About Agape

Human life is based on relationships. Without mutual love and support, life is worthless. Like the early Christian community, Agape Movement is for the development of mutual relationship of people associated with it. These include members, donors, sponsors, sponsoring organizations, and recipients of support. All are equally important for Agape Movement. The donors, while giving, receive the love and prayer of the recipients. The recipients in turn are also donors of love and prayer for those who support them. All of us try to build a society of love, justice, and peace.

People in the Agape Movement believe that everything belongs to God who is the father of all people. Being children of God, all people are equally important. We are trustees of God who gives us health, talents, opportunities, and wealth. We have to share what we have with our fellow brothers and sisters. Jesus has taught us to pay special attention to the less fortunate in the society. Following the model of Jesus, we love all people irrespective of their backwardness, believes, and nationality and help them in their developmental attempts to come up in the society.

All religious and social leaders teach us to love and to support those who are weak in the society. However, care should be taken to prevent laziness and dependency of the recipients. Our support should be oriented to help the people to become self-reliant. So Agape Movement prefers to support sponsor organizations that have developmental approach and to support individuals who are members of self-help groups.

We shall accept donations from people of any faith and they shall be used according to the donors’ intentions only. Our help will be available to all deserving people without any discrimination. Donations received for religious purposes shall be used for that purpose and contributions given for social service activities shall be used for that purpose only.

The following is our mission statement: Agape Movement is dedicated to help the less fortunate in the society in their attempts to improve their life and to cooperate with individuals and organizations that are generous to do the same. Following the values of Jesus, we try to uphold the universal love with the goal of a just society where justice, peace, and development are assured for all without discrimination. Along with result-oriented action and loving relationship, we give importance to credibility and accountability of all concerned.

The name of this corporation (organization) is AGAPE MOVEMENT. For convenience sake, the activities of the corporation in the various countries, states, and cities are distinguished by adding the name of the related country, state, or city at the end of the corporation name. For example the Agape Movement in United States shall be known as “Agape Movement USA” and the Agape Movement in the India is known as "Agape Movement India."

This corporation is a registered nonprofit PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for public, charitable, and religious purposes.

The specific purpose of this corporation is to help the less fortunate in the society in their attempts to improve their life and to cooperate with individuals and organizations that are generous to do the same.

Following the values of Jesus, we try to uphold the universal love with the goal of a just society where justice, peace, and development are assured for all without discrimination. Our goal is to promote the loving and sharing spirit of the early Christian community that must lead to result-oriented actions and loving relationship.

To develop a loving relationship with all involved in the Agape Movement including the donors, sponsoring organizations and recipients.

To seek the contributions of individuals and foundations or other organizations for the integral development of the people in need and to support the deserving mission activities.

To support social service agencies and Christian missionaries in developing countries with special priority to India.

To arrange opportunities for donors and the public to learn about the issues facing the marginalized and those who work for the marginalized. Meetings, multimedia presentations, website, publications etc. shall be used for this purpose.

To directly support deserving individuals or institutions in the United States or abroad.

To establish the corporation’s own welfare and developmental programs for people who need help.

To do all things necessary to accomplish the objectives of any religious, developmental, or charitable organization within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law.

Agape Movement is a United States not-for-profit organization exempted under 501(c)(3): EIN # 91-2156688. The corporation was incorporated in California on July 13, 2001. Exemption from California State franchise or income tax under the section of the Revenue and Taxation Code 23701d was received on July 1, 2002. Accounting period of the corporation ends on December 31st.

Your donations will be exempt from income tax in the United States. Checks are accepted only in the name of "Agape Movement" and can be mailed to Agape Movement, C/o Fr. Abraham Mutholath, 5212 West Agatite Ave., Chicago, IL, 60630, USA. The purpose of donations and donor's details are to be provided.

The project monitoring, evaluation, and money transactions for projects in India are done through Agape Movement Office in India. The patron appoints executive director for Agape Movement India office.

The diocesan director of Social Work in the Catholic Diocese of Kottayam serves as the director of Agape Movement in India. His office is located at Kottayam in Kerala state in India.

TYPES OF PROJECTS

Agape Movement deals with different types of projects as per need of the people it assists. However, the corporation also respects the wishes of the donors. Agape Movement offers the following classes of help:

SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS:

These include several donor-sponsored programs that provide one-time help or on going help. For example, sponsor a house construction, a house repair, a student, a senior citizen, a handicapped, a patient, a widow’s family, a village, a parish, a Bible course, a retreat, a religious education school, a seminarian, distribution of religious articles etc.

GENERAL PROJECTS:

These are projects that are supported by Agape Movement from the general donations received. They shall include developmental projects and emergency projects.

DONOR SUGGESTED PROJECTS:

If a donor requests to support with his or her contribution a particular individual, institution or village and if it is according to the ideology of Agape Movement, it will be considered. In such instances, if Agape Movement India office cannot keep in touch with the recipients, the donor will have to contact them directly to track the progress of the project and to receive the reports and photographs.

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