The home he was placed in treated the children badly. He said the only time they treated the children nicely was when the social worker was there. The social worker never asked the children how they were doing (so he said).

In that home, the children were locked in their rooms much of the time. Before the social worker came, they would call and let the home know they were on the way. So the children were let out of their rooms. I told him I was sorry that he was treated so badly. In reality, a CPS investigation should have occurred at the home and possible charges filed.

Unfortunately, there are times when we hear these kind of horror stories and it breaks our hearts. These few stories perpetuate the view some people have that ALL foster homes are like that one. It often coincides with the idea that foster parents are only in this for the money.

However, this is not the case. In fact, it is the farthest from the truth for the vast majority of situations. Foster care at Agape Villages, and at most all private agencies, is a sincere mission of love and service. We engage to make life better for the children and youth. Our foster parents do this work as angels of mercy and work closely with us at all times. Part of this does include unannounced visits by our social workers.

We want to be the agency that you are proud to be part of. We want to please God with the care we give to His children.

A common question people ask is why they should choose Agape Villages, i.e., what makes us different? What can we offer? What support do we provide?

Agape’s support for families begins the moment you start the application process. Our staff will walk you through each step and provide personal, one-on-one follow-up as needed. 

Once you are certified and have a child placed with you, the support continues through a number of services and programs:

• Weekly in-home visits by an Agape social worker
• Monthly Foster Parent/Resource Family support group meetings
• Specialized trainings based on the individual child placed in your home (if needed)
• Clothing Closets which offer a broad selection of items including clothes, toys, strollers, and other supplies (thank you to Sleep Train/Mattress Firm and other generous donors for stocking our closets!)

Additionally, Agape prioritizes our children and we strive to ensure that they get to experience childhood as it should be – a time of fun, learning, nurturing, and enrichment. Agape Villages offers several unique programs for our children. Our Enrichment Program offers families reimbursement (up to $50 per month) for various extracurricular activities for our foster kids. Often, foster children are left out of things like team sports, music lessons, and other opportunities simply due to lack of funding. We do not want our kids to miss those opportunities.

For girls ages 9-21, we offer our Teen Girls Group, a support group that meets bi-monthly and engages our pre-adolescent and teen girls in a variety of activities. It provides a safe space for the girls and lets them connect with others who have gone through similar experiences.

Our Transitional Living Skills program is a semester-long curriculum for teens 15-21 designed to prepare them for independent living after leaving foster care. We cover essential knowledge including interview skills, financial literacy, college applications and financial aid, and more.

Finally, to help cultivate a sense of community and fellowship, we offer two annual events for all foster families and their children. One is the Annual Family Picnic at the beginning of summer, which includes food, entertainment, and music. The other is the Annual Christmas Party which includes games, food, and presents for every child.

This post is merely a brief summary of the support Agape Villages provides, but we hope it gives you some insight as to what you can expect as a foster family with our organization. We strive to provide the very best programs and services to both our families and our children, with the ultimate goal of having every child in a safe, loving and stable home. Please contact us if you would like to learn more, at 800-566-2225.