Impact

2010-06-15T10:24:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, 30 or so volunteers came to Bethlehem Center ready to serve as part of Impact Charlotte. We had prayed for no rain, since there were very few projects to be done inside, and instead were greeted with the reverse: 85-degree-plus weather, cloudless skies, and high humidity. The hard thing about times like this is that the kids aren't there, so there are no "kid breaks" and volunteers aren't directly rewarded with hugs.

The volunteers, representing 11 different churches, 9 of which were UMCs, started at 9am and worked until 2pm, some even opting to work through lunch.

The projects that were completed?

3 signs cemented in
Digging holes for 4 more signs then cemented in
A new flower garden at Southside
Prepping of a vegetable garden
Trees planted
Bird feeders hung
Sidewalks cleaned
Campbells Soup Labels clipped and sorted
Tutor room cleaned out

The group worked hard to serve the children of the Bethlehem Center. We thank these volunteers for all of their hard work.

But more touching, we noticed a "present" left for us as we were locking up that day. It was a note left from Caroline, the 6-year-old daughter of Rev. Tom Schnitzlein, the minister at St. Stephen. We felt like it was the perfect picture of how these volunteers felt about serving that day:

Impact Charlotte

2010-06-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

We'll be welcoming friends from the UMC this weekend as part of the city-wide Impact Charlotte. Will you be there?

Join St. Stephen UMW for Soup on Sunday

2010-01-29T12:25:00.000-08:00

When: 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
Where: Fellowship Hall at St. Stephen United Methodist in Charlotte, NC

Come enjoy homemade soups, bread, desserts and fellowship!

Donations gladly accepted to benefit Bethlehem Center-Charlotte 2010 Summer Camperships

I'd like to help... now what??

2010-01-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

We see many potential volunteers in the office here. Sometimes people have a certain area in mind that they want to help with, and other times the conversation with the volunteer goes something like this... "Put me wherever I am most needed."

We love this attitude, but sometimes it's hard for us to let you know what we need most, because our needs are so great! We want to hear what you can do for the kids. Are you a math whiz? Are you a concert pianist? Are you a certified counselor? Do you have a knack for marketing?

All of these things are needs and desires for the program. But our needs are exhaustive, and we can match your talents with our desires.

But specifically, the two areas that we direct most of our volunteers to are this: tutoring and office help.

So what can you expect for each opportunity?

Tutors are asked to commit to an hour a week for a semester. Some decide to stay longer, some cannot for personal reasons. We will pair you with one student, and you will monitor their progress over the semester and help them where needed. The requirements for this are 18 and over, background check clearance, a love of kids, and a willingness to commit for the desired time. Note: Ability to remember high school math not required, but if you can please let us know. One of the top comments we get during tutor interviews is, "I'm horrible at math!" Keep in mind that we assign tutors by highest need to lowest, and since we do not have a tutor for every child at this point, most tutors are working with children on remedial math and reading.

Office assistants will help with one or all of three offices: the BC main office (for the afterschool program), the development office, or the accounting office. We look for people to serve in this area who have a willingness to jump in and do it all. Volunteers in this area are much needed to help keep our staff costs down and our staff sanity up. Volunteers in the past have done everything from stuffing envelopes, answering phones, scanning in checks, and many other things. Due to the sensitivity and nature of the work being done, we do require a background check and for those volunteers to agree to confidentiality.

But what else do our volunteers do?

Resume writing assistance
Piano lessons
Art classes
Holiday parties for the kids
Landscaping/outdoor work
Event planning
Much, much more!

If you're interested in volunteering with us, please call 704-371-7404.

Resident Camp Preparation 2010

2010-01-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to believe as we are experiencing 45 degree highs here in Charlotte, that it’s already time to plan for summer camp 2010!

Each year, the Bethlehem Center sends children to Christian resident camps in North Carolina with the help of area churches, board members and the surrounding community. Every year, we provide Bethlehem Center campers with sleeping bags and a duffel bag full of supplies needed for their camp experience. Most of our campers in 2010 are going to camp for the first time, so we are in need of sleeping bags. (Note: once a child attends a resident camp through us and receive a sleeping bag, they do not receive a new one in upcoming years.)

We are requesting completed packages, but will take any donations supplied. Below you will find what is needed in each duffel bag.

