MEMORANDUM

TO: Lynn Cooper, Director

SUBJECT: Selection of a Charitable Organization
DATE: 9 September 2014
After careful consideration and extensive research, I propose that the
board include World Orphans in the matching funds program. World
Orphans is a non-profit organization that not only care for orphans, but
ensures holistic care, meaning the children are provided for physically,
mentally, spiritually and emotionally. After carefully analyzing their
story, mission, values, and status, I believe World Orphans is one of the
top non-profit organizations and should be part of the program.
World Orphans is a non-profit whose vision and mission is to empower
and equip local churches around the word to care for orphaned
children, until they all have homes. World Orphans was founded in
1993 by a group of friends wanting to answer Gods calling to care for
the orphaned children. When it first began, World Orphans worked to
help churches care for orphans in almost 50 countries. Within their first
13 years, they assisted churches in building almost 500 childrens
homes. In 2006, they changed their approach to a more holistic
approach-which ensures the children are not only being physically
cared for but nurtured spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. In this
shift, they began to involve the local churches all around the world in
the prevention of orphans. Today, World Orphans has partnered
churches in the U.S. with the local churches around the world to work
together to care for orphaned children, uniting people from all over the
country to answer the calling to care for those in need.
They chose to use local churches for specific reasons. One being that
the native churches in the communities are central to the communities
and have everyday opportunities to reach each child and essentially
impact its community. Another reason is that by being cared for by
members of the church, the children are seeing the gospel lived out
everyday. They are getting to be cared for and nurtured by the body of
Christ. Another major reason is because children arent being removed
from their native communities. World Orphans equips the local
churches so the children to have to leave where they are from, but
receive care right where they are. The final reason is that this is a great
witnessing opportunity, meaning World Orphans is empowering local
churches to do what they are called to do ( care for those in need) and
when other people see this happening, they can get a clearer picture of
what the body of Christ looks like. World Orphans has a clear vision and
distinct reasoning for everything they do, which keeps them in check
and focused on their cause.

World Orphans is a very unique and distinct ministry. Most non-profit

ministries that are centered on caring for children are simply
sponsorship programs, where people send money to a child once a
month. However, World Orphans pushes the church to be what Christ
intended the church to be. They also ensure that the child is being
nurtured and cared for wholly. They publicly state that what is distinct
about their organization is that they have a commitment to the local
church, a commitment to church to church partnerships, and for
holistic care of the children. They also publicly state that they do this
because of what the scripture says about the church, orphan care, and
the expansion of the gospel.
World Orphans is passionate about caring for the children in need, and
want others to be as passionate as they are and get involved in the
mission. They have various opportunities that make it easy for people
to partner with them. One way is through Church-to-Church
partnerships. This partnership allows a western church to come along
side an international church as they care for orphans. This is so great
because it allows the American church and international church to form
relationships because they are communicating and essentially working
together to meet the needs of the children. World Orphans also has
trips where people who are giving money can go visit the orphans the
are giving to, but are also open to anyone interested in learning about
the plight of the orphan and helping them be cared for. They also have
various volunteer opportunities within their company people can be a
part of. Finally, they also have individual sponsorships people can do
each month if their church is not partnered with them. They have so
many ways for people to not only get involved but to get connected
with their mission.
World Orphans is an incredible organization that should receive our
financial support. They live out their mission and vision by ensuring the
children are receiving care through the churches in their communities.
Within their ministry, they are creating cross-cultural relationships that
are centered on living the gospel, essentially uniting the body of Christ
in different ways. They are a Christian based organization with
scripture running through their reasoning, mission, vision, and goals.
World Orphans has a reason for why they do what they do in the way
they do it, and they have made that public for the world to see- they
are not ashamed of their Christian roots or reliance on God. They are
also great stewards of their donations- 90% of all their donations goes
directly to the orphans, and only 10% is used for expenses. They also
ensure that the children are receiving all the money by making all of
their employment opportunities support raised positions. This is a huge
draw to fund them because the money goes directly to the kids and

not their employees or facilities. I believe this organization needs to be

a part of the funding program.