AGAPE IMPROVEMENT & DEVELOPMENT CORP

Mission: AIDC is located on the East Side of Norristown, which is a low-income area with drugs; a lot of teenage pregnancy and where many feel hopeless and helpless and our youth are labeled ?at-risk?. We have developed several programs to assist the youth in at risk situations, disadvantaged children and their families and those with low literacy skills. During the summer the youth play in the streets many times, from the time they get up until bedtime. Many of the youth are in a free lunch program at the schools, during the school year but do not have that during the summer, as a result many are hungry and malnourished. During the school year the youth need homework assistance and we are one of the few locations in the community for them to get support. Many of the youth are ?latch-key? kids and do not have the needed support type programs to help them during the school year. These youth are then exposed to a social environment that could lead them to dropping out of school or teen parenthood. A.I.D.C. provides an alternative to the youth hanging out in the streets where they are in danger of becoming a school dropout or teenage parent or involved in the use of illegal drugs.