Bethany House’s Family Services Department (FSD) manages a child and family stabilization program that is structured to provide children experiencing homelessness with the immediate services they need, trauma-informed care, and opportunities to stimulate personal growth. 

The program also includes therapeutic recreation sessions to improve each child’s mental health and social and emotional well-being. These sessions offer children a unique environment to learn healthy behaviors, build trusting relationship

ps, and practice new ways to communicate emotions. 

Beginning in December 2022, BHS introduced a Kaleidoscope Play & Learn program to families in shelter with a plan to expand it to families in BHS Housing programs in 2023 as well. December 5th marked the official date that Bethany House reached full capacity in its new building with 41 families (93 children. This project is expected to serve approximately 700 children in 2023.

Grants made in January:

IN5, $35,000.  The Building Resiliency in Youth program provides mental health screening and education at over 100 schools and combats the growing mental health epidemic which affects an estimated one in five young people.

Bethany House Services, $50,000.  See above.

Cincinnati Arts Association, $25,000.  In-person SchoolTime performances at the Aronoff Center and the Artists on Tour classroom outreach performances bring the arts to 30,000 youth and supervising adults.

Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship, $20,000.  A menu of Equine Assisted Services uses horses to promote mental wellness, emotional growth and physical improvement for young persons with a wide variety of disabilities.

Lydia’s House, $25,000.  The nutrition program at Lydia's House addresses the critical need for nutritious foods for children and their mothers transitioning from homelessness. Lydia's House serves 6-12 individuals at a time, and 35-48 individuals each year.

Magnified Giving, $25,000.  High school and middle school students at about 100 area schools and 25 youth-serving organizations learn the importance, benefits and process of philanthropy by evaluating and making grants to non-profit organizations.

OptimAll Services Inc., $25,000.  Students with learning disabilities at non-public, inner-city schools are served through the State of Ohio’s Jon Peterson Special Needs and Autism scholarships.

UpSpring, $25,000.  Summer 360°, the organization’s successful summer education program, is a free, seven-week academic and enrichment program helps 120 homeless children ages 5-14 gain needed math and literacy skills.  

The Dater Foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area to carry out programs that benefit young people and focus in the areas of arts/culture, education, healthcare, social services and other community needs.  Information about the grantmaking process and guidelines and links to an online grant application website are available at www.DaterFoundation.org.

The private foundation was established by fourth-generation Cincinnatian, businessman and philanthropist Charles Dater (1912-1993) to ensure that his resources would continue to fund worthwhile community programs after his death.  The foundation has made more than 3,400 grants totaling over $66 million since its inception in 1985.

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For additional information regarding this news release, contact Roger Ruhl (513/598-1141).

The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc. is located at 700 Walnut Street, Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202.