Our Impact
as of October 2023
From the desk of Keith Fortier, Agape of NC’s Director of Development
It has been about four months since I started my work with Agape and in that time, I have had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people who love Agape and have worked and poured their time, heart, prayer, and financial support into this beautiful ministry that loves and serves families and children at their time of greatest need. It is such a joy, and I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for this incredible team and the rich history of churches and individuals who are serving the Lord and serving children!
I have spent time learning the 40 years of incredible Agape history, and I have also been learning that the work of Agape has never been needed more desperately than now! My conversations and connections during these first months have opened my eyes to the desperate need for more foster and adoptive homes. In the years following Covid, the foster care crisis in NC reached new lows.
If you pay attention to the news or listen to the professionals working to protect children, you quickly learn that there are currently about 12,000 children in foster care and only about 7,000 homes that are licensed and ready to care for them.
This has created a situation where children are sleeping in DSS offices, bouncing from one temporary home to the next and often being placed in places or situations that are not in their best interest.
When we hear these kinds of statistics it is easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless, but nothing is ever truly hopeless with our God! Since the beginning our God has been taking broken things and making them beautiful. He is a redeemer, and we are full of faith that we will see him move on behalf of the children and families of NC. Agape has 40 years of strong connections with churches all around NC and 40 years of building a strong relationship with the local DSS offices. This rich history has uniquely positioned us to be major partners in seeing hope and healing come to NC in the midst of this crisis. It is time for Agape to stretch its wings and bring the love of God and the hope of the Gospel to more children and more of NC.
No child should need to wait for a loving home, and we dream of the day when there will be more homes ready and waiting for children than children waiting for families.
But to see this dream become a reality, we will all need to learn new ways of living compassionately and giving extravagantly. This is who Jesus is and this is how he has taught us to live, and Agape is excited to play our part in seeing His kingdom come in NC.
Strengthening our existing connections with churches and individuals and making new connections across NC will be especially important in allowing us to play the part that God has called us to. We will need churches who can strategically partner with us to reach their communities, generous financial partners that can help us grow and spread our reach to new parts of the state and individual families that will open their hearts and homes to children in need. More than anything else we need people who will champion the vision and pray that God would bless this ministry and allow us to be a beacon of hope during a dark time.
Spring 2023 Highlights
Agape was excited to be a sponsor of the Renew Retreat and partner with Summit church and other organizations to make it an incredible and refreshing event. At the retreat, Agape provided a beautiful breakfast for 250 foster/adoptive parents and expressed our love and appreciation for this incredible community of people.
Keith Fortier (Director of Development) and board members Vallarie Massey and Lisa Dudley (not pictured), all attended Charlotte’s Angels Foster Care Awareness Festival in Charlotte, NC. We are excited to support the incredible work of Charlotte’s Angels and spread the word about Agape in the Charlotte Area.
Agape is thrilled to receive a generous grant from the IMC Gives Fund of Triangle Community Foundation in Honor of Ted Fowler and his faithful service to the IMC Board of Directors. Thank you Mr. Fowler for your work in the community and thank you IMC for your generosity in support of our mission.
Agape is thrilled to receive a generous grant from the Kinder Morgan foundation. We want to thank the KM foundation for supporting our mission and thank Teresa Gibson for taking the time to nominate Agape for this grant opportunity. We are thankful for the generosity and for your support of Agape!
We had an incredible morning visiting PRCOC in Charlotte earlier this month. Their minister, Matt Haynes, interviews Kimberly Scott and Keith/Tanya Fortier about Agape and about our experiences as foster/adoptive parents. It was such a joy to share God’s heart for kids/families that are impacted by the foster care system and invite this community into deeper levels of partnership in the mission.
Staff Updates
Agape of NC welcomed two NEW Foster care Contractors
Tanya Fortier
Tanya has been a foster/adoptive mom for the last 9 years and has been supporting foster parents by being part of the new foster parents licensing trainings as well as running support groups for foster/adoptive parents. She has supported children/families in hospital and school settings and is excited to serve Agape families and be a part of their support system. Tanya loves being a mom and enjoying all of the little moments of life with her husband and six children. When she has a spare moment, Tanya can usually be found organizing and making messy spaces beautiful.
Heather Waite
I’m excited to be joining Agape, once again! I have a master’s in social work from Walls Walla University and experienced working with patients in intensive in-home services, inpatient and residential eating disorders, and individual therapy. In my free time, I love hanging out with my two daughters and my cat.
11th Annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival
Who loves a fun family Saturday in September? We do!
AGAPE of NC invites you to the 11th annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival. Once again, our organization will sponsor the Kids Craft tent full of free activities and games for kids. North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper Brady White will be there to show his patrol car to young guests.
The award-winning bluegrass group The Grascals will headline the festival, with strong support from the Becky Buller Band, singer-songwriter Colin Cutler, and another exciting family band (stay tuned for that announcement!).
Details
DATE: Saturday, September 9,2023
LOCATION: Carolina Bible Camp & Retreat Center1988 Jericho Church Road, Mocksville, NC 27028
TICKETS: $20.00 in advance | $25.00 at the gate | children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. All proceeds benefit Carolina Bible Camp’s scholarship and capital development funds.
CBC Bluegrass Festival
The Grascals
The Grascals includes Kristin Scott Benson, winner of the 2018 Steve Martin Banjo Prize. Photo by LuAnn Smith.
Agape of NC Tent
There are lots of free crafts to do at the AGAPE of NC Kids’ Tent. Photo by David Johnson.
Trooper Brandy White
NCSHP Trp. Brady White will be back, ready to show off blue lights and patrol equipment to young guests. Photo by David Johnson.
Wrap-Around Care Program
It is best for a child to be with their family of origin. When this is not possible, we should be prepared to tangibly demonstrate the adoptive love of God by welcoming these children into our homes and communities. Families that choose to welcome these children should not do it alone, they need your support and encouragement. Agape is working with churches, communities and volunteers to create a wrap-around care program. Our goal is mobilize the body of Christ to love and serve foster/adoptive families with intentional relationships that will prevent burn out and allow them to serve longer and more effectively.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters… Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3: 16, 18
of foster parents admit to thinking often or very often about quitting
of foster parents stop fostering after just one year or after one foster placement
of foster parents with wrap-around support continue into a second year or placement
What is a Wrap-Around Care Team?
A group of 4-7 committed people (or couples) with diverse giftings who have been strategically matched to a specific foster/adoptive family. This group of people are committed to developing a relationship with the foster/adoptive family and has made the family’s continued success part of their personal mission. Each team member commits to serving in one of four specific roles: Team Leader, Caregiver, Helper, Encourager.
Team Leader
Contact with foster family, care coordination, communication, prayer coverage, team maintenance
Caregiver
Tailored specifically to the family- can provide childcare, tutoring, respite or other similar activities for the family.
Helpers
Tasks such as meals, laundry, yard work, appointments, transportation, errands, etc. as needed. They keep their eyes and ears open for creative ways to help.
Encourager
Emotional support for the family- prayers, words of encouragement, notes, phone calls, emails etc. to help the foster family feel covered and cared for.
Kayleigh has been a social worker with Agape since 2019 and will now also be serving as the Wrap-Around Care Coordinator. She will be helping train/equip Wrap-Around Care eams and helping match new volunteers with families that need support. She is passionate about seeing foster families thrive and is helping build a strong wrap around program for Agape.