Residents use Safer-at-Home time to spread joy
By Heather Ruenz
Staff Writer
The Safer-at-Home order that was in place for several weeks due to COVID-19, was likely challenging for most people for a myriad of different reasons. For the residents of Agape House, it brought a different level of extended down time.
During the Safer-at-Home order, Agape House’s residential students were homebound in a different way from most others, according to Kym Bachtell.
“The students were not able to have their usual home visits with their families. As hard as the Safer-at-Home order was for many, being in a residential program without the comfort of family made for some very sad hearts,” she explained.
Bachtell said it was a good opportunity to turn the sadness into positivity.
“At Agape House, we rely on our community for love, support and prayers to serve these youth. Our program has always had an emphasis on giving back,” she said.
During the Safer-at-Home order, Bachtell said the ample down time was used for good.
“…To show the community, who loves us so well, just how much we appreciate them,” she said.
According to Bachtell, the students did many projects to give back, including baking sweet treats for local law enforcement.
“The Walworth Police Department offers year round support, care and love to the Agape House,” she said.
She said among the ways the officers help is to take time to see the overall need of the students and work alongside them to guide and direct them toward their goals.
“We are so thankful for their partnership,” Bachtell said.
About Agape House
For more than 20 years, Agape House has offered hope and healing for those who have come from hard places.
Pam Patterson founded Agape House with her husband, Ben, came to the initial decision to concentrate on helping girls and women as they began focusing on teenagers and realized they couldn’t put teen boys and girls in the same home.
“At the time, we had more girls than boys in the home. I called around the state and realized that there were more homes available for boys,” Patterson said in a previous interview.
They opened Agape Home for Girls at that time and then late last year, they opened the boys home. The boys home accepts boys 12 to 16 years old who struggle with anxiety and depression. Patterson said the reason the cut off age is 16 for the boys home is because kids can turn 17 while at Agape but can’t stay once they’re 18.
The girls however, have a transitional living home that allows them to turn 18 and finish the program.
Agape offers a 10-month program and suggests a term of two, 10-month sessions. They’re open September to June and then are required to shut down for two months because they’re licensed as a therapeutic boarding school. They offer a day program and counseling in addition to the in-house services.
In addition to relying on the community for support, Agape House also relies on volunteers and donations.
“The list is really endless as far as how people can help. If they want to volunteer, we’ll find a way for them to do so,” Patterson said.
Agape House accepts teens from within a one-hour radius, including from northern Illinois to Kenosha, Racine, Waukesha, Milton and Madison.
Seventy-five percent of its budget comes from donations, and the program is designed to be available for what a family can afford.
“No one is turned away, and if they can’t pay we try to get them to invest in the program,” Patterson said.
For more about Agape homes, including items needed or current volunteer opportunities, call 262-275-6466, email [email protected] or visit AgapeHouseHeals.org.
