Page 10 - Discover Summer 2020

Agape Center CONTINUED

individuals turn or return to a Christ-centered books, puzzles, etc.
life.”
In the Center’s gift shop there is a “free”
Its goal: “...attending to the felt needs of bookcase, where items gleaned from other
man, while addressing man’s spiritual need in a departments are placed. These items include
manner that gives God the glory!” candy, cookies, jerky, clothing, linens, and books.
Occasionally, unusual donations are received.
To accomplish this, each client family
For example: one year, over 1,000 packages of
seeking assistance is assigned a mentor to listen
lavender napkins were donated. The volunteers in
to immediate concerns and future hopes, and to
“Intake” keep their eyes and ears open for such
pray with the family. They are also there to help
things that will help round out a gift basket.
clients set goals in employment and education,
Once they caught a great sale on men’s flannel
along with physical and spiritual goals. In total,
shirts at Walmart, and they were able to buy
the center has 21 different departments, each
several. One year, Little Caesars teamed up with
with its own leader, each dedicated to serving
Feeding America and served over 200 pizzas to
their clientele.
clients and volunteers.
Every family receives food once every
“The Porch”, a small waiting room just
30 days from the center’s “pantry”. The center
inside the front door, is charming and inviting.
also offers “shopping trips” through its clothing
Sue met us there and offered a tour of the center.
“store” and appliance and furniture section. There
She and Jack are also pictured outside the front
is a library, toy center, and linens for use in both
door of the center.
the kitchen and bedroom. There is even firewood
available, thanks to a committee of volunteers As folks mend, they often return the
who go onsite to cut donated trees. The log- favor by becoming volunteers and/or donors
sized pieces of wood are then taken to a storage themselves. Besides the used household items
facility, where they are split into firewood. and canned goods, donations of money come
from numerous sources, including the Amazon
During the months of November and
“Smile Program”, and the Kroger “Community
December, clients are treated to mulled cider and
Gift Program”. Both retailers will donate a
cookies as they shop in the Center’s Christmas
nominal amount, at no cost to shoppers, for each
store for gifts for their children. Each family is
order that is placed online. Plus, each year the
also presented with a Christmas basket that has
Center holds fund-raisers, the largest being its
been prepared by volunteers on the Christmas
annual golf tournament. Earlier this year, they
Basket Committee, in the department called
received over $9,000 from RVG (Roanoke Valley
“The Basket Factory”. These baskets have an
Gives) as one of the nonprofits to share in the
individual theme, and each family receives one to
annual fund-raiser. The money will be used to
take home and share.
complete the heating and AC systems in the
Besides the Christmas baskets, the center household, linen and book departments. It will
also distributes birthday baskets and nursery also be used for an alert system and intercom for
baskets. Last year, 1,085 Christmas baskets were medical and other emergencies.
distributed, along with about the same number
During the growing season, Beckner’s
of birthday baskets, and at least 50 nursery
Produce Stand on Booker T Washington road
baskets.
in Wirtz donates fresh vegetables to the Center,
Another favorite gift among clients are but much of their fresh produce also comes from
women’s purses that have been stuffed with Feeding America in Salem, now called Feeding
smaller gifts of jewelry, perfume, potholders, Southwest Virginia.
dishtowels, shampoo, soap and other spa items.
There is an interesting story behind the
For men, there are shaving supplies, games,
birth of Feeding America:

8 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SUMMER 2020