Camper Prep for Camp:
o Duffel Bag (generic, no gender specific)
o Sleeping Bag-Plain, No cartoons
o Flashlight and batteries
o Bar soap
o Shampoo
o Conditioner
o 2 hand towels
o 2 bath towels
o 2 face cloths
o Lotion
o Bug repellent
o Sun block
o Toothbrush
o Toothpaste
o Poncho or light rain coat
o Heavy duty comb or brush
o Deodorant
o Bible (optional, but please let us know if your bag does not have one)
o Anything additional is welcomed, but the above are essential

Please place all liquids in a large Ziploc bag for each child. We are hoping to get “packets” of stuff together to make packing of the bags easier and more efficient.

Campers start registering in February, and we will start taking finished bags on March 1st. We would like to have all bags in by April 15th.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call 704-375-1417.

Status Update

2009-12-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

We have to thank you all as a community for what you've done for us this year.

It's been a tough year, we must admit, with predictions mid-year of a $60,000 defecit. While we were proactive by cutting staff and expenses in anticipation of the shortfall, we'd also like to recognize those who stepped up to help close this gap, which has now narrowed to an anticipated $15,000.

In October, we received word that our Thanksgiving distribution to over 400 families was threatened. Our long-term supporter decided to shift focus to a local community, leaving our community to find alternative resources. You all stepped up, providing us with not only enough donations for this year, but some overflow to help lead us into next year as well.

As we look back on a year with such uncertainty, we cannot begin to thank you enough for all of you who have increased your giving. We had churches donate as much as 4 times the amount as last year. 3 churches designated $1500 to our programs (this is an increase from 2008 for all three), with another church conducting a special offering on Christmas Eve in our name.

And we cannot forget our individual donors, like the donor who called and let us know they would be sending us $2800 to support Thanksgiving programming and the countless other donors that dug deep to support us this year.

Thank you all for your teamwork, your efforts, your love, and your encouragement. We cannot keep our mission going without you.

Christmas program now completed!

2009-12-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you to our community, we have now sponsored all families and children in our programs for Christmas.

The final numbers:
-868 children and 47 seniors served through our Stars program
-315 individuals served through our Family Sharing program

Thank you to all who stepped up in sponsoring our families in most need this holiday season.

Charlotte community comes together at Thanksgiving

2009-11-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to announce that the Charlotte community has pulled together to provide more than enough to feed 400 families in our community at Thanksgiving. We truly appreciate all you did to make this happen!

If you are still willing to donate, we would love for you to continue donating to our missions and education program in honor of Thanksgiving. This program provides for the educational needs of many, including afterschool tutoring and gang, drug, and alcohol education.

On a business note, we have literally been receiving donations faster than I can enter them in, so please give me 2 or 3 weeks to send out gift recognition letters. Know that we appreciate each one of your gifts so much, and want to give each one of you the special attention you deserve when thanking you for your endeavors!

Bethlehem Center Board Member takes top award with KPMG

2009-11-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Bethlehem Center board member Jim Geisel recently took home KPMG's Chairman's Award. The award is "the highest honor KPMG bestows on partners and employees who perform outstanding volunteer and ommunity service throughout the year," according to KPMG.

Only 26 individuals are selected for this award. These individuals are selected based on their actions holding out KPMG's "commitment to communities." As part of this award, KPMG donated $1000 to Bethlehem Center in Jim's honor.

Geisel joined the Bethlehem Center board of directors in early 2009.

Pictured below working in Ghana:

How every gift counts

2009-11-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

Dear friends and readers,

I'm sitting here at 4 o'clock after a day that consisted entirely of entering gifts into the database. Something that I loathe and love all at once. Loathe, because it's about the most boring thing ever. Love, because it means that you all as a community have been generous to the Bethlehem Center and furthering our work here.

About 10 minutes ago, I was handed 3 checks that I feel are an amazing demonstration of how each gift given to the Bethlehem Center counts for so much.

One check was for $130,000, one for $1,000 and one for $20.

Each gift was designated for a different area, each gift making an equal impact on the areas they were designated to.

The $130,000 will be put towards a down payment on our new ministry center on N. Sharon Amity. We are hoping to open this as a fully functioning ministry center for 50 kids next fall. In addition to our afterschool programs, we are hoping to offer Bible classes and Christian summer camps for the kids.

