FOUNDING of Orphan Outreach
Orphan Outreach was founded in 2007 to glorify Jesus Christ by having a significant, long-term impact on orphaned and vulnerable children by equipping each child for a fulfilling, independent Christian life in their community.
Orphan Outreach co-founders Mike Douris, Paula Hayes, Eraina Larson, Amy Norton, Amy Seale and Tiffany Taylor Wines, along with the Board of Directors, including Jean Halleen, Blair Pogue, Esther Rogers, Dr. Robert Sloan, Stephen Spencer, and Wilson Williams, found inspiration in the Bible verse, James 1:27:
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Religion at its essence, is taking care of those who can not take care of themselves. This is the heart of Orphan Outreach.
Together with our supporters, Orphan Outreach provides education, food, medical care and emotional healing to more than 15,000 children and their families each year. Coming alongside local churches, ministries and organizations in countries around the world, we offer professional expertise, help fund their efforts, and supply much needed additional volunteers. Through our ministry programs, we empower local leaders — those who understand their communities best and know what their people truly need — to do even more to restore hope to orphaned and vulnerable children.
Orphan Outreach MILESTONES
2007
Orphan Outreach establishes ministry programs in Guatemala, Honduras, India and Russia–serving 1,000 orphaned and vulnerable children
Orphan Outreach leads first mission trips to Guatemala, India and Russia
Orphan Outreach begins providing humanitarian aid to vulnerable children in the United States
2008
Orphan Outreach leads first mission trip to Honduras
Orphan Outreach creates aging out initiative in Russia, helping orphaned and vulnerable young adults transition into independent adult life after aging out of traditional residential care
2009
Orphan Outreach creates Women for Orphans Worldwide(WOW), an auxiliary serving ministry programs in Guatemala, and hosts first WOW fundraising luncheon
2010
Orphan Outreach establishes ministry program in Latvia and leads first mission trip to Latvia
Orphan Outreach expands aging out initiative to Latvia
2012
Orphan Outreach establishes ministry program in Kenya and leads first mission trip to Kenya; relationship with the Anglican Diocese of Bungoma begins
Orphan Outreach launches child sponsorship program
2013
Orphan Outreach and NGOs Asociacion Niñez con Futuro (Guatemala) and Miera Osta (Latvia) work with Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) to expand alliance support to those countries
2014
The Children’s Hope Dinner is founded, becoming the largest annual fundraiser for Orphan Outreach global ministries
2016
Orphan Outreach establishes ministry program in Ukraine and expands aging out initiative to include Ukrainian young adults
Joseph’s DreamCoat becomes adoption grant ministry of Orphan Outreach
2017
Orphan Outreach establishes ministry program in Nepal
Orphan Outreach celebrates a decade of ministry service in nine countries, serving 4,000 orphaned and vulnerable children
2018
Orphan Outreach sponsorships serve more than 1,000 children throughout the world
Orphan Outreach expands relationship with the Anglican Church of Kenya, working with the Archbishop to evaluate new ministry opportunities to vulnerable communities
2019
Orphan Outreach leads first mission trip to Ukraine
Orphan Outreach establishes partnership with Child Protective Services in Honduras to create guidelines, training, and support for the country’s first privatized foster care program and to reunite children with their primary caregivers or extended families whenever possible
Orphan Outreach earns Guide Star Gold Seal of Transparency
2020
Orphan Outreach expands aging out initiative to Latin America
Orphan Outreach opens the Orphan Outreach Marketplace, a social enterprise committed to meeting the needs of children and families while providing dignified work to artisans
Orphan Outreach partners with the National Council of Adoptions (CNA) in Guatemala to establish the country’s first database for orphaned children in protective care, leading to a loving, permanent family environment for thousands of children
Joseph’s DreamCoat adoption grant ministry expands to Kenya to support domestic adoptions in that country
Orphan Outreach provides critical support during COVID-19 global pandemic, serving 2 million meals to more than 7,500 children and families worldwide
2021
Orphan Outreach completes the Patmos School and Stephen W. Spencer Community Center, the ministry’s first major capital project providing education, Christ-centered counseling, meals, medical care and safe haven to students and families in the Mathare Slum of Nairobi, Kenya
Working with the Anglican Church of Kenya, Orphan Outreach establishes an education and feeding program for orphaned and vulnerable children of the Maasai tribe in Narok County
2022
Dr. Rey Diaz named President & CEO of Orphan Outreach.
Orphan Outreach celebrates 15 years of ministry work in nine countries, providing care for more than 110,000 orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.