What New Bethany does

New Bethany, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization (EIN 23-23-65694) founded in March 1985 in Southside Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, originally emerging from an interfaith ministry responding to Bethlehem Steel layoffs. The organization operates a coordinated portfolio of programs addressing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in the Lehigh Valley across five sites in Bethlehem, Allentown, and Coplay. Its service lines include the Southside Drop-In Center (day shelter and meal center serving up to 130 people daily), the Choice Food Pantry, the Transitional Housing Program (family-based, accepting parents of any sex/gender), Single Room Occupancy housing, Wyandotte Apartments (seven Section 8-subsidized units), the Representative Payee Program, and a Housing Assistance program for rent/utility arrears prevention.

The organization delivers these services free of charge to clients and operates a community-led go-to-market model funded through individual donations, corporate and foundation partnerships (Walmart Foundation, PNC, Highmark, Provident Bank, R.K. Laros, PPL Foundation, Air Products), government grants (Northampton County Affordable Housing Program, state appropriations including a $475K grant), and event fundraising (Souper Day, Luminaria Night, Highmark Walk, Turkey Drive). Distribution is direct-to-client at physical sites plus referral-driven intake through the United Way 211 Coordinated Entry System and partner organizations including St. Luke's, Geisinger, and Bethlehem Area School District.

In 2023, New Bethany served 225,644 meals, provided 1,594 showers, distributed 2,169 grocery carts, prevented homelessness for 880 households, and provided 3,250 nights of shelter; 2025 outcomes include 207 households housed. The organization employs 18 full-time staff with 100+ combined years of case management experience, is led by Executive Director John Marc Rittle (named Pennsylvania's Most Influential Leader and chairperson of the Bethlehem Housing Authority), and is governed by a community board currently presided over by César Córdova Collao. Active 2025–26 expansion initiatives include the Paving the Way Project, Wyandotte Street Apartments Renovation, the Shared Housing Project, and the acquisition of the former Episcopal Diocese building.

Name

New Bethany

Legal name

New Bethany, Inc.

Website

https://newbethany.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Bethany is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, operating five sites across the Lehigh Valley to deliver food assistance, transitional and permanent housing, case management, and wellness programming free of charge to individuals and families experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Food assistance programs
• Transitional housing
• Social services nonprofit
• Affordable housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethlehem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: New Bethany relies on individual monetary contributions from the community. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with IRS tax ID 23-23-65694.
2. Corporate and Foundation Partnerships: The organization receives support from corporate partners and foundations including Walmart Foundation, PNC Bank, R.K. Laros Foundation, Provident Bank Foundation, and others through grants and sponsorships.
3. Government Grants: New Bethany receives government funding including Northampton County Affordable Housing Program Grant funds and state grants such as the $475K presented by Boscola and Samuelson.
4. Event Fundraising: Annual events including Souper Day, Luminaria Night, Highmark Walk, and Turkey Drive generate fundraising revenue and community engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

New Bethany operates a continuum of social services for individuals and families experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in the Lehigh Valley. Programs include the Southside Drop-In Center (day shelter and meal center), Choice Food Pantry (food distribution), Transitional Housing Program (family-based shelter), Single Room Occupancy, Wyandotte Apartments (permanent affordable housing), Representative Payee financial management, and Housing Assistance. Services are provided free of charge to clients and funded through donations, grants, and community support.

