Mission: Agape started from a Facebook page created by Kelly Doyle in 2013 called “What’s Happening in White Oak.”
A native of McKeesport — where the poverty rate is 28.9% compared with 12.5% across Allegheny County — Kelly created the page so people in the Mon Valley could post requests for food and other essentials.
In addition to Kelly feeding people with leftovers from her freezer, other neighbors responded with food and kindness and the page’s followers grew. In 2019, Kelly decided to sell her ad agency business, so she and husband Mike Doyle could open an official non-profit food bank, which they — and other volunteers — began operating out of the Doyles’ garage during the pandemic.
Thanks to an anonymous donation of $155,000, the group was able to buy a church on Prescott Street, which now serves as Mission: Agape headquarters.
Today, Mission: Agape provides food to Mon Valley residents and so much more. It offers self-sustainment solutions that help people of any race, identity, and/or circumstance break down discrimination and systemic barriers and reach their full potential.
The care includes:
Nurturing a culture of racial equity, personal acceptance, and tangible results.
Fostering a strong network of community partnerships, including healthcare providers and educational institutions.
Advocating for equity in areas of income, race, gender, and disability.
Providing family-strengthening solutions. For example, help with resume writing, job-interview training, and navigating public assistance. Mission: Agape also offers birthday cake supplies for kids, and a life skills academy and hygiene program for teens.
Coordinating home delivery of food and essentials to people with no transportation and to those who are unhoused.
Delivering hot meals to veterans who’ve been recently released from the hospital or who are sick and alone.
Recruiting and maintaining dedicated and mission-focused volunteers.
Systematizing processes to ensure efficiency.
This Spring, Mission: Agape is offering wealth training to help people repair credit scores, better understand and manage credit card use, and set and achieve financial goals, such as buying a car and/or home.
To learn more about, volunteer for, or donate to Mission: Agape, log on to the center’s website at mission-agape.org, send an email message to info@mission-agape.org, or call 412.656.3721.
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