Rep. Scholten announces she fought to get $3.8 million for Bethany Christian Services while ignoring that organization’s discriminatory policies

In a recent Press Release Congresswoman Hillary Scholten announced that Bethany Christian Services in Grand Rapids will receive $3,876,529 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Rep. Scholten then states:

“Every child who arrives in our country deserves safety, compassion, and a path back to their families. Bethany Christian Services has spent decades doing the hard work of making sure vulnerable children in West Michigan are cared for and have access to the resources they need, and I will keep working to protect and expand these critical federal investments.” 

Bethany Christian Services has a questionable history regarding foster care services for refugee children and for international adoption, particularly when public funds are involved, such as state contracts that have been in dispute in recent years.  

On top of the organization misuse of public funds Bethany Christian Services is once again coming under fire for their bigoted and discriminatory practices. Just last week it was reported that,”Bethany Christian Services has introduced a new Statement of Faith and Belief that condemns abortion, same-sex marriage and non-traditional gender identities.” Bethany has a history of condemning people who identify as LGBTQ.

Bethany Christian Services also released a statement of faith, which requires employees and families who want to foster refugee children to sign on to this statement of faith, an agreement which will go into effect in June of 2027.

It would seem that Rep. Scholten hasn’t done her due diligence with Bethany Christian Services during her efforts to direct $3,876,529 in federal funding to the religious agency that has very clear and very specific discriminatory practices.

Over the years I have documented that many of the DeVos and Van Andel Foundations have collectively provided millions in funding to Bethany Christian Services, particularly because of the rigid religious and ideological principles that the agency adheres to.

The last sentence in Rep. Scholten’s Press Release says:

This funding reflects Congresswoman Scholten’s ongoing work to bring federal investment back to Michigan’s Third Congressional District and expand protections and resources for vulnerable immigrant children.

The question for people in West Michigan should be asking Rep. Scholten is, does the $3.8 million truly provide protection to immigrant children in Bethany’s care?