The $1000 will go towards our general fund. This fund is important because it supports the administrative expenses and overhead that allow us to do what we do. Without the lights turned on or maintenance to the buildings done, we wouldn't be able to operate efficiently.

The $20 will go towards funding the turkeys that we distribute to the families in the area. We will be able to purchase each of those for around $5, so the $20 gift will help 4 families in need.

One of the reasons I (Amy) came to work here is the simple fact that every gift--and I mean every gift--makes a difference and has a purpose here. Your gifts are felt.

Our new online donation tool through justgive.org has a feature that I encourage you all to utilize. You can now give gifts monthly. Did you know that just a $50 gift every month would put you in our top 10 individual (non-corporate) donors? Please help us continue our mission of providing educational opportunities to our children in the community.

Volunteer Spotlight-Premier

2009-11-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Premier for coming out on November 2nd. Volunteers sealed the wood on the playgrounds to bring them up to code and cleaned out our warehouse to consolidate two warehouses and save money on rent.

Speaking Engagements

2009-10-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

Bethlehem Center representatives are available for speaking at your club, church, circle, or other group.

Here is the calendar through 2009:

November 17th-Rotary, Lake Wylie
November 18th-Aldersgate UMW
December 2nd-Rotary, South Park

If you would like to schedule a speaker for your event, call Amy at 704-371-7404 or e-mail ahutchison@bethlehemcenter.org.

Mouzon United Methodist Women to hold Annual Bazaar

2009-10-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Please make plans to attend Mouzon's Annual Bazaar which support their work with missions, including the Bethlehem Center. In the past, this event has raised funds to send children to summer camp, fund our scholarships, and fund our general fund.

Information from Mouzon:
Mouzon United Methodist Church at 3100 Selwyn Avenue, corner of Selwyn and Woodlawn, will hold its 64th Annual Fall Bazaar on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 from 7am-1pm. Handmade crafts and baked goods, silent auction, attic sale, and more. Breakfast and lunch available. All funds raised go to local missions that include Bethlehem Center, Crisis Assistance Ministry, Second Harvest, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Camp Care, and others.

Visit our event site at http://home.rr.com/mouzonbazaar.

2009-10-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

If one day of your life could:
-Provide low-income children with a better education
-Prevent teens from participating in gang and drug activity
-Send kids to college... first generation

What would you do?

Please join us in our Journey to Bethlehem on December 5th at 9 AM at Wesley United Methodist Church, a walk to fundraise for the educational programs of the Bethlehem Center. Registration fee is $15 before November 30th, free for Bethlehem Center and Head Start students and alumni. We ask that each walker set a fundraising goal of $50. Team packets and registration forms are now available through the Bethlehem Center development office by calling 704-371-7404 or e-mailing ahutchison@bethlehemcenter.org. For walk documents, visit Google Docs.

New this year, we have partnered with Firstgiving.com to allow walkers to raise funds online. For an example, go to www.firstgiving.org/abhutchison.

Help us Raise Money!

2009-07-29T10:58:00.001-07:00

You'll notice on the right hand side there's a new Widget (a cute little thing with some functionality) to fundraise for my walk team.

We will once again be organizing a Journey to Bethlehem, and whether or not you can make it, come join us in our effort to raise money to support our missions department at Bethlehem Center!

How you can do it:
A-Click on "donate" which will send you to my page
B-Either donate or follow instructions as to how to create your own page
C-E-mail out to your friends and let them know how they can join us in helping strengthen families and educate children

If you have any questions about the walk or would like to participate, call 704-371-7404

Coming soon...

2009-07-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

As many of you who follow us on Twitter already know, we are working on a brand new website. This website will have lots of capabilities, including a space for our alumni to reconnect and chat with each other and possibly a Spanish translation.

The question is, what would you like to see on our website? Is there anything that would keep you coming back? Is there any information you think we're missing?

If so, you may either post it as a comment, or e-mail it to ahutchison@bethlehemcenter.org.

Volunteer Staff makes the world go round...

2009-07-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

I apologize for being behind in the posting of news around this area, but we have been very busy with all of the volunteers coming in and out of the Bethlehem Center.

2 weeks ago, we were visited by 3 groups in one week. Matthews United Methodist Church came out to help with trash pickup on campus, followed up with 3 days of washing our Head Start buses.

