BETHANY HOUSE OF NASSAU COUNTY NAMED AS FINALIST IN 12th ANNUAL LONG ISLAND IMAGINE AWARDS

Baldwin, NY – February 13, 2024 – Bethany House of Nassau County was named a Finalist in the Social Impact Award category in the 12th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards.

The Long Island Imagine Awards, now in its 12th year, was founded by Ken Cerini, CPA, Cerini & Associates LLP as a way to showcase the nonprofit sector and all the good work that it does, as well as provide opportunities for deeper collaboration within the sector. The gala event, scheduled for Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 6-10pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club, Woodbury, NY, provides unlimited networking and connection opportunities for the corporate and nonprofit sectors while highlighting the exceptional work of the finalist organizations. The 24 finalists, 4 in each category, receive a professionally produced video that is showcased the night of the event and two free tickets to attend. In addition, each finalist will receive $1,000 courtesy of Diamond Sponsor SterlingRisk Insurance and one in each category will be announced LIVE at the event. For more information visit https://imagineawardsli.com

More than 150 nonprofit applications were submitted for consideration in six categories: Arts & Culture, Innovation, Leadership Excellence, Rising Star, Social Impact, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). Bethany House is one of four finalists in the Social Impact Award category.

“We are so thankful to be chosen as a finalist for an Imagine Award in the Social Impact category,” said Executive Director, Catherine Swanson. “With government funding and grants, Bethany House provides emergency shelter for women, and women with children, experiencing homelessness. However, we do so much more than “keep the light on” for our guests. We have implemented numerous programs, like Safe Ground for Families, in which we help women gain the tools they need to break out of the cycle of homelessness.”

Finalists were chosen by Long Island business professionals during preliminary judging. Members of the Awards’ Distinguished Judging Panel selected the Imagine Awards winners from among the Finalists during final judging.

“Being named a Finalist in The Long Island Imagine Awards is an important achievement,” said Ken Cerini, Founder of the Long Island Imagine Awards.  “It means that the Organization has been identified as a leader on Long Island, exhibiting impactful and innovative operations.  Congratulations to all of the Finalists on their achievement.”

Details about Long Island Imagine Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at https://imagineawardsli.com/the-awards/

About Bethany House

Bethany House was founded in 1978 in response to a validated need for shelter for women, and women with children experiencing homelessness on Long Island. Throughout its forty-four years, Bethany has provided safe, supportive emergency and housing and support services for homeless single women and women with dependent children. Bethany House exists to strengthen and assist those women and children from Long Island who are deprived of the basic resources required for natural and healthy growth and development. We work to support women, and women with children, through uncertainty to stability. We carry this out through a three-step approach. We begin by providing shelter and meeting the basic needs of guests in a welcoming, safe, and home-like setting. We offer programs which provide a continuum of care that starts with emergency shelter, moves into transitional services and housing, and culminates in permanent housing and greater self-sufficiency and ongoing support.

About The Imagine Awards

The Imagine Awards was created in 2012 on Long Island by Ken Cerini Managing Partner of Cerini & Associates, LLP.  Honoring nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Imagine Awards recognize outstanding performances in the sector.  2024 will represent the 12th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards https://imagineawardsli.com and the 4th Annual event in NYC,  https://NYCimagineawards.com.  

Long Island Imagine Awards Winners to Be Announced on Wednesday,

May 1, 2024  at the Crest Hollow Country Club

Bethany House Connection: January 2024

A Message from our Executive Director
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has welcomed me with open arms to Bethany House as the new Executive Director. I am extremely excited for this to be my next chapter in helping to fight the homeless crisis in Nassau County. I’d like to take this opportunity to update you about the important work we have been able to accomplish recently.

Bethany House strives to be a leader in the solution for homelessness in Nassau County. We work hard to be a community of support, in various ways, for those who come to us for help. One of those ways is a transitional services and housing program,  Safe Ground for Families, which opened its doors in April 2023,  and continues to be an invaluable resource for our community. The program was created to address the obstacles of long-term sustainability, so that women and children can stay out of the shelter system permanently. Since April, two more guests with their children have joined the program and moved into our transitional home. All of our guests in this program are making strides towards self-sufficiency, with the support of our case management team, by obtaining additional education, employment coaching, achieving financial planning goals, and much more.   

Bethany House also recently partnered with Community Development Long Island, Inc. to provide housing for three families which had been awarded Section-8 vouchers.  We were able to provide furnished apartments, as well as a supportive Case Manager, to help guide them through their transition to stable housing. I am very proud to share this information with you about our transitional housing program, which is so needed, especially in a county with such high rents.  We have the honor of providing women and their children a safe, clean, supportive environment, for a very low monthly rent.  

