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Bethesda Lutheran Communities is a non-profit human service organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through faith-based programs. Bethesda, a 501(c)3 non-profit, provides supports and services for more than 2,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in 14 states including California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. The organization is headquartered in Watertown, Wisconsin. == History == Bethesda was founded on April 13, 1904 in Watertown, Wis. by Children’s Friends Societies from seven Midwestern states. The name chosen at the time was not "Bethesda", but rather “The Society for the Training and Care of the Feeble-minded and Epileptic”. The five original people supported by the organization moved into rented quarters in Watertown. In 1906, the organization had grown to serve 14 people, but lost its lease. It relocated to a small vacant sanitarium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 2½ years and grew to serve a total of 40 people. Having outgrown its Milwaukee location, the organization returned to Watertown in 1909 where the first permanent building was located on farmland along the banks of the Rock River. Above the main entrance to that building was placed a stone inscribed with a single word, “Bethesda”. The word is Hebrew for “House of Mercy” and is taken from a story of healing in the 5th Chapter of the Gospel of John. The name of the organization was not officially changed to Bethesda Lutheran Home until 1923. The original building quickly filled and others were built to accommodate a growing need for space. Through the first 40 years of its existence, Bethesda made use of the surrounding farmland and orchards to provide much of their own food. Since, by today’s standards, the people served at that time were very capable, many provided the necessary labor. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bethesda Lutheran Communities」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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