Bishop Foundation pledges $1 million to Lebanon Rescue Mission’s shelter project

The Lebanon Rescue Mission this week announced a “transformational” $1 million pledge from The Bishop Foundation.

Mission officials said in a press release they are “honored and deeply grateful” for the gift, which will be used to support of the $8.5 million Agape Safe Haven expansion project across from mission headquarters in the 1200 block of Bittner Boulevard.

The release says the pledge represents “one of the largest gifts” in the mission’s history. The funds will be used to help expand transitional housing and supportive services for seniors, women with children, and veterans experiencing homelessness in Lebanon County.

“More seniors in our community are experiencing homelessness for the first time,” the release explains. “Behind each story is someone who spent a lifetime working, raising families, and contributing to the community, yet now finds themselves overwhelmed by rising costs, health challenges, or unexpected life circumstances. The Agape Safe Haven Expansion Project comes in response to the growing need to serve women with children and seniors experiencing homelessness.”

The expansion will increase the mission’s capacity and “strengthen supportive services through shelter, meals, medical care access, case management, and Christ-centered support that helps individuals move toward stability and renewed purpose.”

“We are honestly speechless,” said Susan Blouch. “This pledge is more than financial support. It is a powerful affirmation of our mission and the lives we serve every day. The Bishop Foundation’s generosity will have a lasting impact on our community for generations.”

Blouch said the gift marks an exciting benchmark, bringing the mission more than halfway toward its fundraising goal and allowing the agency to move into the next phase of construction and development “with momentum and hope.”

“We believe every person deserves dignity, safety, and the opportunity to experience hope again,” Blouch said. “This expansion is about creating a safe place for people who are hurting and reminding them they are not alone.”

Construction at 1250-1310 Bittner Blvd., in the former Goodman Vending property, will cost approximately $6.5 million, Blouch told LebTown in March. Purchase of the property, all site and environmental studies, permitting, architecture and engineering fees, equipment, and shelter furnishings will account for the remaining $2 million.

The project is being funded by the sale of two Lebanon Rescue Mission properties at the corner of 9th and Walnut streets in Lebanon along with private donations. In February, the mission was also awarded a $1.5 million grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh.

Blouch apparently alluded to the gift from The Bishop Foundation in an interview with LebTown at the Thursday, March 12, groundbreaking ceremony for the shelter.

“I received a phone call from a donor that pledged $1 million,” Blouch told a LebTown reporter. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of call.”

She said at the time the shelter will provide 40 bedrooms, with 16 designated for seniors and the rest for women and their children, who will occupy just under 200 available beds. Blouch said capacity at the existing shelters has exceeded available space.

Construction is expected to take 12 months.

For more than 80 years, the Lebanon Rescue Mission has served as the largest provider of homeless services in Lebanon County, offering shelter, meals, medical care, and individualized case management for men, women, women with children, veterans, and seniors experiencing homelessness, the release says.

The Vernon and Doris Bishop Foundation, founded in 1957, is “committed to strengthening the local community through charitable giving that supports organizations serving vulnerable individuals and families.” The foundation makes investments in health, housing, education, and community wellbeing, the release says, helping nonprofit partners to expand their impact and meet critical needs across the Lebanon Valley.