Bethlehem Foundation

Supporting Choral Music at Bethlehem

The Bethlehem Foundation has recently provided a grant for a new Choral Scholar Program to begin this fall.  The program will feature four choral scholars from September to May who are undergraduate students at a local college or university.  The scholars will participate in weekly rehearsals and Sunday worship services and will spend time at both the Minnetonka and Minneapolis campuses. Each scholar will also receive a $3,200 scholarship for the program year paid to their current college.

This grant was given in memory and honor of Dick Dronen, whose long service to both the congregation and the Bethlehem Foundation will forever be remembered. 

Responding to Critical Food Needs

In January of 2022, the foundation was pleased to issue two proactive grants to two organizations providing critical food support in our community: Community Emergency Services (CES) in Minneapolis, and ICA Food Shelf in Minnetonka.

Proactive grants are initiated by a Bethlehem member who sees a critical need, rather than being submitted by the organization.  CES and ICA have long histories of support from Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities congregations.  The grants provided emergency food help at a time when many people in our community have been struggling with rising prices and other expenses that are out-running incomes, while food shelves have been straining to meet that demand coming out of the pandemic.

All Square – Neon Lights & Civil Rights

All Square is a restaurant located in southeast Minneapolis on Minnehaha and East 41st Avenue that is known for serving up the best grilled cheese sandwiches you will ever have! It’s also a food truck. But WAY more importantly, it is an Institute and Dream Lab. All Square is a nonprofit criminal justice reform and re-entry program that offers people returning from prison a 12-month fellowship.

Currently, the restaurant only has a sign in its window. Bethlehem Foundation was approached to help with the larger financial goal of purchasing a large neon sign that would help them attract more customers and we were proud to contribute $5000 to such an important organization.

My Very Own Bed

My Very Own Bed provides a new bed, set of sheets, blanket, pillow, mattress pad, stuffed animal, and a book to children who might otherwise go without as families transition from homelessness to stable housing. This grant was submitted by Bethlehem congregant Colette MacIver.

The Foundation Grant committee is especially excited about sharing information about this grant, because it is a great example of the types of organizations/efforts we are committed to support: Organizations / Projects that our Bethlehem members already support with their time and treasures, Organizations making an impact in our communities.

It is our hope that as you read about this grant to My Own Bed, you will think of an organization you support or that you’ve heard of in your community, and you will help connect that organization to the resources available through Bethlehem and the Foundation.

Planned Giving

Learn about how estate planning tools can financially support not only your loved ones but also the Bethlehem Foundation.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

Stock Gifts

There are two ways to make a donation of stock or securities: through an electronic transfer authorization or physical delivery. To ensure that we can acknowledge your gift for income tax purposes, please notify Lisa Quist in advance of the transmittal. Click here for a Stock Transfer Form.