Our History

The riots of the late 1960s and early 1970s left the West Garfield Park community in shambles. Homeowners, landlords, banks, businesses and investors fled this West Side Chicago neighborhood. In their wake came poverty, unemployment, and despair.

But a small neighborhood church said no to despair, and yes to life. Bethel Lutheran Church members, spurred by their faith, decided to fight the poverty and hopelessness. In 1979, they invested their few dollars to buy a three-flat apartment building and fix it up. In doing so, they gave birth to Bethel New Life.

Since 1979, Bethel has earned a national reputation for cutting edge initiatives and pioneering approaches that build on the people, physical assets, and faith base of the community. Bethel strives to turn problems into possibilities through community efforts that arise out of commitment to self help and self determination with community-based, value-centered, solution oriented initiatives.

Click here to learn more about Beth-Anne; also, please explore our site. It is miraculous how far Bethel has come from having a headquarters in a three-flat apartment building.

Help Bethel New Life to continue its mission. Please click here to learn more about how to contribute to our work!