Christ Covenant Church in Matthews came out to tackle a very difficult project. After the chainsaw finally arrived, they were able to remove 7 or 8 VERY large bushes from in front of our Head Start building. The teamwork these youth displayed was amazing!

And finally, we have a group visiting on Mondays from Myers Park Presbyterian (pictures to come).

Campership Update

2009-06-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

About a month and a half ago, we were still short 65 bags to send kids to the Christian camps, Camp Tekoa and Mount Shepherd. Needless to say, we were a little concerned.

We sent out e-mails, Tweets, facebook messages, and personal e-mails to all of our friends asking for help.

And the UMWs, UMCs, loyal Twitter followers, and faithful friends came through! We are very excited to report that as of yesterday, we had collected enough bags (counting the couple that we expected to come in today) to send all 80 children to camp!

Once again, though, we are asking for your help. We are still looking for financial support to send the kids to camp. It costs anywhere from $250-$400 (depending on the camp, age of kids, and transportation costs), and we have raised enough to send approximately 20 kids. We need your help sending 50-60 more. If you can help by making a financial donation, no matter how big or small, please send to Bethlehem Center c/o Amy Hutchison 2705 Baltimore Ave. Charlotte, NC 28203 with a memo for "Campership."

Once again, we thank you so much for all of your support!

What is Bethlehem Center doing during tough economic times?

2009-06-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

We don't have to tell you that it's been tough on Americans through the past year. While the Charlotte Observer is reporting that the recession is over, Charlotte also is currently sitting at the highest unemployment rate in 25 years.

But what does that mean for Bethlehem Center?

In 2009, we have been extremely blessed by an increase in giving by some of our church supporters and the United Methodist Women. We cannot thank you enough for this. The Head Start arm of Bethlehem Center is expecting stimulus funds, due to a priority put on Head Start in the package. This will allow us to up our service levels from 858 children to an even 1000 in the 2009-2010 school year. According to Head Start research, society receives $9 in benefits for every $1 in support given to Head Start children. We expect these stimulus funds to not only impact the educational needs of the children, but to impact the Charlotte economy in a positive way.

That being said, we are seeing a greater need in the community that we serve through our Missions and Education department. We are seeing an increased number of requests for emergency funding (assistance with medications provided through our Missions department), which will be served by an increased net from the Bridge Tournament in 2009 versus 2008. We will once again be rewarding scholarships to students needing financial assistance to continue their education, and are already seeing an increased number of applications in 2009 versus 2008.

We are expecting cutbacks in funding from other government grants and our corporate partners, but our partnership with Arbor has allowed the addition of 5 staff at no cost to Bethlehem Center, 3 of which will be male role models to our children in our summer camp program, a much needed addition.

Bethlehem Center is not immune to these tough economic times, but we are committed to serving those in our community to help them through it. If you would like to help, our greatest needs currently are unrestricted funds, summer camp, and our emergency financial assistance program. Donations to any of these can be sent to: Bethlehem Center c/o Amy Hutchison 2705 Baltimore Ave. Charlotte, NC 28203

Saturday Worker-Bees at Bethlehem Center

2009-04-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, Bethlehem Center welcomed the youth from Harrison United Methodist Church. They were participating in a poverty simulation, which meant the youth (and adults!) weren't eating for 24 hours. Somehow, though, they fought through the 90-degree weather and helped out at our Southside Head Start center and with cleaning around the BC Main Missions building.

Thank you for all of your hard work! We look forward to welcoming you back this summer for summer camp!

Auction Items for Bridge Tournament

2009-03-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

This year, there will be some larger autographed memorabilia available at the Bridge and Games Benefit.

These items include:

-Rolling Stones Autographed and Framed Album Starting bid $800

-BB King Autographed Framed Photo starting bid $200

-James Taylor Autographed and Framed Album Starting bid $350

-Mylie Cyrus Autographed Photo starting bid $150

-Bob Hope Autographed and Framed Dollar bill starting bid $200

-Willie Nelson Autographed Acoustic Guitar starting bid $250

-Portrait session starting bid $100

Be ready to come bid on these items to raise money for the Emergency Financial Assistance program at Bethlehem Center!

Only 75 Tickets Remain for the Bridge Tournament

2009-03-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

As of this morning, only 75 tickets remain for the Annual Bridge and Games Benefit. If you are waiting until the day of the event to buy your tickets, be forewarned that seating may NOT be available, so buy them TODAY. You may buy them online or by calling 704-371-7404.

