Dear Friend,

We are so happy summer is here. The beautiful Bethany House grounds are in full bloom. It’s such a joy to know there is safe outdoor space for participants and their children to play and rest. Maintaining the gardens is a continual effort from participants who love to garden, volunteers, and of course, our House Manager, Tom Williams. This spring, a group of volunteers from Emmanuel Christian School spent some time learning about Bethany House, and then spread mulch in the garden beds. Though we didn’t know the dry spell was coming, their work made a huge difference in helping the gardens maintain moisture this month. Thank you, ECS students!

Our staff truly values opportunities to share information about domestic violence and the mission of Bethany House with volunteer groups, students, and other community members. Providing safe, long-term shelter to survivors and their children is our top priority at Bethany House, but community education is another important piece of what we do. Community education raises awareness of domestic violence, can reduce stigma, and helps people in need to connect with resources.

Before summer vacation began, I was invited by Mrs. Amanda Valdez to speak to her Personal Development class at Anthony Wayne High School. The students were amazing. They sent a bundle of thank you messages that were so sweet, we wanted to share some of them with you. See below!