Agape, a non-profit agency is seeking dynamic motivated and assertive Families in Transition Director. This person will be responsible for the oversight of the operations of our residential program, Families in Transition (FIT) program and other related program expansions. Therefore, experience in working in homeless, residential programs preferred but not required. The Families in Transition Director will assist in providing leadersnip to all staff by creating a positive work invironment and promoting the professional growth of supervisors in managing day to day operations to ensure fiscal and program service goal achievement according to Agape policies, practices, and procedures.

Innovative thinking and flexibility, as well as the ability to work independently are critically important.

As the Families in Transition Director for FIT, this successful candidate must respond to a wide variety of routine and non-routine requests and demands. This position requires excellent communications skills and the ability to process information in a effective and professional manner. This person will ensure accuracy of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data.

The Families in Transition Director must provide supervision to Socal Work and/or program related staff. This applicant supervises the areas of program inquireis, intakes, and referrals concerning maternity care services and you will provde emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, medical, etc. counsel and support to clients served. This position requires a high level of reporting and attention to detail.

The Families in Transition Director must be proficient in managing multiple grants, projects and/or contracts. This applicant will represent Agape as an articulate and professional spokesperson wit effective public presentation skills and the capacity to communicate with diverse audiences, including high-level policy makers, community leaders, media representatives, and other advocates and colleagues. This person must have the ability to write and speak coherently and persuasively, and possess highly-developed collaborative abilities. Strong management skills with demonstrated capacity to recruit, retain, lead and marshal the talents of a diverse, professional, experienced, and creative staff, who are often themselves recognized as leaders in their particular areas. The ability and desire to promote an open, inclusive work environment that emphasizes cooperation and teamwork are essential.

The Families in Transition Director must also be capable of building trust while ensuring accountability. Timely and critical decision-making skills are necessary.

Education and Experience Requirement:

Required: Master’s Degree in Social Work preferred, but other related Master’s Degree is accepted. This applicant must possess a combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position. Applicant must have demonstrated experience in this general field and at least 3-5 years of supervisiory experience. Aslo, development/fund raising or related experience desired Demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of people, excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, proven ability as a prolem solver and self-starter. Candidate must be culturally sensitive with a passion for helping others. Candidate must be computer proficient in Microsoft Office Suite. Will be required to work a flexible schedule; possibly be available evenings and weekends.

Send detailed resume with references to:
Agape Child & Family Services, Inc.
Nichole Love, BBA, Office Manager
Nichole.Love@AgapeMeansLove.org
P.O. Box 11411- Memphis, TN 38111

Or you may fax to: Fax 901-323-3640

Read The Commercial Appeal’s Faith & Values story about how the gift of adoption changed the life of one family forever.

Go to www.AgapeMeansLove.org to read the full story.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., congratulated Agape Child & Family Services of Memphis and Jackson on being recognized as a 2011 Angel in Adoption for their advocacy of adoption and foster care issues.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption program, honored Agape, along with more than 140 other “angels,” at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington on October 5th.

“I was proud to nominate Agape Child & Family Services for this award,” said Corker. “For over 42 years they have been committed to serving thousands of children and families in West Tennessee. Their good work serves as an example to us all.”

Agape Child & Family Services, a Christian-based organization with locations in Memphis and Jackson, is being honored for their commitment to providing children and families with healthy homes through community restoration, homeless services, mentoring, foster care, adoption, maternity services and counseling. Agape will serve more than 18,000 children, adults and families this year through its services.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes through adoption.

The Angels in Adoption program is CCAI’s signature public awareness campaign and provides an opportunity for members of Congress to honor the good work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit http://www.ccainstitute.org/.

This event was designed to raise awareness of domestic violence and its affect upon children and families and provide education on building healthy relationships to the residents of Autumn Ridge Apartments in Hickory Hill.

Purple Light Nights encourages residents to shine a purple light on their front porch, hang a string of purple lights in business windows, and decorate trees with purple lights – all in an effort to send the message that “Domestic violence has no place in our community.”

This local event honored fallen victims Ashley Scott, Charlene Gaither and Taffi Crawford. Autumn Ridge residents received information from The Exchange Club Family Center, Crime Victims Center and even a self-defense demonstration from black belt, Andre’ Mays. There was also a book signing by Kamekio Lewis, author of Looking 4 Love In All the Wrong Places. In addition, Joyce Parkinson, founder of Walking Into A New Life, shared encouraging words and an account of her personal testimony with attendees.

To address the issue of domestic violence in our city, Agape is intentionally expanding its Families in Transition (FIT) program, which serves homeless, pregnant women and their children, to serve up to 10 additional families with transitional housing and supportive services. Effective January 1, 2012, homeless mothers and their children who are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking will receive these services in Agape’s Bent Tree apartment community in Whitehaven.

Purple Light Nights culminated with the lighting of a purple tree and the release of purple balloons in memory of the fallen victims. For more information about Purple Light Nights or how your organization can partner with Powerlines Community Network, led by Agape and its community partners, please contact Powerlines Community Network director, Kristee Bell, at 901-323-3600.

