Every year, Agape Mission holds the Empty Bowls fundraiser that features lots of beautiful hand-painted bowls and samplings from many local eateries, but Exective Director Sherri Smith says the due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event will be virtual at http://agapebartlesville.com/ . 

 

Agape Mission is a non-profit and non-denominational organization in Bartlesville that provides over 4,000 nutritious meals a month for people in need. The mission also gives over 2,600 sacks a month of nutritious snack items to local school children who are at risk of going hungry over the weekends while attending school. Food 4 Kids Program was started during the 2005-2006 school year and now reaches every school in Washington county that is interested, totaling twelve schools.

 

 

WATCH SHERRI SMITH ON COMMUNITY CONNECTION TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S "EMPTY BOWLS" EVENT

 

 

History

 

Agape Mission opened February 1, 2000, sponsored by First Assembly of God Church. The mission is a non-denominational community outreach center serving hot meals 6 days a week. With the help of the church and community Agape received its own 501c3 designation 14 months later.

 

In addition to the meals served at the mission, meals are prepared for the elderly, handicapped, and homebound. The mission serves an average of 250 individuals each day depending on the time of year, and emergency food baskets are distributed weekly.

 

Staff and volunteers demonstrate God’s love to those who are hungry, hurting, and homeless, serving them with dignity and respect. Agape workers understand that we influence others positively or negatively every day. We want to let people know they are important to God and to us. God loves them so much that He feeds them every day.

 

First Assembly of God Church (now Spirit Church) sponsored the overhead for the first 14 months, and in August 2001, Agape Mission received its designation as a non-profit organization. Now Agape Mission is supported by several churches, businesses, civic organizations and individuals throughout the community. The mission was also blessed by a matching funds grant in 2001 from Phillips Petroleum Company and the Lyon Foundation. 

Agape Mission continues to support our community through the feeding of those less fortunate in our area. Without the mission’s operation on a daily basis, young and old alike would go to bed many nights hungry. January of 2007, Agape Mission joined the Bartlesville Regional United Way and continues to be a blessing in our community.