The Bethlehem Center has been serving the community of St. Elmo and Alton Park for more than a century. Director of Community Impact, Lillian Moore, said the ministry was originally started in 1920. That’s when a group of United Methodist women came together seeking to impact the lives of people in need.
“Our founders saw needs in specific areas around town and tried to be really intentional about putting roots down here,” she said.
Mrs. Miriam Brock started a Bible study program in 1920 which eventually grew into a daycare and kindergarten class. The Reverend Sallie Crenshaw became a preaching missionary in 1930 and taught Bible studies Sunday mornings in St. Elmo.
Crenshaw noticed a need to take care of children left at home while their parents worked. By 1954, Crenshaw saved enough money to purchase the land and build a new daycare in the building known as the Bethlehem Center today. In 1960 the two women partnered their ministries, and today the Bethlehem Center continues to serve their surrounding community with a variety of services for youth and family.
Moore, a Nashville native, moved to Chattanooga in 2015. About five years ago she started doing volunteer work at the Center.
“Then they got a grant for innovative food security work and I was able to come in as their Grant Manager,” she said. “I went from managing that grant to becoming a director in the last three years. It’s been great. It's been wonderful.”
“We divide ourselves into youth impact and community impact programs,” Moore continued. “Youth Impact has been our original program. That's what we do. We work with kids.”
The Center has an after-school program.
Moore said children from kindergarten through eighth grade come to the Center after school, four days a week from 3-6 p.m. and are provided with a meal, a place to hang out and do activities, and do their homework.
In their Read to Lead program children receive academic support and tutoring, learn about STEM (Science, Technology, Education and Math), create arts and crafts, participate in recreational activities and learn life skills.
Moore said they have a program called Boys to Men where a dedicated mentor is paired with a young man. The mentor offers guidance, understanding and support. In return the young men learn about responsibility and community service as well as respect and communication skills.
“It’s for second graders all the way through post-secondary,” Moore said. “We walk with them and really find whatever success looks like for them. After high school, we try to find that and walk alongside them and really join them on their journeys.”
She said the children also go on field trips to learn more about their community.
“We also have a summer camp,” Moore said.
Their Jump STArt Camp provides a safe space for students during summer out-of-school time Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Moore said they also have special activities for holidays like Easter, Juneteenth, Halloween and Christmas.
“We take the children Christmas shopping every year,” Moore said
As for the community impact side, Moore said they realized the families of these children also need support, so the Center offers case management services, a client-choice food pantry, and a small urban farm and community garden.
“We have the farm outside and the farm feeds our food pantry,” she said. “A portion of the produce that we grow here goes into our pantry and feeds those families. It goes home with kids after school.”
Moore said the Center helps roughly 200-250 families a month.
“So, between 50-60 families a week are getting food through the food pantry,” she said.
Read more about the Farm at the Beth here.
Moore said they rely on the generosity of their volunteers, partners, sponsors and donors to keep their non-profit operational.
Always The Beth is their 2026 campaign slogan indicating the Center’s continued steady commitment to children and community.
To learn more or to donate visit www.thebeth.org