Agape Villages

Category: News

  • Award of Appreciation for Agape Volunteer Molly

    Award of Appreciation for Agape Volunteer Molly

    Hank Lawson presented an award of appreciation to Molly Dua at the Manteca Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee event. Molly does volunteer work for Agape Villages, most recently collecting book bags and school supplies for our foster youth.

  • Agape Villages at a Sacramento River Cats Game

    Agape Villages at a Sacramento River Cats Game

    Agape families attended the Sacramento River Cats game on Saturday, August 10 in Sacramento. Agape social worker Brian Bossemeyer threw out the first pitch. It was a great evening except sadly the River Cats lost. Our thanks to Goldrush Getaways for sponsoring the evening.

  • Book Bags For Foster Kids

    Book Bags For Foster Kids

    Thanks to John at Journey Christian Church for delivering boxes of book bags that we could give to the kids in foster care that Agape Villages supports. Just in time for the school year to start!

  • Birthday Boxes For Our Kids in Foster Care

    Birthday Boxes For Our Kids in Foster Care

    Keller Williams in Roseville has made Birthday Boxes for our foster kids. These decorated boxes contain everything needed to celebrate a birthday, complete with cake mix, frosting, décor, plates, napkins, balloons, and a birthday card with a special celebratory message. Agape is thankful to have received 25 Birthday Boxes! Thank you, Keller Williams in Roseville!

  • A Foster Parent’s Journey Comes To An End

    A Foster Parent’s Journey Comes To An End

    Robert and Shenida Redditt have been caring for children as foster parents in California for 15 years and served over 40 children. They chose to join Agape a year ago after hearing about us from a friend. In their short time with Agape, they commented how they have sensed how much all of our staff really care about the children.

    Shenida told about her mother and father being foster parents for years also, instilling in her a heart for needy children. Shenida and Robert have often said that “children are our future, we need to pour some of our goodness into them.”

    They recently informed Agape that they will have to withdraw from caring for kids to refocus their efforts. Since Shenida’s father recently passed, she now realizes her mother and grandmother need their help in a much greater way. In communicating the announcement that they are leaving, they’ve said that “It’s never easy to say goodbye. The kids become a part of your heart.”

    In a recent letter to Janet Kleyn, Shenida wrote, “I would first start off by telling you that Agape Villages has been the best foster care agency that we have been in. We have enjoyed being foster parents as we have seen the difference that can be made in a child who has been given ‘extra’ love. Showing you care and are there for the kids is monumental.”

    We are grateful for families like Robert and Shenida who provide such loving care to children. Foster parents are our unsung heroes. They give sacrificial love every day to each and every child in our care. Foster parents are the best!

  • Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

    Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

    We are so thankful for everyone who participated in the contest to help us build our digital presence! Juliana P. was the name we picked and will be receiving a $25 gift card. Please share us with friends and family who may be interested in becoming foster parents or supporting us! Thanks!

  • Backpack Donations to Davis Street

    Backpack Donations to Davis Street

    When we have donations beyond what we can give out, we work with other organizations in the community to make sure the items are given to people in need.

    We just donated a few unused back packs and duffel bags to Davis Street, an organization with a great mission. They help people with low income in the Eden area and surrounding communities to improve their quality of life.

    Here are two of our staff members, Mara and Eddie, with Daniel Johnson, the Operations Director, as the donations are being handed over.

  • Agape Receives CARF Accreditation!

    Agape Receives CARF Accreditation!

    We did it! After over a year of pursuing our national accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF), we received our approval letter on May 9th confirming we received our accreditation for the maximum period allowed, three years.

    We worked hard to get all of our policies and practices in compliance with over 2,000 CARF standards. It was a challenging task with staff agency-wide participating in the project. Many thanks to our key leadership staff, Janet Kleyn and Cheryl Youngblood, for guiding the agency through this process and to Doug Mead, our pro-bono consultant for this endeavor.

    Zen Gee and Barbara Dorsett, CARF representatives, met with us on April 4-6. They spoke very highly about Agape at their exit meeting. They made comments such as the following. “We don’t often see first year applicant agencies doing this well with the CARF process. You are way ahead of the game as a first-time agency. You are truly a pillar in your community. We commend all of you in this process and it is evident you definitely made a commitment to CARF.”

    We must continue to comply with their standards as we will be reviewed every three years for ongoing compliance and re-certification. Agape Villages’ President, Janet Kleyn, states: “Achieving accreditation was long and hard, but we have a great sense of pride in knowing we comply with best practice standards in our industry. The children in our care deserve no less.”

    We received a letter from CARF’s President/CEO, Brian Boon, Ph.D., who said the following:

    “It is my pleasure to inform you that Agape Villages Foster Family Agency has been issued CARF accreditation based on its recent survey. This achievement is an indication of your organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served.”

    We are thrilled to reach this milestone! We hope this “seal of approval” also strengthens our already good reputation and relationship with external stakeholders and the communities in which we operate!

  • In The Volunteer Spotlight: Doug Mead

    In The Volunteer Spotlight: Doug Mead

    I met Doug Mead in 2008 at the Christian Child and Family Services Association’s annual conference in Chicago. He was the Executive Director of Georgia Agape back then, a foster care and adoption agency in Atlanta. After seeing a copy of the newsletter we were doing (black & white on legal sized paper printed off our copier), he offered to do our newsletter for us assuming he would be doing it for a year or two. Well, 10 years later, Doug is still doing our newsletter! Not only that, he is now helping us navigate through the process of achieving national certification through CARF, donating his time in this time-consuming process. Doug and his wife recently retired to Southern California and he is now also consulting pro-bono with our board and staff. Thanks, Doug!!!

    We Need More Volunteers!

    If you would like to be a volunteer, please Get Involved or call us at 866-922-4273.

  • Our Values

    Our Values

    Agape Villages has some core values we follow to make our job of helping foster kids as effective as possible. We think it’s important we share them.

    Quality

    Striving for excellence in all we do, upholding the highest standards.

    Mercy

    Extending kindness and grace in excess of what may be expected.

    Sharing

    To whom much has been given, much is expected.

    Stewardship

    Protecting the community’s trust through integrity and management of resources.

    Child & Family Focused

    Every child deserves a loving, stable family where their best interests are preeminent.

    Golden Rule

    Do to others as you would have them do to you.

    Love

    Sincere love and compassion for the vulnerable children and youth among us.

    Servanthood

    Doing what we can, where we can to serve others and alleviate suffering and need.