Bethel Community Center, a staple in the Putnam community, has been helping families for years through their faith-based approach to support and empower youth and families by providing resources and assistance through their programs and events.
With school being back in session, Bethel Community Center is offering their free after-school program to parents of school-aged children Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.. There are no requirements to meet other than being able to provide transportation to and from the center.
The program has been in operation for approximately 20 years and offers several features that set it apart from others in the community such as offering hot meals, focusing on instilling a sense of respect for others, enforcing the ability to follow directions, and cultivating a general belief in God through non-denominational faith-based activities and messages. Assistance with homework is available if needed and 22 Chromebooks are at the ready at the facility for children to use while there. Volunteers read to the children, lead them in fun and educational crafts, projects, and games, and once a week Y On the Fly stops by to provide additional activities for the kids to participate in making every child’s time at the center a well-rounded and enriching experience.
“The after school program is as old as the center – it has changed its face. When it first started it was almost all teenagers, a way to get the teenagers off the street. Mostly who we have now are the little kids. So we have middle schoolers and elementary school kids, but when it all started, it was teenagers. They’re now parents who are sending their kids,” Program Coordinator, Kathy Campbell explained.
Looking to the future, Bethel Community Center plans to add an option for transportation which will greatly help parents in the community as some have limited transportation or none at all. The center is currently in search of a qualified volunteer driver for their van. Additionally, the center is in need of banana boxes and additional volunteers for the after school program, both high school students and adults who like working with children.
The non-profit 501c3 organization runs mostly on the generosity of volunteers who help at the center including Zanesville High School students and the support of the community. The J.W. & M.H. Straker Charitable Foundation funds a food box program that provides around 30 boxes of food for families in need monthly. The next giveaway will be on September 23rd. On a related note, cooking classes for adults will begin on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in October and will be held through November 8. The classes teach attendees to make meals for their families using ingredients that are included in the monthly food boxes.
Bethel Community Center is located at 126 Ontario Street in Zanesville. For more information visit their Facebook page or contact the center at 740-297-4795.