Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church has been a beacon of light on the Eastside of Wilmington since 1846. For over 176 years, Bethel has met the needs of community members regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. Beautiful gate outreach center was birthed to address the needs of community members living with HIV/AIDS, and Bethel C.A.R.E.S. was founded in 2022 by Pastor Hearst to address the other pressing matters of our community members. The motto of Bethel is “The Church that Cares,” and we are putting that care into action by expanding our outreach.

The acronym C.A.R.E.S. stands for community action, redevelopment, and economic and educational solutions. We are in a community where the poverty rate is too high, and the opportunities for upward mobility are too low. We believe that having a laser focus on issues of social justice, housing, financial literacy, and early childhood education and intervention, we can start the process of transforming lives and improving our neighborhood.