Jerrold Kennedy, Rudy Marquez, Tristan Jaramillo and Mark Ackerman won First Prize -Gross and Second went to Steve Keifer, Nick Mueller, Frank Souza and Brian Smith. Congratulations to both teams and see you next year!

And thank you to the Manteca Advisory Council – they are the best crew ever!

Thank You Sponsors

October 2023, Agape reached 65 years of service to abused and neglected children and youth in Northern California. How we wish there wasn’t a need for our service but we are grateful to our many donors, foster parents, staff and volunteers over the years who have supported us in this vital work. The more than 6,600 children directly touched, and families and others indirectly touched, will never be able to express their appreciation to you personally, so we do. Thank you! 

We need more resource parents. Help us help more kids like these. Please visit our resource parent page and learn what it takes to become one.

Ally was only 5 when she entered foster care for the first time. She was able to reunify with her parents after her first placement, but things only got worse for her when she went back home. Beatings were more intense than before. She was locked in her room, starved, never being able to play outside. This is not the life a child should have. School was a place Ally loved to be, it was the only safe place for her, a place where she could distract herself from the reality of what was going on at home. Ally got good grades in school despite all the abuse she was experiencing. Her parents would pull her from school as a punishment, taking away her only sense of safety.

Thankfully Ally was removed from her home a second time at age 14 and she was placed with Betty, one of Agape’s resource (foster) families. Betty took Ally in as her own and gave her the love and care she deserved. She was able to process what she had gone through in her past and focus on her goals for the future.

Ally is now an incredible young woman who has graduated college from Cal Poly with a 3.5 GPA!! She made the Dean’s list, has applied to the Peace Corp and is looking into a Master’s program in International Apparel Management. She has a love for learning and is excited to see where her passion will take her. Not only is she a kind and caring person, but she has overcome so many obstacles and is thriving.

This is the kind of story we love and are proud to tell you about! We know Ally is going to make a big impact in the world. She already has, and a big part of that is the love and care she had from her foster, now forever, family. However the costs to help kids like Ally are high and we cannot do what we do without YOUR financial support!

It is because of donors like you that stories like Ally’s are possible!

Ally recently said, “I was able to have great social workers from the start with Agape Villages because of the advocacy I got while in care. In Agape Villages I was able to have a great foster home where I was able to find my forever home. Through the staff members and resources I was able to get the guidance I needed. They always made sure I was well taken care of. The social workers and foster parents work very closely to make sure they are both advocating for the child.”

This is what YOU make possible!

Watch Ally’s Video

A Former Child In Foster Care Through Agape

Make More Stories Like Ally’s Possible! Donate Now

Unfortunately, her mother continued struggling with a substance abuse problem and was unable to follow the safety plan required for caring for Grace. Her father was out of the home and was a registered sex offender.

Grace was then placed in foster care with Agape Villages with one of our single parent resource families. At first, Grace was very quiet, cried a lot (especially to see her mother), and would eat very little. Agape Social Worker, Courtney McAlister, was able to arrange counseling ser- vices for Grace to help with her adjustments. We are pleased to report that after several months, Grace is doing much better. She is happy, loves her foster mother whom she calls “Grandma,” and is gaining weight.

We continue to work with the referring County Department of Social Services as efforts are made to work out a permanency plan for Grace.

The boys were in several foster homes and then came to one of Agape’s wonderful foster homes. It took a little while, but the boys are doing well in school. They are involved in sports. They have part-time jobs. They are typical kids. Their foster mom is now their legal guardian.

The boys have found their family. Agape foster mom says, “Agape Social Worker Courtney McAlister has been an excellent social worker. So supportive. The children’s attorney has been very good also. Courtney made the difference. I am very pleased with Agape.”

When you look at the word orphan, we see “a child whose parents are dead or has been abandoned.” If we broaden the definition, we will see neglected or abused children. What are the reasons orphans, adoptions and foster care are not on many people’s radar? I believe, like me, many are too busy to think of helping someone else. We may think of our own children and the investment, time and energy we have put into them. Are we happy with the return? We may remember church members and youth groups, the time, money, energies spent, and looking back we may be wondering, was it worth it?

I would like you to look at these disenfranchised children differently. To see ourselves in these often poor, neglected, lost, abused children. Was there a time when we were without God, lost, poor (economically, spiritually, emotionally, etc.) and someone loved us, showed genuine care for us, spent time with us, picked us up, directed us until we were able to get up on our feet? Looking back, we see God’s hand every step of the way. Let’s all remember today that someone helped us so we can help others. The question at the table for the ones that have been helped is, was it worth it for you?