Bethany House continues to work diligently to address additional areas of needed support for our guests, in an effort to help them break the cycle of homelessness. These include financial competence and mental health support for our guests, as well as staff development.  I am excited to share that we will continue to explore meaningful programs that will allow us to better serve those who turn to use in their time of need.  
Katie Swanson, Executive Director
You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, we’ll tell you why… 

Because…. SANTA Claus came to town, well to Bethany House to be more precise!!!! Santa, Ms. Claus and their brood of elves arrived to take part in our annual Bethany House Trim-the-Tree Party on December 20th. 

The night was full of festivities with great food cooked and purchased by staff and guests, karaoke and a surprise visit from Santa! 

Of course we couldn’t hear his reindeer’s hooves on our rooftop because everyone was singing loudly and having a wonderful time!

Santa and team passed out gifts to each mom, and every child, before he had to get back to the North Pole to prepare for next year.  When he left, he took Stanley, the Bethany House elf on the shelf, with him! Stanley did not want to leave our warm, inviting house, so he was hiding in the tree top! 

Away they all went with a HO-HO-HO UNTIL NEXT YEAR! 
Holiday Extravaganza!

Buckley Country Day School held an epic holiday party for our guests in December.  

The school staff, parents, and students went above and beyond to make sure that everyone had a great time. The chef made a delicious lunch of corn on the cob, the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted, macaroni and cheese, green beans with mushrooms and onions, delicious turkey slices, fresh salad, and bread. Next the dessert spread was incredible – cookies, cakes, pies, and cupcakes galore!

Guests took pictures in front of the Christmas tree, then he pictures were printed out, and the guests decorated frames for them. There was a gingerbread making station, where each person got a kit with a house and all the items needed to decorate, including the icing and candy.

The children got to run around the gym, play, and color. The students were SO good with the children and the moms. It was heartwarming to watch.  There were gifts for every Mom and every child.  All who attended left with their tummies, hearts and arms full of holiday love and spirit.   

A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS TRADITION AT BETHANY HOUSE! 

Each year, Bethany House is fortunate to partner with wonderful supporters in our community to “adopt” our families for Christmas. This year, over 20 “adopters” were given a wish list of gifts, written by the women and children in our emergency shelters. Once they shopped for the gifts, they wrapped the mother’s gifts, left the children’s gifts unwrapped, and dropped them off at one of houses. Then, many of the mothers got to “shop” for their children’s gifts in our make-shift “store,” where we laid out children’s toys and clothes for them to peruse. The women then got to wrap the gifts for their children, as if they shopped and bought them on their own. It was a joyous occasion for all involved. 

The women and children at Bethany House are so appreciative of the generous gifts donated through our Adopt-A-Family Program. We thank all of those who participated for remembering them during what can be a most difficult time of year. The beautiful gifts were given to our women and children on Christmas Day, and brought so much joy to each of them. 

At Bethany House, we work to support homeless women, and women with children, through transition to stability. We simply could not do all of this wonderful work without our generous and caring supporters. 

And so, we thank all of those who helped make the 2023 Adopt A Family Program such an incredible success! Bethany House would like to thank each and every one of the following for “adopting” one or more of our guests (if your name was omitted, please know it’s just human error!): 

Jon and Dana Acquafredda
Jeanine Badalamenti
Leticia Bonomo
Kelsey Bottari
Maryann Brolley
Olivia Cino
Kristin Cox and Girl Scout Troop 2238 from Oceanside
Leah Didriksen
Kerry Figueiredo and the South Side High School Bethany Buddies Club
Ellen Foley
Tawanda Harris
Michelle Heller
Rachel Hollywood, Esq.
Valerie Iovino
Lauren Jukofsky and Girl Scout Troop 2164 from Oceanside
Cory Knopf
Rich Kuenstler
Kathleen Lovece
Catherine Modzelewski and the Valley Stream School STOP Club
Jennifer Pintiliano-Gemmo and Girl Scout Troop 2083 from Oceanside
Vicki Rhodes
Sheila Pio
Kristi Schaefer and Girl Scout Troop 2552 from Oceanside
Leeanna Simo
Helen Sofocli
Kevin and Melissa Stender 



Annual Appeal Success: Thank You!

Thank you to the many of you who gave generous donations to the Bethany House Annual Appeal, every dollar of which helps support the vital programs we offer to our guests. Because of your generosity, combined with that of other caring people like you, we continue to be able to uplift women, many with children, and guide them from homelessness toward independence and self-sufficiency. 

As mentioned in the annual appeal, government funding enables us to “keep the lights on” at our three emergency shelters. Your generosity gives us the ability to provide our guests with the comprehensive support they need to gain financial stability and secure permanent housing for themselves and their children. With your help, we are working diligently to break the cycle of homelessness.  

