Christian Child and Family Services Association » Agape

Agape’s Heartlight Extraordinary

Sally Shank — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:49:17 +0000

AGAPE CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES’ HEARTLIGHT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS ORDINARY PEOPLE ACHIEIVING EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS THROUGH LOVE
Event featured Ron Hall, co-author of Same Kind of Different As Me
On the evening of Saturday, November 5, Agape Child & Family Services hosted its annual Hearlight event, themed “Extraordinatory”. This year’s event featured Ron Hall, who is the co-author of the best-seller Same Kind of Different as Me, a novel that explores his life-changing journey 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 be produced as a movie by Disney in 2012, epitomizes Agape’s desire to connect people in Memphis in mutual relationships that transform all, and glorify God. To hear more about Ron and Denver’s amazing story,

Ron Hall Co-author of of “Same Kind of Different as Me” Will Share at Agape’s Heartlight

Sally Shank — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:07:25 +0000

How does Memphis say love? By working 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.

Come celebrate and learn more at Heartlight 2011, Agape’s annual signature event — an evening of extraordinary fun, extraordinary food, extraordinary entertainment, and the extraordinary story of Ron Hall, co-author with Denver Moore of the best-selling novel Same Kind of Different as Me.

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

Need directions? For a map to Hickory Ridge Mall, click here.

To hear more about Ron and Denver’s amazing story, watch this video on the Same Kind of Different as Me website.

Seating is limited. Reserve your tickets now.

For more information about Heartlight and sponsorship opportunities, call (901) 323-3600.

Free 5K Walk For Adoption Co-sponsored by Nashville Agape

Sally Shank — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:02:37 +0000

Saturday, November 19, 2011 10am

AGAPE will co-sponsor this Family & Children’s Service event to create awareness of the children in our community who need families. Inspiring stories, music, games, food and much more. Register by November 4 to receive a free gift! Contact Jocelyn King at 615 340-9737 to register, or go to www.agapenashville.org for more information.

Agape’s 3rd Annual Adoption Celebration

Sally Shank — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:36:34 +0000

YOU ARE INVITED TO

Agape’s 3rd Annual
Adoption Celebration

An event for the entire family!

Saturday, November 5
11:00am-2:00pm
Vaughn Park Church of Christ
3800 Vaughn Road
Montgomery, AL 36106
www.agapeforchildren.org
272-9466

FREE! Lunch included.
Please register by Nov. 3!
A Registered Play Therapist will be in attendance.

Agape Launches GED Pilot Program

Sally Shank — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:09:57 +0000

Agape Child & Family Services Executive Director, David Jordan from left, Karla Davis and Kristee Bell celebrate the recent GED pilot program graduation.

The Bluff City has been an active player in the Talent Dividend, an initiative to increase the number of college graduates in the Memphis Metropolitan area by 1 percent over the next five years, which could generate a $1 billion annual increase in personal income.

Agape Child & Family Services executive director David Jordan, from left, Karla Davis and Kristee Bell celebrate the recent GED pilot program graduation.
(Photo: courtesy of Agape)

But a new pilot program spearheaded by the Memphis nonprofit Agape Child & Family Services is taking that goal a step further by making sure more people have the educational credentials such as the General Educational Development test to get into college in the first place.

“We’re engaged with the Leadership Memphis and the Talent Dividend and have a partnership with them, but there’s also data around GED/high school graduation rates and what it means for jobs and an increase in pay, and then for junior college and college attainment,” said David Jordan, Agape’s longtime executive director. “Getting a GED makes someone more marketable.”

Last week, about 50 residents of the city’s Whitehaven neighborhood graduated from an Agape-led GED pilot program during a ceremony at Boulevard Church of Christ, 4439 Elvis Presley Blvd.

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development commissioner Karla Davis spoke at the graduation ceremony.

“It was very gratifying to get to know some of the participants in the program,” Davis said. “It really touched me to see how important this is to them. Adult education is significant on so many levels because the graduates empower themselves with confidence, a much higher chance of employment, and the potential for higher income. The effect is contagious. When they bring that feeling home and share the success with their family, friends and especially their children, we know the impact is spread exponentially.”

The program involves collaboration between Agape and its community partners, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Teach for America and the University of Tennessee.

Agape – which means “love” in Greek – is a 41-year-old Christian-based organization that is dedicated to providing children and families with healthy homes through a wide range of programs, including adoption and foster care, maternity services, counseling and homelessness prevention.

The GED pilot program is the latest model added to the organization’s services. It’s made possible through Agape’s Powerlines Community Network Program, which works to connect local under-resourced communities with the resources they need to help shape a more nurturing environment for children and their families.

The Powerlines Community Network is currently active in three communities: Whitehaven, Hickory Hill/Southeast Memphis and Frayser/Raleigh.

Churches, businesses and other stakeholders partner with local neighborhoods to deliver services in a culturally sensitive, site-based manner. Partners include everyone from the City of Memphis to Literacy Mid-South to the Church Health Center.

“The purpose of Powerlines Community Network is to be with the people, of the people, among the people,” Jordan said. “It’s relational, and engaging with people. … It’s finding out what they need. And when they need a GED class, it’s walking them through the process.”

The program uses employees called “connectors” who not only guide participants toward attaining their GEDs, but help them tackle barriers to studying and class attendance.

“Often folks drop out of programs because of other issues,” Jordan said. “Their car’s in the shop, they’ve got child care issues, or they’ve got a significant relational problem in their home. The issues can be numerous. The connectors are working to address that range of barriers to help them be successful in what they started out to do – which is to get their GED.”

