Bethany Apartments: giving women a foundation for a new beginning.

In the late 1980s, the Racine Dominican Sisters were offered a large building near their motherhouse for use in their ministries. Under the direction of Sister Evelyn Lins, the sisters conducted a survey of the needs in Racine. One of the needs they uncovered was the lack of housing for victims of domestic abuse who had been at emergency shelters. They found that women and children were often leaving the shelters with nowhere to go after their stay. After consulting with 18 non-profit agencies for ideas, the dream of Bethany began to crystallize.

"I spoke with women at the Women's Resource Center, a shelter for victims of abuse, and they all spoke to the fact that they needed something besides a shelter. After their 30-day stay was up, women were returning to abusive situations, poverty or homelessness, because they had nowhere else to go," Sister Evelyn said.

The search for an appropriate building began soon after this. After several false starts, a building in downtown Racine was found. A former Catholic school, it needed extensive renovation to convert it into apartments. Realizing how large the project was becoming, the Racine Dominicans approached the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters because of their expertise running housing projects. They agreed to collaborate with the Dominicans on the project and Catherine Marian Housing, Inc. (CMH) was formed.

Rembert Weakland, then Archbishop of Milwaukee, assisted CMH in purchasing the vacant school by forgiving the mortgage that was held by the Archdiocese. Renovation began soon after this. Loans totaling more than $500,000 from WHEDA (Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority), the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters, and the Racine Dominicans were crucial to the renovation. The three story school building became a twelve unit apartment complex with common areas, office space, and a resident manager’s apartment.

How did the project get the name Bethany Apartments? “Bethany,” Sister Evelyn explained, “was the place where Jesus would go for respite with people who cared for him. These women come at a time in their lives when they need respite.”

Bethany will celebrate its 19th year of operation this November, 2009. Since it opened its doors to the first resident in late 1990, over 200 women and over 300 children have been served. Twenty-nine women and 44 children were served in 2008 and the program is at capacity for 2009.

Check out our other Bethany pages:

Home
About Us
Stories of Success
FAQs
How You Can Help

For more information call Lynda Jackson, Executive Director
at 262-633-9446 or e-mail cmh@bizwi.rr.com