The Agape House Org

Mission

The Agape House (TAH), a faith based agency, equips marginalized Black, Brown and Indigenous young woman 18-27 years old with non-time-limited housing, education, and employment opportunities through holistic, culturally competent, community led care. These youth are the overrepresented in judicial, homeless, foster care systems and underrepresented in educational and employment systems. We intervene to change the paradigm . 

TAH needs your help to raise funds for the upcoming Building Capital Campaign (2026-2030). In this Phase 3 we will work with the well known community builder, Haile Yitref on either new construction or to repurpose other buildings and sites. We have recently been blessed to be able to be under contract to a partner agency to now rent a facility for young women concurrently while we raise funds to build. 

Our proactive stance is we do all we can to get to the young woman before the shame and trauma that she can experience, such as human trafficking, diminishes or eliminates her possibilities for empowerment, growth and success. We recognize the strength of our community rests in the strength of each of us as individuals. This can be summed up with, "To Save a Life is to Save a World".  

Description

The Agape House model addresses Seattle's Housing State of Emergency; Seattle is in great need of housing for those least able to be to provide it for themselves. TAH believes that prevention/early intervention is the most cost-effective form of treatment. It gives the woman and the region the most return on the investment (ROI), which TAH measures in human lives as well as financial resources. Non-time limited housing, employment opportunities and education/training coupled with mentorship and wrap around services offer the woman means to be empowered that are cost-effective and kind as well as sustainable; thereby assuring an end-result of being employed and moving into independent self-sufficiency living.

TAH utilizes volunteer mother and professional mentors, wrap around therapeutic services from other agencies to provide them to the population both served. This year besides Peer to Peer Counseling, wrap around services and healing circles, we are making steps to tap into training/education offered by Good Will, Seattle Vocational Institute, Bellevue College, stem programs.

 "The back story" for Agape House is that one of it's goals is to serve as a deterrent to foster care being what the FBI has stated it is, "a pipeline to sexual and human trafficking".

TAH also addresses systemic racism as it's mandate and mission is to serve the underserved overrepresented homeless 18-27 year old woman of color.  In King County and Seattle only 6-7% of the population are Black and Brown. Of that, it is estimated that a total of 3-4% are youth between the ages of 18-27 yet comprise a combined approximate 40% of those on the streets, homeless or about to be homeless. 

Finally, projected monthly Agape House costs for basic needs such as housing, food, clothing and education are $1,500-2,000 per woman, per month, as contrasted with an estimated $6,000-8,000 for a woman incarcerated in prison or jail. This stark contrast in costs is a simple reason to consider the efficacy of getting to the young woman before she becomes a victim of the streets; often a prey due to the fact she has no place to live, or a way to receive education or training in order to become employable, independent and empowered.

Recognition

1. We recognize the encouragement of civic activists, social justice and political leaders such as FranK Copp, Lisa Callan, James Whitfield, Jim T., Ron Sims, LeRoy McCullough and Larry Gossett.

2. We so value being able to stand on the "shoulders" of Judge Pat Clark (KC Juvenile Courts) Delores Lane (the Dove House) and Alvirita Little (Girls' Club). We stand because they stood. 

3. Thank you to our Board and Advisors: Ron Ward, Michelle Mitchell, George Frost, Evie Taylor, Dan Leahy, Barbara Johnson, Moni Law, Juan Esparza, Stacy Cleveland, Gabriel Abraham, Sara Ward, Narima Amin, Alex Pena, LaJuana Johnson, Ashley B. Nascimentoashley, Jean Bishop, Gene Robinson-Reike, Jason Gortney, Frances Johnson, Marshanell Ferguson, Jadina Terashita, Angela Griffin, Molly Jensen, Felecia Shephard, Shantail Miller, Diane Hubbard, Ashley Albert, Stacy Cleveland and Flo.

4. Our Executive Director/Founder is Rev. Kiti Ward.

5. Special thanks to JLL Business Alliance, Bellevue College, Youthcare (DeGale Cooper) Friends of Youth, Seattle Corp of Retired Executives, Mockingbird Society (Natalie Lent), The Seattle Storm (Crystal Langhorne), King 5 News (Joyce Taylor), The Medium Press (Chris B. Bennett/Ruth Sanders), REST, Union Gospel's Hope Place, GSBP.  OPS, Cornell University, Black Future Co-op Fund (Andrea Caupin Sanderson)

6. Thank you contributor, angel donor, for your gifts of talents, skills, time, finances and prayers; you make the difference in hurting women's lives as they emerge from trauma to wholeness.