Agape Founder Dies
Ron Robinson, founder of the Agape Resource Center in
Newton, died Wednesday in Andover. He was 60 years old. Robinson started the
resource center out of his home in 2001, moving the center to a pair of
churches before it landed at 116 E. Sixth Street in 2009. "It seems like
every time we turned around it was growing," said Nikki Robinson, Ron's
daughter. Ron's funeral was at 10 a.m. today at the Church of Christ in Newton.
He was a social worker for SRS before starting Agape.
Agape Resource Center is a food pantry and clothing closet
providing the basic necessities of life to those in need in Harvey County.
Residents of Harvey County who recieve SRS assistance, food stamps and/or
unemployment benefits qualify for assistance from Agape. Qualifying individuals
and families can receive free assistance from the food pantry - with items such
as food and toiletries - every six weeks. Each member of a qualifying family
can fill three shopping bags with items such as clothing, medical equipment and
household items once per month for free.
"My dad was a lot like Martin Luther King Jr. - he had
a dream. His dream was to serve God and serve the community," Nikki
Robinson said.
In late 2010 Ron's health began to fail, and he underwent
surgery to remove the lower half of his right leg and a couple of fingers - all
the result of wounds that refused to heal after he broke a glass and cut
himself in several places.
"I'm working hard to get stronger," Ron Robinson
told the Kansan in 2011. "This isn't a hard time, really."
His positive attitude was mirrored by Nikki on Monday
afternoon.
Rather than mourn the loss of a father, she was starting
plans for a fund-raiser in his name to benefit the resource center.
"Don't mourn for Dad. Dad is whole again," Nikki
Robinson said. "Come celebrate his life and make his legacy grow. That is
what he wants. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is the
greatest gift we will ever know."
She said the center will continue to operate without it's
founder - though she will refer back to his vision of Agape Resource Center.
"Where Agape stands today was just the beginning of
what he wanted Agape to be. There is a greater need now than when it
opened," Nikki Robinson said. "I want to pursue those dreams for my
Dad and for the community as well. I want to see Agape grow, and it didn't just
take Dad. It will take the entire community."
The vision is to go out within the community to offer
assistance - Nikki Robinson said there are those who need the help of the
center who can not get there.
Ron Robinson wanted to reach the homebound, the disabled.
"He wanted us to go to them - and not just with food
and clothing," Nikki Robinson said. "He wanted to bring them back to
their creator.
That was a meaning behind the center, that we are brothers
and sisters in Christ.
It was not just a clothing closet. People would come in for
prayer."
Ron Robinson is survived by Nikki and his son Nathan
Robinson, both of Newton. A memorial fund has been established with Agape
Resource Center.
