Bethlehem Inn fund-raiser big success

The third annual Bethlehem Inn Spotlight on Homelessness dinner raised a record $100,000 for the Bend homeless shelter.

“Spotlight” is the Inn’s principal fundraising event. Gwenn Wysling, Executive Director, called the community’s support of the event “deeply gratifying” but was quick to add that the all-year-long need is great for the Inn, which gets only 2 percent of its funding from government sources.

Wysling also expressed gratitude to both The Collins Foundation and Brooks Resources/The Bend Foundation for the challenge grants they made for the event.

“We are deeply thankful to these foundations which recognize what it takes to consistently, month in, month out, year in, year out, help us meet the needs of the thousands of homeless individuals and families in Central Oregon,” Wysling said.

More than 200 guests attended the May 7th dinner at the Seventh Mountain Resort.

Many said the evening’s highlight was hearing the story of Toni LaFoe, former Inn resident. Toni spoke with heart and humor of her life before she came to Bethlehem Inn and how she, with help from the Inn staff and community resources was able to change her life.

Toni now has both her own residence and fulltime employment.

The Bethlehem Inn transforms lives with shelter, help and hope by providing a warm bed, hot shower, three meals each day and support services for adults and families experiencing homelessness in Central Oregon. Each year, the Inn provides shelter and support to over 1,000 individuals and serves 66,000 meals.

To learn more about how you can be a part of Central Oregon’s solution to end homelessness, please call 541.322.8768 or visit www.bethleheminn.org. Donations may also be mailed to Bethlehem Inn, P.O. Box 8540, Bend, OR 97708.