Connectors will also stay in communication with graduates as they enter into the job market.

The hope is that the program will be replicated in other parts of the state. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam was given weekly updates on the progress of the program.

“They wanted to start in Memphis, take this program to Nashville and then go all the way to Knoxville,” said Kristee Bell, director of Agape’s Powerlines Community Network. “This is a program they would like to duplicate, especially the partnership aspect of it.”

Davis said job creation is a major concern right now, and programs like this can increase Tennesseans workplace marketability and employment options.

“That’s why we were hopeful that this pilot program with Powerlines and Agape would be successful and it was. While some of the students will earn their GED diploma, all of them made academic gains and proved they can pass the test with a little more instruction.”
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Families In Transition Triples in Size With Generous Donation

Sally Shank — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:47:03 +0000

Agape (Memphis) received a generous donation of $50,000.00 from Baptist Memorial Health Care. The money will go toward the expansion of Agape’s Families in Transition (FIT) program for homeless, pregnant women and their children. David Jordan, Agape’s executive drirector, said, “We are truly blessed to have such an incredible supporter.”

Toys for Tattoos – Tattoo Artist Aiding Agape During Holiday Season

Sally Shank — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:32:17 +0000

Jose Guzman grew up with a mother who was unavailable, not knowing his father, and being shuffled between group care to foster homes. Some of this was good, some was bad. Now Jose, a tattoo artist, wants to give back. He is offering free tattoos and piercings for new toys valued at $25.00 or more to aid Agape Child amd Family Services. Go to www.AgapeMeansLove.org for more information.

Spirco/Agape Kid’s Classis Golf Tournament Raises Funds for Agape in Memphis

Sally Shank — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:01:49 +0000

On Monday, April 20th, SPIRCO/Metal Building Products hosted the Agape Child & Family Services annual Kid’s Classic Golf Tournament at the illustrious TPC Southwind. SPIRCO/Metal Building Products serves as the title sponsor for this annual tournament, which has raised over $450,000 in support of Agape in the past 4 years. These funds go towards serving Agape’s mission of helping children and families in need through adoption, foster care, counseling, mentoring, homeless services, home-based services and more. (Photo is of Barry Sims and David Jordan)
Barry Sims, president of SPIRCO notes that the fit between his organization and Agape is a perfect match. “Our foundations are very similar,” says Sims. “We’re both faith-based organizations, and believe that giving back to the community in which we live is crucial to its success.” The company name SPIRCO was derived from the words “spirit” and “company” while the word Agape is the Greek word for “love”. The event was a success, and the funds raised will further Agape’s reach in the local community.
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 adoption, foster care, mentoring, counseling, homeless services and maternity services. Agape will serve at least 30,000 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.

Informational Foster Care Dinner, May 28th Hosted by Agape of Central Alabama

Sally Shank — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:50:07 +0000

In honor of National Foster Care Month (May), Agape would like to invite you to attend our Informational Foster Care Dinner – FREE!

With more than a half of a million children in foster care, and many of them waiting to be adopted, Agape of Central Alabama is reaching out to Christians who are interested in helping our mission to provide, preserve and protect families.

On Thursday, May 28, Landmark Church of Christ in Montgomery, Ala., is hosting a Free Informational Foster Care Dinner for anyone interested in serving as foster parents or helping these children in any way. Agape of Central Alabama will introduce attendees to the foster care system and try to answer any questions that could arise.

Agape encourages any Christian interested in foster care to attend this Informational Dinner to learn more about caring for the younger generation.

Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009

Time: 6:00 -8:00 p.m.

Location: Landmark Church of Christ, Montgomery, Ala.

Cost: FREE

Registration: www.agapeforchildren.org or call 272-9466

Childcare will be provided for children up to 10 years old.

Contact: Emily Thames at ewthames@agapeforchildren.org or 272-9466

Agape of Central Alabama has been changing lives since 1978. Our mission is to meet the needs of families and children through adoption, foster care and maternity services with unconditional love. Agape’s main office is in Montgomery, Ala., with offices in Mobile, Enterprise, and Birmingham.

Thank you for your time,

Emily Webster Thames

Project Manager

Agape of Central Alabama

PO Box 230472

Montgomery, AL 36123

334-272-9466

Debbie Van Leuven -Agape’s Foster Family of the Year

Sally Shank — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:13:19 +0000

Debbie has fostered for Agape since 2002 and cared for seven youth in that time. Of those seven, she adopted one of the children (after fostering him for nearly three years). Debbie has always had such a sweet spirit and a good disposition; she states often that fostering has never been about her own needs, it has been about what she felt God expected her to do. Each child she has cared for has been different having different needs. With each situation, Debbie prayerfully committed to them and celebrated many small accomplishments with each child (such as the premature infant she cared for over only two weeks and nurtured him to gain two pounds in that short time). I cannot recall any time when Agape called on Debbie about a child needing a home when she did not say yes (and without hesitation). Debbie is a single foster mom who also happens to have a precious daughter, Callie who has Down’s Syndrome. They live in Munford but, Debbie has always made it a point to make sure the children in her care got to all necessary appointments, visits, etc. in Memphis, and she has worked well with biological families in the past. Debbie is committed to children….a number of us know that Debbie changed her worked schedule to be able to work on weekends only so that she could be as available as possible for Callie during the week…..she has really made sacrifices for children.