History
Briteside’s beginnings go back to the early seventies. At that time, a question was asked, a committee was formed, and a solution was found. There was a need for adequate services for the elderly of Hunterdon County and on November 5th 1979 the need was filled with the opening of Briteside in the Flemington Baptist Church.
Briteside started out with 4 participants and was open only 3 days a week. How far we have come! Today we are open 5 days a week and serve an average of 30 participants a day and we are looking to expand the program even further.
Briteside wasn’t established in a vacuum though - it was truly a community effort. The support of the Freeholders, the initial financial backing of The Large Foundation, the partnership with the Hunterdon Medical Center, all contributed to the miracle that we know as Briteside.
Yes, Briteside was meant to be. The support of the community continues to grow with each passing year. We have been blessed with the continued support of The Large Foundation, the Flemington Woman’s Club, which has supported Briteside over 15 years, the Italian-American Heritage Club, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the Flemington Presbyterian Church, the Flemington Lions Club, Voices for Charity ... the list goes on and on. Financial support also comes from grants from local, state and federal agencies and United Way donations and grants.
Then, in 2004, support came from an unexpected direction. The name of Paul Wirtz was not familiar to Britesiders. Mr. Wirtz was a gentlemen who was able to afford in-home care when he needed it. Being aware that not every elderly person had the same resources, he generously left a portion of his estate to 5 non-profit organizations which aid the elderly.
Briteside was one of those non-profits and it was with this seed money that we were able to begin another search. This time the search was for a site we could purchase for our own. We purchased a site on Sand Hill Road in Flemington and on July 5, 2006 we made the move to our new Briteside home.
It isn’t all about the money though. Without the dedication of the Briteside Board of Trustees over the years, the caring staff, and our many volunteers, we would not be where we are today. You only have to look at the cards expressing appreciation on the bulletin boards at the Center to know how much the caregivers and families feel about the attention their loved one receives at Briteside. The faces have changed over the years but the tender caring of the staff remains a constant.
In 2010, we will celebrate the 31st anniversary of the miracle called Briteside. We thank all those who have helped us through the years and continue their help with all our ventures. We rejoice in the many people we have helped. We look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.
