 | Agape Child Development Centers
When Agape Child Development Centers was accepted into the Growth Fund program in 2006, the organization offered high quality, 24-hour child care for infants and children up to age 12 in two facilities, serving north Minneapolis and surrounding areas. Services include a structured, multi-cultural curriculum including violence prevention and youth leadership training, drop-in care, transportation service, school readiness, school advocacy, designated settings for special needs children and summer camp. Agape families also have unlimited access to Oasis of Love, Inc. Crisis Intervention Center wraparound services such as: crisis intervention, food shelf, Toys for Tots, violence prevention, court advocacy and legal assistance.
Dr. Diane L. Thibodeaux, the executive director of Agape, described what she found the Growth Fund valuable. “We are the only 24-hour center in the area, and 90% of our children come from families that receive county assistance. There were a lot of things we needed to work out. First Children’s was willing to train me and help with a business plan, staffing and budgeting. The business plan helped improve our financial position. We now have a guide about things we need to stop doing and things we want to add. We were able to expand into a third location in St. Paul, too. That’s good.”
Envisioning Agape’s future, she explained, “We want to add more 24-hour sites, or at least offer odd hours. We’re looking at how to franchise our business. That would help serve more families.” When asked what she would say to other center directors interested in the Growth Fund, Dr. Thibodeaux shared, “When you’re established for awhile, you get nervous about someone looking into what you’re doing. But First Children’s is there to help you examine your staffing, training and your books. All of this is necessary to take the business to the next level. The program is really good for first-timers. I wish I would have looked into it when I started. It would have saved a lot of money and time.”
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