References
Housing Stability, Eviction, and Housing Research
Humphries, J. E., Mader, N. S., Tannenbaum, D. I., & van Dijk, W. (2024; revised 2025). Nonpayment and Eviction in the Rental Housing Market. National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper No. 33155. https://www.nber.org/papers/w33155
West Virginia Housing Development Fund. (2025). 2025 West Virginia Housing Needs Assessment. https://www.wvhdf.com/pdf/housing-needs-assessment-for-the-state-of-west-virginia-2025/
Baxter, A. J., et al. (2019). Effects of Housing First approaches on health and well-being of adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.https://jech.bmj.com/content/73/5/379
Community Preventive Services Task Force. Permanent Supportive Housing With Housing First: Systematic Economic Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8863642/
Population, Rural Communities, and Economic Development
U.S. Census Bureau. Annual County Population Estimates: Roane County, West Virginia. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/roanecountywestvirginia
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2026). Rural America at a Glance: 2025 Edition. https://ers.usda.gov/publications/113656
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2026). Exploring USDA Rural Development Programs: Rural Development Program Investment and County Income Growth, 2000–2024. https://ers.usda.gov/publications/114188
People-First Investment and Organizational Economics
Cohen, P. (2015). A Company Copes With Backlash Against the Raise That Roared. The New York Times.https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/business/a-company-copes-with-backlash-against-the-raise-that-roared.html
CBS News. (2021). CEO on why giving all employees minimum salary of $70,000 still “works” six years later: “Our turnover rate was cut in half.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dan-price-gravity-payments-ceo-70000-employee-minimum-wage/
Gravity Payments. (2025). 10 Years Later: How a $70K Minimum Wage Changed Gravity Payments. https://gravitypayments.com/lp/10-years/
Community Assets and Adaptive Reuse
West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code §18-5-7b: Charitable or community use of unneeded buildings. https://code.wvlegislature.gov/18-5-7B/
WSAZ. (June 24, 2026). West Virginia could see more public school closures as enrollment declines, school officials warn. https://www.wsaz.com/2026/06/24/west-virginia-could-see-more-public-school-closures-enrollment-declines-school-officials-warn/
WOWK-TV. (2026). Reporting on West Virginia school closures and the acceleration of closures previously projected through 2030. https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/west-virginia-school-closures-mount-amid-dropping-public-school-enrollment/
West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Centers. BAD Buildings Program. as a resource informing Agape's adaptive-reuse approach. https://wvbrownfields.org/assistance/
Biblical References
Scriptural references used throughout this site are drawn from the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible unless otherwise noted. https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/
About These Sources
References are provided for transparency and further reading. Agape Community Works Foundation uses research, public data, community knowledge, and real-world experience to inform its work. Research findings are summarized and interpreted in the context of Agape's model. Readers are encouraged to consult the original sources for complete findings.
Last updated: September 2026
Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened for you. -AMP