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Fast FactsOur NameEsther Swigart, Bethanna's founder, named the agency after her mother, Anna. Bethanna is a combination of "Beth" which is the Hebrew word for house) and Anna (which also means grace). Since first opening its doors in 1934, Bethanna has literally been a "House of Grace" for boys and girls in need of a safety and support. HistoryEsther Swigart, a retired teacher from The Girard College in Philadelphia, purchased an acre property in Southampton and founded Bethanna. For 16 years, the site served as a popular Christian conference and fellowship center. Our founder and Marion Kinsler, a retired missionary, made the transition from a the conference center to opening a Bible summer camp. 1950 marked a turning point in Bethanna's history. A mother asked the two women to temporarily provide food, clothing and shelter for her young son. The mother placed another son into their care and the word spread about Bethanna. Bethanna remained an orphanage until 1962 when both women retired and the agency appointed a Board of Directors. TodayBethanna remains a Christian agency offering a range of services to children and families from all faiths, incomes and cultural backgrounds received services . We are a private 501(c) 3 nonprofit social services agency serving children and families in crisis. Every year, we extend our programs and services to over 2,000 infants, children and youth in the child welfare system. ServicesStaff and VolunteersAbout 250 administrative, social work and volunteer staff serve children and families in Southeastern Pennsylvania. AdministrationBethanna is governed by a Board of Directors and operated by an executive director, assistant director and a senior leadership team. |
