Well, the amazing summer that I discussed in my last letter has obviously passed and we are having a full-fledged winter in Ohio for the first time in several years. If you are one who enjoys cold and snow you are pretty happy at this point. Despite the cold and snow the work at Agape continues as we seek to serve you and the children in your home with excellence.
Our first Family Fun Night was a huge success with several coming out to eat and get training while the kids had a great time with the staff. We have seen our Secret Santa Workshop come and go and we had nearly 300 come to the Christmas Party at the Boonshoft.
Despite his best efforts, Old Man Winter has not been able to slow us down and now we look forward to spring with much anticipation as Agape will celebrate our 25th Anniversary on March 7th. We have experienced amazing successes because of foster parents like Clifford and Loretta Phillips who have been licensed with us all 25 years…..Amazing!!. We want all of you to know, those of you who have been licensed for years and those who have just joined our team and are waiting for your first placement, that we APPRECIATE you. It is your dedication, your commitment, and your hard work that changes the lives of children and families.
Now for the hard news, we need more people just like you who are willing to take these children in. We especially need our families to consider what age child they are willing to welcome into their home. We need families willing to work with children over the age of 12 as we get dozens, if not hundreds of referrals each quarter for young adolescents and teens and we simply do not have enough homes to find matches for these children. I used to remind my staff all the time “teens are CHILDREN too, and they need love, and nurturing, and structure just like younger children. Yes, they pose different challenges but many people would be surprised at how successful they could be working with a teenager. If you are willing to consider taking an older youth into your home I hope you will let Bruce or I know. We would love to be able to place more of these children.
DON’T forget that we have a beautiful 50” TV that we will be giving away in a few short months but you can still earn an opportunity to win the TV. All you have to do is refer a friend or family member or someone you know to Agape. When they call to get information you are automatically entered into the drawing.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the support you are receiving from our staff, I would love to hear from you. Please remember, that we cannot address a concern that we do not know about. Together we will continue to grow stronger. I look forward to all that you as foster parents, with our support, are going to accomplish over the coming months. You may reach me at 439-4406 ext. 37 or email me at rstauffer@agapeforyouth.com
Sincerely,
Rodger