Hermiston Agape House has been selected by AmeriCrops, (through the Oregon State Service Corps) to receive a competitive personnel grant. This grant is one of the 53 such grants awarded this fiscal year.

Grants are highly competitive and are awarded to governmental agencies, schools and non-profit based organizations.

Jennifer Sewell said of the Oregon State Service Corps in Portland,

“We are very excited to offer an opportunity to develop and expand critical services in the Hermiston area.”

The grant will fund one full time person to assist Agape House in enhancing their services. The grant will cover 11 months starting Aug 24.

The person to be hired will be tasked initially with identifying the needs of the population that Agape House serves, focusing on living skills and educational needs.

Following that will be programs to help people over some of the hurdles identified. The ultimate goal is to reduce the dependence of clients on Agape House and to move them into the mainstream of society.

As Dave Hughes said, paraphrasing an old quote, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. We have become pretty fair at giving out fish and need to do more to teach.” He added, ” This is a need we have been wanting to address for some time and this grant will allow us to do so.”

The exact qualifications of the person to be hired have not been finalized yet, but the person will preferably be an empathetic college graduate (who has had difficulty in finding work in our economy). Someone preferably bi-lingual and with good communication and computer skills. Agape House is will be happy to visit with any other applicant.

While funding comes from elsewhere, Agape House will be charged with selecting the person hired. Resumes and letters of interest can be sent to Dave Hughes at P O box 1723, (500 Harper Rd). In Hermiston or by e-mail at agapehouse@eotnet.net.