Agape Freedom Ministries renovating building to become new transitional home

DUNCAN, Okla. (KSWO) - A transitional home for men in Duncan is expanding their operations. Agape Freedom Ministries is renovating a new space to help incarcerated people after they are released.

A former church is taking on a new purpose in Duncan.

Agape Freedom Ministries is converting the old building into a home to rehabilitate men. The new facility will accommodate twice as many people and offer private rooms.

Program House Manager Phillip Wright said privacy will help them focus on their primary mission.

“When they have their own room, their own space, they get on each others nerves less,” Wright said. “When they’re not getting at each other, it’s easier for me to focus on one.”

Agape has been helping people build new habits for two years.

Director Tim Jennings said their ministry is unique because few facilities prioritize men.

“With convicts and felons and men there’s not as much compassion sometimes,” Jennings said. “They’re just like keep them in prison, throw away the key.”

When the new building is complete, the old home will house men that have completed the year long program.

This will help them maintain structure while giving the men more freedom.

Even though construction is already underway, the group is still needs thousands to complete the project.

Jennings said they are working until they run out of money, hoping they can stretch their budget.

Until that happens, some of the program’s participants are taking advantage of the project to get experience in construction.

Johnny Brown said helping building the new facility is like passing a torch to the program’s future participants.

“To be able to make a way for other men that were involved in the same scenario as I am, to be able to have structure and to be able to have an opportunity at a life of sobriety and get out of the destructive cycle that I was living in,” Brown said. “For me to be able to help make this other facility available, it opens up places for people to be able to get a fresh start in life.”

Anyone interested in donating to the project can send cash or a check made out Agape Freedom Ministries to P.O. Box 1391 Duncan, OK 73534. You can also drop off donations at Immanuel Baptist Church.

Copyright 2022 KSWO. All rights reserved.