As I sit here and begin this article, I find myself reflecting upon being sincerely touched by the out-pour of support and guidance provided Agape over this past year.

I must say my co-workers here are the best in my history as Agape’s Executive Director and Founder. Our foster families continue their unbending commitment to serve the youth entrusted to their care, loving them beyond their behaviors, and their challenges.
Agape has received numerous accolades and feedback as to our serving mission, and this has helped to re-enforce that we are doing what we have set out to do…”serve with excellence”.

This year’s ‘Agape Strong-From Adversity to Opportunity Gala’ was our most successful in our history. We raised nearly $25,000, for our Youth and Family Fund and monies are still coming in! In July we received the Community Partner Award through MCJFS for Agape’s services to our community. In September we were notified that we were again selected as a finalist in the Ohio Association of Non-Profit Organizations Award of Excellence. If these great honors were not enough, on October 3rd, Agape will be awarded a $15,000 grant from the CareSource Foundation!!
Quite honestly, many things have changed at Agape; most significantly the coming together of co-workers creating an extremely positive shift in ‘culture’ like no other time in our history. With this unified commitment we’ve been able to consistently building upon the ‘strength-based’ initiative we began over three years ago. Together we are focused and driven…supporting and uplifting one another and those we are dedicated to serve. As you will hear me say….”we have no ‘problems’, only ‘challenges’, that with our collective strengths, we will address and overcome”!
Was it that simple?…actually….’no’ it was not! It required Agape’s Leadership to come together, and being genuine, and transparent in their unified support of the mission and vision of Agape, and support of one another, promoting this commitment to our staff and community.

There’s an old movie, ‘Lean On Me’ about ‘crazy’ Joe Clark, a principal who truly believed he could change an environment others believed to be ‘unchangeable’. While I can’t say I agreed with all of his methods, I did admire his passion and commitment to only accept the best from those around him.
Passion ‘embraced’, commitment ‘driven’, successful ‘results’…….we will settle for nothing less!

It’s a good day…..no it’s a great day here at Agape!

Be safe,
Steve