Wish List: Agape House provides for Hermiston’s less fortunate

Agape House in Hermiston served about 100 families each month when it first opened in 1986.

The nonprofit organization now provides food, clothing and other assistance to more than 800 families monthly and, about three years ago, began offering transitional housing to homeless families. The nonprofit organization has relied on the community it serves to keep up with the growing need.

“Agape House only can serve people because of the community, and 98 percent of our funding comes from the community,” said David Hughes, Agape House executive director.

To continue serving that community, Agape House is asking for food, furniture and appliance donations this holiday season.

“We are always in need of food products, shelf-stable food,” Hughes said.

The nonprofit is most in need of canned fruits and meat products. Hughes said Agape House also needs appliances, knickknacks and “good, useable furniture.”

About three years ago, Agape House opened Martha’s House, a transitional living arrangement for homeless families. The furniture, appliances and knickknacks would be used in the Martha’s House residences, which are drug-free and provided at no cost to families in need.

Martha’s House residents can stay at the facility for up to six months and benefit from a “family fund” program, where one-third of earned income is tucked into a bank account. Residents are held accountable for maintaining their studio apartments, must abide by a curfew and wake by 8 a.m.

“We need to have schedules in our lives,” Hughes said. “If we get up in the morning with no plan, nothing is going to happen.”

Agape House also coordinates its elementary school weekend food project, which sees $10 worth of food distributed to northeastern Oregon school children weekly on Thursdays or Fridays. The program serves elementary schools across five Umatilla County school districts, as well as Umatilla Middle School beginning in January.

“Food is always a very wonderful item we look for,” Hughes said.

Agape House relies on a platoon of volunteers to carry out its mission. Hughes said the nonprofit has a core volunteer roster of 80 to 90 adults. The nonprofit especially needs volunteers skilled in woodworking and appliance repair.

“We have a great volunteer work force, (but) we’re always in need of volunteers,” Hughes said.

Agape House offers a number of additional services as well, including prescription medicine assistance, a Treasures on Main thrift store that provides job opportunities, transportation help, wood heating assistance and a coat-blanket-sleeping bag program.

Agape House can be reached at 541-567-8774. More information is available on its website, http://bit.ly/agape_house.

This story was originally published December 25, 2014 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Wish List: Agape House provides for Hermiston’s less fortunate."