Agape House Transitional Housing Program

Agape House is dedicated to changing the lives of families-in-crisis by providing long-term transitional housing for those who are without a residence. We equip families to rebuild their lives after homelessness through our proven four-phase program, Pathways to Independence.  With this structure our dedicated team addresses the unique needs of each individual in the family, as follows:

Phase 1: Stability

During the first 30 days, a case manager works with each family to ensure they have food to eat, a safe place to sleep, access to medications, vital documents, and children successfully attending school.

Phase 2: Personal Wellness

After basic needs are met, and throughout the program, our team focuses on increasing the physical, emotional and mental health of client families by connecting them to direct services and with referrals to local partners.

Phase 3: Life Skills Training

Families focus on skills such as career development, budgeting, parenting, time management, home organization, community resources, and childcare/education.

Phase 4: Sustainability

Families demonstrate their ability to maintain a job, housing, sustainable transportation, schooling, healthcare, childcare and positive community connections.

Through the Pathway to Independence program, all residents receive access to physical, spiritual, emotional, and behavioral health services.  Case management is provided using a holistic approach so that each client served has proper coordination of care across systems, to ensure wrap-around services are provided for each individual. We serve strategically alongside a long list of local community resources, nonprofits and churches. These help to ensure safety against drugs, alcohol, or other substance abuses and provide support and guidance regarding issues such as supplying basic needs, parenting, special needs, tutoring, choices, healthy relationships, suicide prevention, as well as offering healthy outlets to children.

Each family may stay between 6-24 months while actively participating and abiding by the resident agreement and saving toward permanent housing. Of families who complete the program, 86% achieve success as evidenced by their ability to maintain employment, housing, budgeting, using community resources, and having established a healthy support system, measured at least one year after graduation.

 Agape House strives to provide housing for those who have the greatest immediate need without regard to age, gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, language, capacity, disability or any other factors of this nature. All Agape House residents must complete a formal screening and acceptance process equally and only based on need and willingness to improve. Each must confirm a minimum of 6 months of sobriety, maintain employment, commit to a minimum of 10-12 hours each week of life-skills and personal wellness training, exhibit honesty, hard-work, perseverance, and a tenacious drive to better the lives of their family. Residents factors are historically as follows:

●     67% single mother households

●     22% married couples

●     7%   single fathers

●     2%   sibling guardians of younger children

●     2%   grandparents raising grandchildren

Most of Agape House’s clients have experienced domestic violence and other forms of abuse. Though we are not a domestic violence shelter, 86% of persons served at Agape House are overcoming previous domestic violence or abuse. Overcoming adverse experiences is a key part of the healing process at Agape House.

●     76% Substance abuse

●     86% Abuse/domestic violence

●     38% Legal Issues

●     91% Mental health issues

●     97% Low and extremely low income

Funds awarded by the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation will be used to support essential general operating infrastructure for this organization. (2025 budget attached) Thank you for your consideration!