With offices in Memphis (111 Racine) and Jackson, TN, Agape Child & Family Services is a Christian-based organization which provides children and families with healthy homes in the regional area through community restoration, homeless services, mentoring, adoption, foster care, maternity services and counseling. Agape will serve more than 10,000 children, adults and families this year through its services. For more information on Agape Child & Family Services or to find out how you can become part of the effort to adopt, foster, mentor and support the children in our community, call 901.323.3600 or visit www.AgapeMeansLove.org

On Tuesday, October 11, Agape Child & Family Services held a public launch of its Powerlines Community Network in Hickory Hill/Southeast Memphis. The event was held at the Hickory Hill Community Center at 3910 Ridgeway Road. A group of faith-based and community leaders gathered to launch this effort to ensure Memphians living in the city’s most blighted ZIP codes receive the assistance they need within their own neighborhoods.

Organizations involved included Agape, Christ Community Health Services, the Church Health Center, The Shalom Project, Families Matter and One by One Ministries, to name a few. They gathered together to celebrate hope for the Hickory Hill/Southeast Memphis area, along with community leaders like Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, who was on hand at the event. The pastors of New Directions Christian Church, Anointed Temple of Praise, Cummins Street Baptist Church, Church Health Center and South Germantown Road Church of Christ were also present to offer their prayers.

Agape is a Christian-based organization that provides children and families with healthy homes through community restoration, homeless services, mentoring, foster care, adoption, maternity services and counseling. Agape launched Powerlines Community Network in March 2009 to provide neighborhoods in need site-based services such as mentoring, tutoring, parenting classes, GED tutoring for adults and even opportunities for reconnecting people with their faith. Powerlines has been a huge success in Whitehaven and is currently extending into the Frayser and Raleigh areas, as well.

News Channel 3 was on-hand to cover the event.

Agape Child & Family Services works through ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results — results such as relieving the plight of the homeless, mentoring and tutoring school children, providing counseling to expectant mothers, foster care and adoption services, and restoring families and communities — all in the name of Jesus.

This year, Heartlight promises to be an evening of extraordinary fun, extraordinary food, extraordinary entertainment, and the extraordinary story of Ron Hall, who is the co-author of the best-seller Same Kind of Different as Me, a novel that explores his life-changing relationship with a homeless man, Denver Moore and their unforeseen “Extra-Ordinary” relationship that transformed both of them. Their true story, which Samuel L. Jackson will star in and produce as a movie, epitomizes Agape’s desire to connect people in our city in mutual relationships that transform all, and glorify God. For more information on their story, go to the following link: http://www.samekindofdifferentasme.com/video.aspx.

The Hickory Ridge Mall was chosen as a very intentional host site for Heartlight this year as Hickory Hill is 1 of the 3 communities Agape is serving via Powerlines Community Network, in addition to its service in Whitehaven and Frayser/Raleigh.

Seating is limited, so make plans to join us now!

Date: Saturday, November 5

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Place: Hickory Ridge Mall, The New Towne Centre

Dress: Business Casual

Ticket Price: $40 (includes dinner and program)

Register: Online at www.AgapeMeansLove.org/Heartlight
or via phone at 901.323.3600

Your support of Agape Child & Family Services will help our Christian-based organization provide children and families with healthy homes in the regional area through community restoration, homeless services, mentoring, adoption, foster care, maternity services and counseling. Agape will serve more than 18,000 children, adults and families this year through its services. For more information on Agape Child & Family Services or to find out how you can become part of the effort to adopt, foster, mentor and support the children in our community, call 901.323.3600 or visit www.AgapeMeansLove.org.

The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The efforts to bring the Dress for Success Program to this particular community were headed up by Powerlines Community Network, a collaborative effort bringing multiple agencies together to serve those in underserved communities.

Powerlines Community Network is led by Agape Child & Family Services.

Julie Sanon has joined Agape Child & Family Services as director of operations
Hometown: Leesburg, Fla.

Education: Psychology major from Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts

Work Experience: Thirty years of experience in the workforce development and labor exchange

Family: I am the proud mother of a daughter, son and also have a son-in-law. I am also parent to two precious rescue dogs named Thunder and Lightning. I also have many lifelong friends whom I consider family members.

Favorite quote: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Activities you enjoy outside of work: Watching HGTV, swimming, walking and gardening

What talent do you wish you had? I am just thankful for the talents that I have been given.

Who has had the greatest influence on you? Second to Jesus, I’d say my father. He had a loving spirit, encouraged me all my life and gave me the belief that I could do anything!

What drew you to Agape Child & Family Services? I feel like I have been being prepared for this role all of my life. As I look back, I can clearly see that my past life experiences have given me the passion and compassion needed to serve children and families in the Memphis community in this role.

How has your previous experience prepared you for your new role at Agape? For more than 30 years, I have worked with diverse groups of people with various multicultural, social and economic backgrounds. I know what it means to have plenty and I know what it means to have little. My previous experiences have taught me to value the individual; to recognize strengths and weaknesses in myself and in others; and to understand the vision and build effective teams to accomplish goals.

What do you hope to accomplish as director of operations at Agape? I want to lead by example. To let my light shine daily. I want to lend my expertise and give of myself in powerful, meaningful ways that help children and families in crisis in our great city.

What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments? I have been fortunate to be part of teams that have been recognized for innovations, initiatives and accomplishments. And yet, I believe that much more is to come.

What do you find most rewarding about your work? That I am blessed to be part of an organization that is faith-based and strives to bring hope and healing to others in need.