Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Founder(s)	Bob Hentzen, Bud Hentzen, Jim Hentzen, Nadine Pearce and Jerry Tolle
Type	Charitable organization, Non-governmental organization, Child sponsorship organization
Founded	November 20, 1981
Location	1 Elmwood Avenue Kansas City, Kansas
Area served	22 countries
Focus	Sponsorship
Motto	"Offering hope. Restoring dignity. Worldwide."
Website	http://www.hopeforafamily.org/

Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) is a nonprofit sponsorship organization headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas. CFCA was founded by lay Catholic workers acting on the Gospel call to serve the poor. Its Hope for a Family sponsorship program provides basic necessities like food, education, clothing and access to medical care to children and elderly in some of the world's poorest communities. Today, CFCA sponsors support more than 300,000 children, youth and aging persons in 22 countries. ^[1]

History

On November 20, 1981, CFCA was founded by siblings Bob Hentzen, Bud Hentzen, Jim Hentzen, Nadine Pearce and their friend Jerry Tolle. The siblings wanted to start a nonprofit to honor their late parents. Bob and Jerry were both missionaries who had witnessed firsthand the effects of poverty in developing countries, so they formed a sponsorship organization based on Catholic social teaching.

CFCA’s first headquarters was in Bob’s basement in Kansas City, Mo. Around 1982, the foundation relocated its office to a farmhouse. In 1991, CFCA converted an abandoned warehouse into the office that remains the current headquarters.

Over the years, more than 625,000 children, youth and aging persons and their families have been served through the sponsorship program.

Programs

Sponsorship Program

CFCA uses a sponsorship model of direct support. Its Hope for a Family sponsorship program aims to help families living in extreme poverty by connecting them with sponsors in the U.S. Sponsorship requires a $30 monthly commitment to help fund basic necessities and, in many instances, livelihood programs to help families become self-sustaining.

Sponsors have the opportunity to offer encouragement and support for their sponsored friends through the exchange of letters and photos. They also may choose to travel on CFCA mission awareness trips to meet their sponsored friends, learn about their lives and see how contributions are used. ^[2]

Benefits and services provided through sponsorship are personalized according to the needs of the family and may include: food, school uniforms, school supplies, tuition or other school fees, clothing, housing repairs, medical and dental care, livelihood initiatives, literacy training for adults, Christmas and birthday celebrations and social outings and assistance for the elderly. ^[3]

Scholarship Program

The CFCA Scholarship Program provides educational scholarships to students pursuing secondary, post-secondary and vocational school. Scholarships are used for tuition, transportation, school supplies and books. Recipients are selected by projects based on economic need, commitment to completing their education, demonstrated leadership potential and interest in community service. Recipients perform service projects as a requirement of the program.

Scholarships are intended as supplemental assistance, and families contribute what they can toward the student's education. ^[4]

Financials and ratings

More than 94% of CFCA’s expenses go toward program support. In 2010, 2.9% of expenses were for administration and fundraising accounted for 2.8% of total expenses.

Charity Navigator gives CFCA a 4-star rating based on program expenses, administrative expenses, fundraising expenses and operating efficiency.^[5]

The American Institute of Philanthropy gives CFCA an A+ rating in its Charity Rating Guide. CFCA is the only child sponsorship organization to hold this rating from AIP. ^[6].

CFCA meets all 20 standards established by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance. ^[7]

Countries served

CFCA currently works with children and aging in 22 countries around the world.

Mexico and the Caribbean	Central America	South America	Africa	Asia
Mexico	Costa Rica	Bolivia	Kenya	India
Dominican Republic	El Salvador	Brazil	Liberia	Philippines
Haiti	Guatemala	Chile	Madagascar
	Honduras	Colombia	Tanzania
	Nicaragua	Ecuador	Uganda
		Peru
		Venezuela

References

1. ^ Shahriari, Sarah. Bob Hentzen walks to help poor children across Latin America Christian Science Monitor. May 2, 2011.
2. ^ CFCA Hope for a Family Sponsorship Program Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
3. ^ Understanding Child Sponsorship Marketwire. February 28, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
4. ^ CFCA Scholarship Program Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
5. ^ Charity Navigator
6. ^ Top Rated Charities American Institute of Philanthropy. August 19, 2011.
7. ^ BBB Wise Giving Report for Christian Foundation for Children and Aging Issued March 2011. Expires March 2013.

External links

• Christian Foundation for Children and Aging
• CFCA Blog