The Bacharach family first began making a difference in southern New Jersey in the 1870s, when Betty and Jacob Bacharach moved to Atlantic City and opened a retail store. The Bacharachs had five children: three sons and two daughters, Bertha and Ray.
One of Betty and Jacob’s sons, Harry Bacharach, was elected twice as Mayor of Atlantic City. Another one of the Bacharach’s sons, Isaac, served in Congress for 22 years and was the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Their third son, Benjamin, served as president of a local bank for many years.
The Bacharach children were very closely affiliated with the Order of the Elks, each serving in prominent roles. Their involvement led the Atlantic City Lodge of Elks to create and operate the Bacharach Home. The five Bacharach children made up the founders and principal benefactors of the Betty Bacharach Home, in honor of their gracious and kindly mother.
It was April 19, 1924, just over 100 years ago, that the first patient was admitted to the Betty Bacharach Home, currently the site of the Longport Municipal Building and the Longport Historical Society, and was cared for by Dr. David Bacharach Allman, the son of Ray Bacharach Allman. An internationally recognized surgery, Dr. Allman served as medical director and vice-chairman of the board of the Betty Bacharach Home.
The patient, admitted for a debilitating infection, was hospitalized for just under two months. However, despite the cutting-edge care provided, the average length of stay during the early years of the home was 208 days.
In the 1960s and into the early 1970s, medical care and treatment became available for polio and other childhood disorders, impacting the need for services. At this time, it became apparent that Bacharach needed to continue to change with the times and a shift was made from caring for children to caring for adults.
Additionally, to accommodate the change, a new hospital was built and opened in 1974 on the campus of Stockton College, alongside Atlantic City Medical Center in Pomona, New Jersey, where it existed for nearly 50 years.
The mission when the Bacharach Home opened was to offer care to disabled children under 15 years of age, free of charge, irrespective of race or color. While its mission changed over the years, Bacharach remained committed to promoting independence and well-being through quality, caring and advocacy.
During the past 100 years, countless patients entered Bacharach’s doors and left better off than when they came in. Today, through Bacharach Foundation’s work, the Bacharach legacy will continue to make a positive impact on individuals throughout the community.
