In the summer of 1934, a young woman named Esther Swigart purchased a piece of property in Southampton, Pennsylvania. A teacher at Philadelphia’s Girard College, Swigart purchased this property in order to establish a haven for those who were looking for weekends of restoration, relaxation, and Christian fellowship. This property soon became a popular retreat center attracting speakers and leaders from the surrounding area. Dedicated to her mother, “Bethanna” was soon born.Bethanna, which translates to “House of Grace”, gained popularity within the Christian community and often hosted meetings with life speakers for those who required help or services. Marion Kinsler met Swigart through a Bible conference and the two began their mission together by opening a six-week bible camp for boys and girls, which led to a nonprofit organization. By 1952, Bethanna transitioned from a Christian weekend haven to a place for children to stay and receive love and care. As the number of children requiring help increased, the demand for services by Bethanna quickly escalated and a third property was purchased in order to provide a home for the children. Swigart and Kinsler became mother figures – providing clean clothes, food, shelter, and care – for all of the children until they reached retirement in 1962. Today, Bethanna upholds the same values that Swigart and Kinsler founded the agency on. Its main office in located in Philadelphia on 6th and Wood Streets, providing two primary levels of service and family-based support services in hopes of addressing the challenges most children and families encounter. One of the levels of service provided by Bethanna is known as “permanency services”. Permanency is the agency’s highest priority, with adoption and foster care being Bethanna’s largest service division. Many children who enter into the care of the agency are eligible for multiple services provided by the agency. These services are led by a professional staff that can be made up of either employees, foster and/or adoptive parents. The staff is well trained and challenged daily to provide the best care for infants, children, and teenagers. The second level of service involves “community treatment”, which focuses on the journey towards an emotional recovery. Intensive mental health support is provided for youth, foster, and adoptive parents. In cases of mental health services, Bethanna provides “outpatient care”. If more intensive services are necessary, patients are referred to Clinical Transition and Stabilization Services in the region. Jenisabel Herrera is a senior at Temple University graduating in May with a Bachelor’s degree from the College of Social Work. Prior to joining the staff at Bethanna through their internship program, Herrera spent four months interning at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Her clients consisted of mostly adults while at the Defender Association, which has helped her craft her skills and experience as a social worker. “It’s completely different when you compare working with children with adults, but I really loved this experience. Seeing these kids actually have a shot at a better life makes all of the challenges I’ve come across in the past few months really worth it," said Herrera. One success story Herrera recalls included a woman who was reunited with her daughter after months of being separated. Through the help of Bethanna’s services, the woman, who shall be unnamed for the sake of security, was able to earn a steady job after undergoing a number of support programs and treatments. Her new career assisted with the maintenance of a stable home life for herself at the time. After her long journey of trials and errors, she was able to better provide for her daughter – just one of many ways Bethanna has been able to help families in Philadelphia.