Buy Tickets to Lowe's Motor Speedway events and help the Bethlehem Center

2009-03-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Needs for Bridge & Game Tournament

2009-03-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

Several UMW ladies asked about specific needs for the Bridge & Game Tournament:

-44 Card Tables
-325 Small Plates
-325 Napkins
-Auction Items
-Bake Sale Items

If you are able to donate any of these items, please call at 704-371-7404.

Good Shepherd UMC serves on First Saturdays

2009-03-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

Starting in April, Good Shepherd UMC will be hosting "First Serve Saturdays" where members will get a taste of opportunities they can get involved in around Charlotte. A leadership team has been going around serving as "taste testers" from October to March. Below are pictures from the February First Serve Saturday, where members of Good Shepherd's First Serve team came out to sort clothing for the families in need from the Bethlehem Center.

Compelling Creations Jewelry

2009-02-23T06:33:00.000-08:00

Bethlehem Center has partnered with Compelling Creations Jewelry to offer some amazing jewelry with a percentage of sales coming back to the Bethlehem Center. Brochures with descriptions will be made available at the Bridge Benefit, or you can order online here.

Compelling Creations offers handcrafted, sterling silver jewelry. With any questions call 704-371-7404.

If you click on the above link, the referral code will be automatically entered. If you are unable to click on the link, the website is www.compelling-creations.com and our referral code is 937920.

Bethlehem Center kids learn manners

2009-02-20T06:37:00.001-08:00

Monday-Friday at Bethlehem Center, children in the community are fed a healthy snack thanks to Second Harvest Food Bank's Kids Cafe' program.

This time, our teachers decided to take a different spin on the regular afterschool snack and turn it into a learning opportunity. When the kids arrived, there were tables properly set, complete with mood lighting and decorations.

Kids learned the proper way to set a table, how to ask for food and say "thank you" when receiving it, and of course, a few "elbows off the table" were heard.

As always when I enter the room with the camera, some of the kids wanted to make their blogger debut, so here are just a few fun shots I grabbed before letting them get back to their lesson.

UMW Report on Journey to Bethlehem

2009-02-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

Martha Efird's report on Journey to Bethlehem in this month's Charlotte district UMW newsletter can be found here: http://www.wnccumw.org/District%20News/CHA_200901.pdf

If you are interested in serving on the 2009 committee, please contact Amy at 704-371-7404 or ahutchison@bethlehemcenter.org.

Hickory Grove UMC Missions Night

2009-02-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

One of the amazing and fun things I get to do in my job is visit our area churches, particularly the Methodist churches that support us through apportionments, donations, and volunteering. So, when I heard that Hickory Grove was having a Missions Night to raise funds for their missions projects, I just had to go!

AnnMarie, Jo, and Mary along with a staff of many others held a Missions night, complete with a wonderful home-cooked dinner (another reason my arm doesn't have to be twisted too much to go to these events!), a silent auction, and a talent show. Slides of different missions projects were presented, and I was allowed to have a booth of information telling about the Bethlehem Center.

The night started out by the Music Makers performing several old hymns (it reminded me of "Camp Meeting Months" many churches did several years ago). It was then the children's turn, where they taught us about the Gospels and love, and the Girl Scouts performed some old standards that some of you might remember ("Bazooka Bubble Gum," for one). Other performances included a youth dance team, a father/daughter duet, and a few piano performances that I'm sure would make any church envious of the talent Hickory Grove possesses.

Thank you to Hickory Grove for allowing Bethlehem Center to be a part of this great night. We are truly blessed and thankful for your dedication to missions.

Little Caesars Love Kitchen Serves Free Pizza to Needy in Charlotte

2009-01-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Kids were all smiles as they enjoyed the pizza Little Caesars brought in.

Staff from Little Caesars came in and served 100 Bethlehem Center kids pizza. While we serve our children a snack in the afternoon, full dinner is definitely a treat for the kids!

An 18-wheeler truck delivered enough pizza for 300 people to the Southside Neighborhood. Special thank you to Little Caesars and Second Harvest Food Bank for helping kids and families in need.

