Agape House raised $10,615 at the KPMG Taste of Summer Charity BBQ today. This was done with the help of 5 matching sponsors, adding to the original amount of $2,065.75
This community support will allow Agape House to buy a new dining table for their clients to gather, connect, and heal. They will also be working on updating their basement, making it a youth-friendly space.
Additional funds will go towards a new tent for their Teddy Bear Fun Day event and to help fill the gaps in operational costs.
Executive Director, Tracy Whitby, says she is heart warmed by the community involvement.
“It's unbelievable to see our community come together and support charity after charity, and specifically our charity this week, and just so grateful. We're just so thankful.”
Whitby says that Agape House often does isolating work. This opportunity to engage with the community and recognize faces means a lot to the workers.
“So this is such a highlight of the year for us being able to be out for the two hours and have a fun barbecue and just share information about the work that we do, have conversations with the people that we're serving.”
Board member Cyndy Friesen compares the event to a reunion.
“It's also like a little reunion seeing people you haven't seen in a long time and catching up with old friends. And so that's all part of the whole community, is reaching out and seeing everybody.”
Friesen says that seeing this happen every year never gets old.
Whitby says a huge thank you to the members of the community for their support.
“We appreciate them. And we're so grateful that they see us and they acknowledge the value of the work that we're doing in this community.”