“Mosaic” is a word that seems to be making the rounds lately. There’s the Mosaic highrise on Akard. There’s the Mosaic presentation that Ronald McDonald just held in honor of former CEO Barbara McDermott. But there is another Mosaic that’s been around for over a decade servicing the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Actually the initial Dallas program was not known as Mosaic. It started in 1986, when some local folks heard about the Bethphage program in Axtell, Nebraska, that assisted people with disabilities.
Quick history about Bethphage: A 30-year-old Swedish Lutheran minister, Rev. K.G. William Dahl “witnessed the neglect that children and adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities received in large institutions. He believed in a better way and convinced 54 people to give $1 each to establish Bethphage Inner Mission Association in 1913.
“With the start-up money, Pastor Dahl rented and renovated four homes in Axtell. On June 29, 1914, the first four guests arrived. Within a year, the ministry had grown to include 40 guests and 20 workers, and a new setting on land north of Axtell. The “hill,” as the Bethphage Mission casually came to be known, reflected a unique architectural style hearkening to Pastor Dahl’s native Sweden. A prominent building at Bethphage is Zion Chapel, dedicated May 20, 1931, as a gift of the Women’s Missionary Society of the Augustana Synod.”
Only four years after that first request for money, Rev. Dahl died at the age of 34. Still his legacy lived on.
But back to the Dallas program. The Dallasites “traveled to Nebraska to request Bethphage services in Texas. At that time, their children were residing in state schools, which were being closed down, or their children were graduating from public schools with nowhere to go for services. In August 1986, Bethphage opened four group homes in Dallas to provide residential services to 24 young adults.”
In 2003 the program joined with Martin Luther Homes resulting in Mosaic.
Today Mosaic is providing services for “more than 80 individuals with disabilities and their families in Dallas, Denton and Rockwall counties through a variety of individualized, community-based programs including 6-bed single sex group homes, supervised apartment living, in-home and family supports, host homes (foster care) and vocational/day services.”
Saturday the 17th Annual Heart & Soul Gala will be held at the Westin Galleria to support the efforts of this under-the-radar organization. Honorary chairs are Madge and Tom Earnshaw, who have been long time volunteers and advocates. Why Tom is even on the Mosaic Foundation Board.
Community awards will be presented to the following:
- Caring Community Honorees — Starbucks, Randol Mills Pharmacy, Preston Meadow Lutheran Church God’s Handymen, Covenant Church and M&M’s group of Christ Lutheran Church
- Meaningful Life Honorees — Dave Diehl, Alison Allen, Richard Innman and Joe Semler
- Giving A Voice Honorees — Butch Franklin, Carmen Oliver, Kevin Overstreet, Elizabeth Longan and Paul Wallace
The gala is a marvelous opportunity to support a program providing “a life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities.”
Tickets are available by calling 972.866.9989.
Beth Sabella says
Thank you Jeanne for sharing this with your readers! We had a wonderful event and I wanted to update on who won our awards- Alison Allen from Verizon won Meaningful Life, Preston Meadow Lutheran Church God’s Handymen won Caring Community and Carmen Oliver, a woman served by Mosaic, won the Giving a Voice award. It was a fabulous night raising more than $65,000 to benefit the people served by Mosaic. For those interested in learning more we have monthly luncheons called Moments with Mosaic from 12 – 1pm the first T/Th of each month- next gathering that has space is March 6th- Thanks!