Children & Families

Bethesda Lutheran Services

bethesda1919.org

From our humble beginnings as an Orphanage to today serving over 900 children, youth and families daily all across Western Pennsylvania. We are proud to continue to be a leading agency in behavioral and mental health services.

Our Mission:
Bethesda Lutheran Services is a ministry providing promising futures for children, youth, and families.

Serving, Connecting, & Equipping Congregations:

Bethesda Children's Home was officially incorporated in 1919 as the Orphans’ Home of the Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, for the purpose of creating an orphanage.

From that humble beginning, our mission has always been to be a a ministry providing promising futures for children, youth, and families. We are proud to continue that mission of caring for the children, youth and families through robust, ever changing programming and also continue to hold true to our heritage by providing a Spiritual life program on our campus and ensuring all that come here have the opportunity to find healing.

How can congregations support Bethesda?

We could not begin to continue to provide promising futures to the over 2,000 children, youth and families that we serve daily without your kind support. We would love to come to your congregations, women's groups etc. to speak about our mission, our current needs and the progression of our agency as we continue into our next 100 years. Please reach out to our development department for more information on ways you can help and to arrange visits to campus or your congregations! Contact: development@bethesda1919.org or (814) 724-7510 ext. 228

Glade Run Lutheran Services

gladerun.org

Founded in 1854 as the Orphan’s Home and Farm School by the Rev. Dr. William Passavant in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, Glade Run has evolved over the years to meet the changing and increasingly challenging needs of children, adults and families throughout Western Pennsylvania and beyond. Specializing in education, mental health, autism, and unique therapeutic offerings, Glade Run has a long tradition of linking faith and service. Last year, Glade Run served over 4,000 individuals with impactful, innovative services in school, home, and community settings. Our mission, linking faith and service, drives our ability to provide quality programming to God’s vulnerable in our communities.

Serving, Connecting, & Equipping Congregations:

Glade Run serves our clients and families on behalf of all of our congregations. We help to connect families in congregations with mental health needs to services and families in care with congregational support. The Spiritual Care department can provide congregations with a variety of trainings to help support their ministries and create appropriate and welcoming spaces for all of God’s children. Trainings help congregations better understand mental health, autism and trauma. Training can also equip congregations to better serve the needs of their communities and families struggling with mental health issues and/or autism spectrum disorders, and help congregations create safe and welcoming communities of faith.

Glade Run also serves as a unique venue for Synod and congregational meetings and events, and provides a number of engaging opportunities for members of all ages to serve. From painting, weeding and cleaning to organizing in-kind drives, Glade Run is a vehicle for congregations to do God’s work, and the vulnerable individuals we serve the grateful recipients.