Bridge and Game Tournament Date Set

2009-01-15T11:41:00.001-08:00

Donations needed:

Card Tables

Cupcakes

Breakfast Items

Over 400 families served Thanksgiving meals thanks to Davidson UMC and other area churches

2008-12-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

In the freezing cold, family members began to line up in front of the Bethlehem Center to collect Thanksgiving meal donations for their families. Bethlehem Center distributed over 400 meals to families living in the Brookhill, Southside, and Willmore neighborhoods so they could serve their families on Thanksgiving Day.

Special thanks goes out to Davidson United Methodist Church in Davidson, NC for continuing their tradition of donating 400 turkeys to the Bethlehem Center. Davidson holds a service the Sunday before Thanksgiving where attenders present grocery bags full of Thanksgiving "supplies" to the alter for the Bethlehem Center. Volunteers estimate anywhere from 500-750 of these bags are presented to the Bethlehem Center for the families the Center serves.

Thank you also to the other donors who supplied turkey breasts and sides for those involved in our seniors program.

The line formed at about 12:30 that day. Distribution began at 1. Temperatures were in the 40's, but people wanted to make sure they were there and ready for distribution.

A woman thanks our staff for her goodies. Faces like this make what we do well worth it!

A family decides to bring in a helpful tool in getting their meals home. Many families do not have cars, but live in the neighborhood, so some families have to find ways to carry their goodies home to get ready for Thanksgiving Day.

Families that are served also include 100 of our Head Start families.

Davidson United Methodist Church brings out volunteers to help take the donations off of the truck and distribute them to the Bethlehem Center.

Journey to Bethlehem

2008-12-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

It's not too late to Register for the Journey to Bethlehem walk!

Three ways you can help:Walk (or participate as a ghost walker): Go to http://www.bethlehemcenter.org/Journeyreg.asp to register
Fill out the friends and family form and we will send out letters on your behalf: http://www.bethlehemcenter.org/letterwriting.asp
Donate: Go to www.bethlehemcenter.org to donate. You would be amazed how far small (or large!) donations can go towards helping the children of the Bethlehem Center. Call Amy with any questions at 704-371-7404 or e-mail ahutchison@bethlehemcenter.org

www.bethlehemcenter.org

Current Bethlehem Center Needs

2008-11-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

We are having a Santa Brunch on Saturday, December 6th for the kids of the Bethlehem Center. We are in need of donations for this breakfast, which can be any of the following:

Pancake Mix
Eggs
Bagels
Muffins

If you are able to help out in this way, drop your donations by 2705 Baltimore Avenue and ask for Karie or Amy.

Looking for a way to give to Bethlehem Center that won't cost you a dime?

2008-11-20T08:52:00.001-08:00

iGive is a program where a percentage of your online shopping gets donated back to the charity of your choice. It's simple. Shop through iGive.com or download the application that will automatically donate any time you shop online, and Bethlehem Center will receive a check from your iGive contributions.

Go to www.iGive.com/bethlehemcenter for more information and to sign up.

Guys with Ties raises $10,000 in support of the Bethlehem Center through 3rd Annual Monster Mash

2008-11-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

Photo: Jared Keaton, Assistant Executive Director of the Bethlehem Center, accepts a check from Jason Snead, President of Guys with Ties along with Guys with Ties members (l to r: Chris Malach, Jordan Raniszeski, Tim Ferguson, Jim Heckman, and Peter Allen)

Guys with Ties raised $10,000 in support of the Bethlehem Center of Charlotte at their 3rd Annual Monster Mash party on October 31, 2008, sponsored by 96.1 the Beat. Over 1800 people were in attendance at this year’s event, with a line that stretched around the block by 10:00 PM. A $1000 cash prize, partially sponsored by the PR Store, was awarded to the costume contest winner.

Guys with Ties Charlotte is a non-profit organization founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2006 by 5 men seeking to enrich the Charlotte community through social events targeted at the young professional community that raise money and awareness for deserving charities in the Charlotte area. The goal of Guys with Ties is to connect Charlotte’s growing population of young professionals to organizations in our community that make Charlotte a better place.

“To put it in perspective, the amount of money raised off one night, one party is enough to send 25 of our kids to summer camp for a week,” says Amy Hutchison, Development Specialist at Bethlehem Center.

