Lebanon Rescue Mission’s Agape Family Shelter PROJECT 915

For over 30 years, the Agape Family Shelter has housed hundreds of homeless women and their children. In 1985, a group of 18 Lebanon County citizens decided the city needed a homeless shelter for women — particularly needy single mothers. Through much hard work and planning, a historical mansion on 9th and Walnut Streets was renovated. Over three decades later, Agape Family Shelter continues to honor our community’s vision for aiding homeless families.

Our program provides a nurturing, Christ-centered environment for single women, pregnant women and women with children. Our staff works with each woman individually to create a unique plan for her future. As a ministry of the Lebanon Rescue Mission, the Lebanon Free Clinic provides all of Agape’s families with quality healthcare free of charge. Connections with local agencies for child care, behavioral health services, educational opportunities and job placement give women the tools to succeed.

Our community is experiencing an increasing need for safe housing for women and children in crisis. To meet this need, we are expanding our program to include:

A. Two apartments on the second and third floor of our Lebanon Free Clinic Building, right next door to Agape. Each apartment, each is over 1,000 square feet, will provide a home for two women and her children. The apartments are part of our Agape Graduate Program, offering graduates an opportunity to work, rebuild family relationship and develop home management skills that will carry them back into community housing.

B. A house at 915 Walnut Street. This new home will require major renovations to be converted into level two program housing for women and children living at the main house of the Agape Family Shelter. Once complete, it will double our capacity to shelter homeless families. It will also provide a boundary for our main house, which will increase the security of all of our women and children. Our goal is to complete this project by the end of 2019.

With the apartments and the additional house at 915 Walnut Street, our Agape Family Shelter capacity will go from 6 rooms / 17 total beds to 13 rooms / 35 beds. All of this growth in just two dedicated project years.