Product overview

New Bethany is a nonprofit social services organization offering a coordinated portfolio of programs addressing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in the Lehigh Valley. The organization operates multiple distinct service lines including the Southside Drop-In Center (meal center and day shelter), Choice Food Pantry (food distribution), Transitional Housing Program (family-based shelter), Single Room Occupancy Program, Wyandotte Apartments (permanent affordable housing), Representative Payee Program (financial management), and Housing Assistance. These programs work together to provide a continuum of care from immediate needs (food, shelter, hygiene) through transitional and permanent housing solutions, with case management support to help individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Southside Drop-In Center A day shelter and meal center located at 341 W. 4th Street in Southside Bethlehem that provides hot meals, hygiene services, wellness programs, and basic needs support to individuals experiencing poverty or homelessness. Open Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:00pm, serving up to 130 people daily, and includes the Mollard Hospitality Meal Center.
• Choice Food Pantry A choice-based food pantry located at 380 Shawnee Street that provides fresh and nutritious food options including vegetables and fruits to food-insecure individuals and families. Open 10:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m Monday through Friday, serving approximately 5,953 people annually (2023).
• Transitional Housing Program A family-based transitional housing facility accepting parents of any sex or gender and multi-parent households. Residents work with case managers on action steps toward stability and self-sufficiency, with three-month program reviews. In 2024, 43 families and 47 individuals were served, with 13 families and 7 individuals moving to permanent housing.
• Single Room Occupancy Program A stable housing program for individuals with low fixed income or mental health concerns, offering clean private rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Operates at sites in South Bethlehem and Coplay.
• Wyandotte Apartments Seven-unit affordable housing program for formerly homeless families and individuals at 339 Wyandotte Street, subsidized by the Bethlehem Housing Authority Section 8 program. Primarily filled by graduates of the Transitional Housing Program.
• Representative Payee Program A financial management service for individuals receiving Social Security payments, handling rent, expenses, and assisting with budgeting and saving.
• Housing Assistance A rental assistance program offering rent arrears, utility arrears, and housing locator services to prevent homelessness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 225,644 meals served; 1,594 showers provided; 2,169 grocery carts; 880 households prevented from homelessness; 3,250 nights of shelter provided (2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. Luke's University Health NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing wellness services at New Bethany's Wellness Center. St. Luke's has also provided volunteer groups for transitional housing renovations and is a corporate supporter.
• United Way of the Greater Lehigh ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner and nonprofit collaborator. United Way 211 Coordinated Entry is the community's housing crisis response system partnering with New Bethany.
• Delaney Family (Volunteers)minorOthersLongtime volunteers participating in adopt-a-family initiative during Transitional Housing Program's annual holiday party for almost 20 years.
• HighmarkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner sponsoring the Highmark Walk for A Healthy Community. Event supports New Bethany's There's No Place Like Home campaign.
• Provident BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner and event sponsor. Provident Bank has sponsored the Turkey Drive for five consecutive years and is a corporate supporter.
• Lehigh Valley IronPigsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports team partner hosting Turkey Drive events at Coca-Cola Park venue.
• C.F. Martin Guitar & Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner with COO Scott Gervais serving on New Bethany's Board of Directors.
• Moravian UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Assistant Professor of Nursing Jacqueline Gannon and Associate Dean Robin Riley-Casey serving on Board of Directors.
• Bethlehem Area School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner with Superintendent Dr. Jack P. Silva on Board and collaborated on housing advocate position.
• Star Community HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing holistic wellness services at New Bethany's Wellness Center inside the Southside Drop-In Center.
• Neighborhood Health CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing wellness services at New Bethany's Wellness Center.
• GeisingercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing wellness services at New Bethany's Wellness Center.
• KidsPeacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing wellness services at New Bethany's Wellness Center.
• YMCA Center for Healthy LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing wellness services at New Bethany's Wellness Center.
• Pathways (Lehigh County Conference of Churches)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalk-in location for Coordinated Entry system for people experiencing or at-risk for homelessness.
• Third Street Alliance for Women & ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalk-in center for the Coordinated Entry system within the Lehigh Valley, located in Easton.
• Episcopal Diocese of BethlehemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner that helped establish New Bethany in March 1985 with support from the City of Bethlehem.
• City of BethlehemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner that supported the founding of New Bethany in 1985 along with the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem.
• Various Faith CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterfaith ministry founding partners who came together in the early 1980s to coordinate relief efforts including soup kitchens, shelters, thrift shop, and counseling.
• Lehigh UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Assistant Professor of Architecture Christina Chi Zhang serving as Secretary on Board of Directors.
• BattelleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner with Senior Counsel Scarlett Spence serving as Bylaws Chair on Board of Directors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity International: Nonprofit focused on affordable homeownership and home repairs for low-income families. Comparable as an adjacent housing nonprofit serving low-income populations, though operating through a construction-based model rather than transitional shelter.

Others

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National policy and advocacy organization focused on ending homelessness. Comparable as an ecosystem peer that shapes the federal funding and policy environment New Bethany depends on, though it does not deliver direct services.
• United Way Worldwide: Global convener and fundraiser that channels corporate and individual donations to local social service providers. Comparable because United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is one of New Bethany's core strategic partners and operates the 211 Coordinated Entry system.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Federated network of diocesan social service agencies providing housing, food, and case management to low-income populations. Comparable as a broad incumbent with a similar anti-poverty service mix delivered through community-based offices.
• Feeding America: Nation's largest hunger-relief organization, operating a network of regional food banks and pantries. Comparable as the dominant incumbent in the food assistance space that New Bethany also serves through its Choice Food Pantry and meal center.
• The Salvation Army: National faith-based nonprofit operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, food pantries, and case management. Highly comparable because it delivers the same continuum-of-care service mix New Bethany offers, but at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Community Action Partnership: National network of Community Action Agencies delivering anti-poverty services including housing assistance, food programs, and case management, often using federal CSBG funding. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving a similar low-income population with a similar service mix.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit operating housing, food, and behavioral health programs for vulnerable populations. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering a similar service continuum from emergency shelter through permanent supportive housing.

Direct peers

• Family Promise: National nonprofit specifically focused on family homelessness, providing shelter, transitional housing, and prevention services. Directly comparable to New Bethany's family-based Transitional Housing Program, including its inclusive acceptance of all family configurations.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley: Regional food bank serving the same Lehigh Valley geography as New Bethany. Comparable as a directly aligned peer in the hunger-relief space, and likely a current supplier or partner to New Bethany's food programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newbethanylv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about New Bethany