You're invited to a Summer Backyard Barbecue Picnic and Groundbreaking Ceremony at Mt. Hope Nazarene Retirement Community on Sunday, June 22, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The outdoor event will take place rain or shine at 3026 Mt. Hope Home Road, Manheim, and will include a catered meal, yard games, live music, guest speakers and kids' prizes. Seating will be available under a large tent, but attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

The Groundbreaking Ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. and will celebrate Mt. Hope's 56th anniversary as well as the start of new independent living cottage construction. Donations will be accepted at the event, with all proceeds directly supporting the residents of Mt. Hope.

The catered meal will feature grilled pulled pork and chicken with barbecue sauces on soft rolls, baked macaroni and cheese, savory baked beans, creamy coleslaw and desserts.

Mt. Hope is home to 50 nursing care residents, who rely on the facility for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services, as well as those who reside in the current six independent living apartments. The addition of new cottages reflects Mt. Hope's commitment to seniors and individuals with disabilities, many living on limited incomes.

"Most of our residents do not have the financial resources or the broader supportive network to cover the cost of their care," shared Kris Wilson, director of advancement. "Eighty percent of our residents do not have funds to pay for their nursing care. So the primary payment available to Mt. Hope is from Medicaid, the state assistance program. Medicaid payments simply do not cover the cost of the required care. This challenge is known as the gap or the difference between the private-pay cost of care and the amount we receive from Medicaid."

There is an average gap of $200 a day per resident between what the state reimburses and the actual cost of care, she said. "The Medicaid funding gap makes it increasingly difficult for Mt. Hope to absorb costs of benevolent care without searching for other alternatives to offset rising costs and continuing with creative fundraising initiatives," she explained. "Mt. Hope has always aimed to be good stewards of its resources, managing them conservatively. This past year, Mt. Hope provided about $1.7 million in charitable nursing care."

The Groundbreaking Ceremony will also highlight the recent sale of the Mt. Hope farmhouse, which supplies crucial funding support. "The sale of the Mt. Hope farmhouse property gives Mt. Hope the boost needed to meet our new cottage fundraising goal and begin the initial construction phase," Wilson remarked. "Before the auction, we secured about half of the funds required for the new cottages' total project goal. Building two new independent-living duplex cottages gives Mt. Hope an additional four first-floor, suite-style apartments. These independent living cottages will increase Mt. Hope's revenue, ultimately helping to support the nursing home's mission."

Wilson also reflected on the site's historical legacy. "This dynamic project marks the beginning of the first expansion of Mt. Hope since Ephrata Grace Point Church purchased the facility over 19 years ago," she said. "In 1910, the Chiques congregation built the white frame Mt. Hope meetinghouse on Mt. Hope Home Road. Presently, this meetinghouse structure is recognizable at the east end of the main building of Mt. Hope Nazarene Retirement Community."

After Chiques built a modern facility, Mt. Hope was used for special events until its 1965 sale to the Dunkard Brethren Church. In 1969, it became a church home, later sold to Ephrata Grace Point Church in 2006.

Ephrata Grace Point Church envisioned a community-focused care facility where no one goes unserved, offering nursing and rehabilitation services regardless of financial circumstances - a mission aligned with the legacy of the Dunkard Brethren Church Home.

The upcoming cottages are part of fulfilling that legacy. "By adding more cottages to our campus, it helps secure Mt. Hope's mission of serving our community right here in Manheim," Wilson said. "Our goal is to have the new cottages move-in ready by the first half of the new year 2026. This new construction will provide housing options for families and connect Mt. Hope to the local community like never before."

She emphasized that when people attend events such as the summer picnic, their support of Mt. Hope is appreciated.

"Your contributions help us to continue to shine God's light," Wilson said. "We're so grateful for generous gifts that bless Mt. Hope. Thank you for caring about our residents and their home."

Preorders for the barbecue meal will be accepted through Sunday, June 15. Additional meals may be available the day of the event on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to reserve a meal, contact Wilson at 717-682-8026 or email advancement@mthopenazarene.org.