History

 

In the early seventies, with the move toward deinstitutionalizing,  developmentally disabled adults were released into the San Francisco community.   With few day programs in place, this movement resulted in large numbers of persons without structured day activities--many stayed home, while others walked around in their neighborhoods.  Few   had no  introduction into community living, nor did they have access to spiritual care.  The needs of the developmentally challenged adult population came to the attention of members of Bethel Lutheran Church when congregation members discovered a large number of board and care homes in the Ocean-View area, an area adjacent to the church.   Initially, the congregation had started a Sunday morning Bible class for disabled children, but were surprised when adults walked in the door.  Upon investigating the situation more closely, Bethel's members then noticed the increasing population of adults in the surrounding area.    The problem, as the congregaton defined it, was two-fold:

• Lack of structured activities

• Lack of the spiritual care state hospitals had previously been mandated to provide.

On March 19, 1973, Bethel Lutheran Church opened Bethel Center for the Developmentally Disabled to address the dual needs of the disabled for a structured day care setting and to provide access to spiritual care.    Bethel Center began as a one-day-a-week program staffed entirely by volunteers.  That first year saw only five clients,  but by 1975 the program had grown and developed.  In that year the client population had risen to fifteen and the Center hired two paid staff with a large volunteer force. 

 

 

Mission Statement

 

Bethel Center formed to serve the spiritual, social, vocational and  living skills needs of adults with developmental challenges residing in the cities of San Francisco and Daly City.  Bethel Center remains, three decades later, as the mission outreach of Bethel Lutheran Church.  Previously funded only by the church and church-related agencies, the Center is now funded by Golden Gate Regional Center (GGRC), an agency, funded through the State of California, and  serving those with developmental disabilities.  Bethel Center became a vendored provider, funded partially by the State to provide vocational and self-help training, as well as training in independent living skills

The Center has three main goals:

• To provide a caring, nurturing environment where clients are affirmed and where they are offered opportunities to make choices in their daily work programs and in learning new work skills.
• To provide an opportunity for clients to develop and increase social, self-help, vocational and community living skills to better equip them for living in community settings.
• To provide an opportunity for clients to grow spiritually, socially, emotionally and personally.
• At Bethel Center our clients are invited to hear about God, His creation, and the love He has for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Clients are offered the opportunity to worship and share their concerns, and to hear about the love that God has for them.