Bethlehem Center of Charlotte, located within the Charlotte Housing Authority’s Southside neighborhood off of Remount Road, is a nonprofit that provides educational opportunities for low-income children and families to improve the quality of their lives. Programs include an afterschool enrichment program, emergency financial assistance, scholarship awards, and seniors programs. Bethlehem Center is also the administrator for the national pre-school program, Head Start.

For more information about Guys with Ties, visit http://www.guyswithtiescharlotte.com/. For more information about the Bethlehem Center, visit http://www.bethlehemcenter.org/.

Stephanie Jennings

2008-11-13T17:55:00.000-08:00

The Bethlehem Center has lost a valuable, respected and loved volunteer, Stephanie Jennings. The sudden and unexpected death of Stephanie at age 42 has created a huge void at Bethlehem Center and in the Community of Mecklenburg County. She served on the Board of Directors at Bethlehem Center for 5 years, where she also served as Chair of the Personnel Committee, and has given hundreds of hours of volunteer service to BC in addition to her work as a Community Relations Manager for Mecklenburg County. Stephanie also worked with the UNC-Charlotte Mediation Program.

Stephanie leaves behind her husband Steve and two young daughters. Please keep the Jennings family in your prayers.

Services will be held Friday, November, 14 at 11:00 at Myers Park Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to Bethlehem Center or to UNC-Charlotte Mediation Program.

Good Shepherd United Methodist Church

2008-11-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, November 1st, volunteers from Good Shepherd United Methodist Church came out to finish painting the hallways of the Bethlehem Center. The Center has not been painted in several years, so the teachers and students enjoyed coming back to a freshly painted Bethlehem Center.

Here at the Bethlehem Center, we take stewardship very seriously. This means that if we don't have to spend your dollars as donors and United Methodists, we don't. When Bob Young of Hands on Charlotte was here a few weeks ago, he said this, "Be wary of a nonprofit who's facilities are too pristine. This means that they're spending money on the building that they aren't on programming." So, bringing in groups of volunteers to paint the walls with donated paint and donated hours means more of your money is spent on things like sending kids to camp, helping out families in need with emergency assistance, and honoring deserving students with scholarships to pay for college. We love what we do, but we love what you do even more. Thank you Good Shepherd!

Halloween Hall-A-Ball-Oo

2008-11-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

Students at the Bethlehem Center got the opportunity to have a BALL at the Halloween Hall-A-Ball-Oo. Bethlehem Center partnered with A Better World and other volunteers to present a day full of games and fun for the kids on Thursday, October 30th.

After taking part in the carnival games, the kids went outside to have fun with our Executive Director, William McDonald. The class with the winning pumpkin was able to throw a pie in the face of our fearless leader. Thank you William for being such a great sport!

Phillip Morris USA Gives the Center a facelift!

2008-10-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

The first post of the blog is about our most recent volunteers who came to help out the Center. Anyone who has walked through the Center knows that it is in dire need of serious attention. The walls are crumbling, there are leakage problems, and the paint is (was) peeling.

Thanks to Hands on Charlotte, volunteers from Phillip Morris USA came out to help give the Bethlehem Center a fresh coat of paint. With 25+ volunteers in tow, the volunteers were able to paint the first floor hallways and the auditorium. At the end of the day, they presented us with a check for $5400 to go towards putting down a safer and more economically efficient rubberized playground surface for one of our Head Start sites.

Phillip Morris has a long-standing tradition of giving back to the community specifically through youth organizations. You can read more about their stance here.

Thank you again to Phillip Morris for all that you do in your communities!

About the Bethlehem Center

2008-10-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

When I am asked about the Bethlehem Center, I find it hard to put what we do into a neat box. It usually starts somewhere along the lines of, "We serve the families in the Brookhill, Southside, and Wilmore neighborhoods..." and ends with a list of services. Of which, are always changing and I inevitably leave something off.

This blog is a way for us to keep you all updated on what happens at Bethlehem Center on a monthly, weekly, and even daily basis. This isn't to say we will be removing data from the website, rather we want to add more information into your lives. We want you to know everything from what big group came in to volunteer, how our Halloween party went, and what new volunteer opportunities become available, but we do not want it to be lost in the shuffle, buried under another barrage of announcements made available through our main site. We are hoping that all of the work that all of our wonderful volunteers and supporters do will be recognized by many more people this way. We could not function without you, and because of this we want you to be recognized frequently and grandly.

Thank you for your continued support.