AGAPE of North Alabama is a non-profit
family services agency that was started in
1969 and, since its origin, has been focused
on meeting the needs of children and families
in North Alabama.Agape is a Greek word,
meaning "love", an active love that isn't
satisfied serving only itself, but instead fulfills
its purpose in reaching out and helping
others. While AGAPE of North Alabama is a
state-licensed agency, it is also a family…a
family that reaches out with compassion to
help others in need!Throughout its history,
AGAPE has helped literally thousands of
children by providing short or long-term
foster care and, whenever opportunity
presented itself, adoption for needy children.
Over the years, hundreds of foster parents, working with AGAPE, have
provided shelter and care, along with love, stability and security for the
children placed in their care. Today, our foster parents continue to be
dedicated, trained and supported by full-time foster care professionals who
have access to a full range of services.
AGAPE has also placed many children in carefully-screened and selected
Christian adoptive homes over its history. Some of these children were
placed because adoption was the plan of choice. Others were in foster care
and, when a return to their natural family was deemed impossible, adoption
was chosen as a means of giving that child the stability of a "forever home".
In addition to its childcare efforts, AGAPE has focused on meeting the needs
of literally hundreds of birthmothers who sought our assistance. Sometimes
that meant helping to place a child in an adoptive home; at other times, it
simply meant training classes or mentoring for the new mother. Even today,
AGAPE continues its long-standing tradition of offering on-going support
and assistance to birthmothers throughout and following a pregnancy.
Finally, during the past 39 years, AGAPE has also assisted individuals and
families through thousands and thousands of hours of Christian-based
counseling by licensed male and female counselors. From Day One until
today, their goal has been to improve the quality of life for those needing
help. This has been as true for the recently-widowed, struggling with grief,
as it is for the adoptive family, dealing with an attachment disorder - as true
for a teen facing identity problems as it has been for the couple wanting to
communicate on a deeper level.
Today - as throughout its history - AGAPE is administered by a full staff of
trained professionals who strive for a high degree of excellence. Policies and
procedures are determined by a dedicated Board of Directors consisting of
Christians selected from throughout the northern third of the State of
Alabama.