 | | The Very Beginning 
Pastor Milton Hunt
My Remembrances of Bethlehem Inn
by Frank Barnes In the fall of 1997, Pastor Milton Hunt, a retired Lutheran pastor and member of Nativity Lutheran Church, told me that he and a few other pastors from local churches were in the process of developing a plan to create a homeless shelter to serve the Bend area. Milton, now deceased, had been an advocate for the homeless, improved prison facilities and justice for Native Americans as a pastor in Juneau, Alaska, and Great Falls, Montana, before retiring and moving to Bend with his wife Kathy. At that time the homeless population in Deschutes County was growing rapidly and there was no shelter other than the facility provided by the Salvation Army which was too small to accommodate all of those in need. The plan that Milton spoke of was a faith-based shelter which would rotate between participating churches in Bend. The plan was that each church would provide overnight sleeping accommodations, a light breakfast, sack lunch, and full evening meal for a two week period before moving to the next church. The guests had to leave the church by 7:00 AM and could not return until 5:00 PM each day. Those who could worked during the day but many simply tried to survive the cold by staying in malls and the public library. That first year there were only five participating churches which were St. Francis Catholic, First Presbyterian, First Methodist, First Lutheran, and Nativity Lutheran. The Bethlehem Inn, as it was named, was only able to function during the months of January, February, and March. In subsequent years more churches joined the project and the Inn was able to operate from November through March which are the months when homeless people in our area suffer the most. To Read the Full Account...
Pastor Milton Hunt
My Remembrances of Bethlehem Inn
by Frank Barnes In the fall of 1997, Pastor Milton Hunt, a retired Lutheran pastor and member of Nativity Lutheran Church, told me that he and a few other pastors from local churches were in the process of developing a plan to create a homeless shelter to serve the Bend area. Milton, now deceased, had been an advocate for the homeless, improved prison facilities and justice for Native Americans as a pastor in Juneau, Alaska, and Great Falls, Montana, before retiring and moving to Bend with his wife Kathy. At that time the homeless population in Deschutes County was growing rapidly and there was no shelter other than the facility provided by the Salvation Army which was too small to accommodate all of those in need. The plan that Milton spoke of was a faith-based shelter which would rotate between participating churches in Bend. The plan was that each church would provide overnight sleeping accommodations, a light breakfast, sack lunch, and full evening meal for a two week period before moving to the next church. The guests had to leave the church by 7:00 AM and could not return until 5:00 PM each day. Those who could worked during the day but many simply tried to survive the cold by staying in malls and the public library. That first year there were only five participating churches which were St. Francis Catholic, First Presbyterian, First Methodist, First Lutheran, and Nativity Lutheran. The Bethlehem Inn, as it was named, was only able to function during the months of January, February, and March. In subsequent years more churches joined the project and the Inn was able to operate from November through March which are the months when homeless people in our area suffer the most. To Read the Full Account... | | |
|  | | | The Bethlehem Inn's History Bethlehem Inn Celebrates 11th Anniversary in 2010 In 2010, Bethlehem Inn celebrates its 11th anniversary as Central Oregon's largest emergency shelter for homeless families, men and women of our region. We are proud of our accomplishments, which are the result of the dedication and hard work of our directors and staff, as well as the support of our donors, volunteers and many community organizations, the City of Bend and Deschutes County. 1999: Bethlehem Inn opens as a wintertime only homeless shelter, operating at a different local church each weekend. 2001: The Bethlehem Inn Non-Profit Corporation was formed to start fund raising, applying for grants and soliciting support from local businesses and indiviuals. 2004: While still operating out of a different church each winter weekend, Bethlehem Inn provided more than 20,000 meals and nearly 8,000 bednights to the homeless in Central Oregon. 2005: Became a year-round shelter when it moved into the former Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Work Release Center. At that location, it provided beds and meals for 72 individual and several families. 2007: Bethlehem Inn was one of two organizations in the state named a "Champion in Compassion" at a conference sponsored by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In the summer, Bethlehem Inn moved into a former motel property on North Highway 97, which had been acquired by the City of Bend and Deschutes County. Besides providing food and shelter, the Inn now offers job skills training, case management services and transportation for its residents. It also started a Work Experience Program to allow residents to work in various parts of the organization. This includes jobs in the laundry, kitchen/pantry, and clothing donations center; residents also do light cleaning and maintenance, gardening and recycling. 2008: Provided more than 18,000 bednights and 44,000 meals to the homeless. 2009: Became a Funded Partner Agency of United Way of Deschutes County and a member of the Bend Chamber of Commerce. Bethlehem Inn Celebrates 11th Anniversary in 2010 In 2010, Bethlehem Inn celebrates its 11th anniversary as Central Oregon's largest emergency shelter for homeless families, men and women of our region. We are proud of our accomplishments, which are the result of the dedication and hard work of our directors and staff, as well as the support of our donors, volunteers and many community organizations, the City of Bend and Deschutes County. 1999: Bethlehem Inn opens as a wintertime only homeless shelter, operating at a different local church each weekend. 2001: The Bethlehem Inn Non-Profit Corporation was formed to start fund raising, applying for grants and soliciting support from local businesses and indiviuals. 2004: While still operating out of a different church each winter weekend, Bethlehem Inn provided more than 20,000 meals and nearly 8,000 bednights to the homeless in Central Oregon. 2005: Became a year-round shelter when it moved into the former Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Work Release Center. At that location, it provided beds and meals for 72 individual and several families. 2007: Bethlehem Inn was one of two organizations in the state named a "Champion in Compassion" at a conference sponsored by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In the summer, Bethlehem Inn moved into a former motel property on North Highway 97, which had been acquired by the City of Bend and Deschutes County. Besides providing food and shelter, the Inn now offers job skills training, case management services and transportation for its residents. It also started a Work Experience Program to allow residents to work in various parts of the organization. This includes jobs in the laundry, kitchen/pantry, and clothing donations center; residents also do light cleaning and maintenance, gardening and recycling. 2008: Provided more than 18,000 bednights and 44,000 meals to the homeless. 2009: Became a Funded Partner Agency of United Way of Deschutes County and a member of the Bend Chamber of Commerce. | | |
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