Thank you again for your generosity.  If you would like to learn more about the wonderful work we do, please give us a call at 516-868-6866 to set up a meeting or a tour of Bethany House. 

Annual Appeal Success: Thank you!

Thank you to so many of you who made generous donations to the Bethany House Annual Appeal, every dollar of which helps support the vital programs we offer to our guests. Because of your generosity, combined with that of other caring people like you, we continue to be able to uplift women, many with children, and guide them from homelessness toward independence and self-sufficiency.

As I mentioned in the annual appeal, government funding enables us to “keep the lights on” at our three emergency shelters. Your generosity gives us the ability to provide our guests with the comprehensive support they need to gain financial stability and secure permanent housing for themselves and their children. With your help, we are working diligently to break the cycle of homelessness. 

Thank you again for your generosity.  If you would like to learn more about the wonderful work we do, please give us a call at 516-868-6866 to set up a meeting or a tour of Bethany House. 

Sincerely.

Katie Swanson, Executive Director

Bethany House Connection: September 2023

We Say Farewell to Doug O’Dell . . .

It is with hearts full of deep gratitude that we said farewell to Doug O’Dell, Bethany House’s Executive Director for the past three years.  During his tenure, Doug strengthened the board and its committee structure, and he improved systems of accountability, community connections and the case management process.  He had an open door policy where guests were always welcome to contact him directly to share concerns, ideas and accomplishments.  

Recently we gathered at a luncheon to thank Doug for the passion, commitment, energy and expertise he shared with Bethany House over the past three years.  The delicious catering was donated by Moe’s Southwest Grill of Oceanside, and the Bethany House board members provided desserts.  We wish Doug the best of luck in all his future endeavors!

. . . and Welcome to Katie Swanson

Bethany House is pleased to announce the appointment of Catherine “Katie” Swanson as its Executive Director as of August 28, 2023.

Katie Swanson comes to Bethany House having over 20 years of experience in human services focused on emergency housing in Nassau County.  Katie’s most recent position was as Deputy Director of Emergency Housing at the Nassau County Office of Housing/Department of Social Services (“DSS”).  Katie earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the School of Social Work at Syracuse University, and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from Adelphi University, Graduate School of Social Work.  Her extensive experience will be an asset to Bethany House in both providing emergency shelter and also transitional services (including financial literacy, women’s empowerment groups, and case worker support) to the women and children it serves, in an effort to end the cycle of homelessness.

We look forward to learning from and growing with Katie as we continue to serve the needs of women, and women with children, experiencing homelessness in Nassau County.

Starbucks Staff Pour Out Their Hearts

In addition to pouring coffee and serving customers at local Starbucks stores in the community, many of the partners (employees) have been pouring out their hearts about Bethany House.  They have the ability to choose local worthy causes they would like #TheStarbucksFoundation #NeighborhoodGrants to donate to.  Bethany House was selected not once, but twice, by the partners in the Starbucks locations in Levittown and Rockville Centre!

These two friendly faces (flanking our Interim Assistant Executive Director, DawnMarie) surprised us at our office with cookies and a thank you balloon to inform us that Bethany House is the recipient of a $6,000 grant!  The previous month we received a visit from another Starbucks partner bearing coffee and mugs, followed by a check for $4000.  We are incredibly grateful to the Starbucks partners for supporting our mission and to The Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood Grants!

High Schooler Hosts Comedy Fundraiser

Kate Cooney, a Kellenberg H.S. junior, has been conducting arts and crafts activities in our homes for the women and children for quite some time now. This summer, she organized a fundraiser at the Governor’s Comedy Club in Levittown to benefit Bethany House. It was a huge success, and Kate and her family were able to raise $4,500 to donate to Bethany House.

Summer Toys

Mackenzie Malone ran a drive for Bethany House at The Garden School in Jackson Heights. The students raised $1,475.00, and collected beach toys for our residents.  Summer fun for the children at Bethany House was enhanced by Mackenzie and her school’s generosity.

Call for Veggies

As we all struggle with inflation and rising food costs, Bethany House has been lucky to be the recipient of vegetable and fruits grown at Crossroads Farm in Malverne, in the gardens at Temple B’nai Torah in Wantagh and the Merrick Jewish Center. All produce is shared among our five residences. Food U.S. assists in the delivery of the veggies from the Merrick Jewish Center, and has been delivering food to us for several years now.

Providing nutritious meals is a top priority at Bethany House. If you or someone you know would like to become a monthly fresh produce donor, contact us today at info@bhny.org.

Thank you to all of our wonderful supporters!