The Global Orphan Project is a global orphan ministry based here in Kansas City.  GO Project provides holistic care for nearly 3,500 vulnerable children in 13 countries.  GO Project’s mission is:  “Transforming lives through global orphan care.”  Interestingly, the first lives transformed in this ministry were not those of orphaned children a world away, but of its founders, Beth and Mike Fox, who appeared to already have it all.

A retrospective look at Beth and Mike’s life reveals much.  In 1992, Mike was a hard-working salesman, toiling in his own business.  Despite his determination and hard work, the business was not successful, his marriage failed, and he lived a nomadic life, alternating between an office couch and an apartment.

The next year, Mike’s life was in a much better place, courtesy of an amazing woman.  His new job blossomed into an extraordinary opportunity, leading Mike to a later position of leadership and minority ownership in Inergy, an anchor publicly-traded company in Kansas City.  His beautiful bride, Beth, enjoyed success with a career in the pharmaceutical industry.  Together, the Fox’s life was wonderful.

The good life was short lived, as it turned out.  Beth suffered a brain hemorrhage and was given a minimal chance of survival.  As Mike kissed his wife before she was wheeled into surgery, he feared it would be for the last time.

Thankfully, Beth recovered, and the Fox’s life took another direction.  As Mike says,  “I trusted Jesus Christ with my life, and found a joy beyond my circumstances.  Beth survived.  And I resolved to drop my pride and take a risk, to live and love in a way that I’d never known.  That’s taken us to fatherless children in the poorest corners of the earth.  In them we’ve found riches money cannot buy.”

Those corners of the earth include Port au Prince, Haiti, after the devastating earthquake that claimed more than 300,000 lives, and left thousands of children orphaned.  The Fox’s got in the trenches of the devastation, among the poor, caring for the children who were left with nothing.  These children had experience the worst imaginable conditions and, in some cases, abuse.  But Beth and Mike brought them an uplifting spirit that is evident in their countenance.  That’s the influence of this generous couple.  And that’s the DNA of the GO Project.

How in the world did the couple segue from a life of financial and material success to helping hurting children?  Beth and Mike realized that the material things… the house, cars, vacation home in Florida… did not a life make.  They were searching for something beyond themselves.

A young orphan in Africa	Children gather in a circle in Haiti.

They found that something beginning in 2003, with a $750 check to support a small shanty for 17 Karen orphans living in a refugee camp on the Thai/Myanmmar border. They also sent a support check each month.

That initial support planted a seed in Beth and Mike’s hearts that took root and grew.  Mike began to focus more on the orphans than on his work and growing his fortune.  While his business enterprise was going great; it was and today remains a huge blessing in his life.  But he found himself compelled to dedicate more time and energy to orphaned children.

The compulsion drove Mike, in August 2003, to do a seemingly crazy thing.  With the blessing of his friends at Inergy, Mike packed his bags and went to South Asia to visit the orphans he was helping to support.  Before he left, Beth slipped him a note that read: “You’re embarking on a journey, Mike, and we don’t know where you’re going and we don’t know how God is going to use you.  But wherever it is, I’m there 100% in support.  I’ve never been so proud of you.  I’ve never been so excited about our future.”

Days later in Thailand, Mike’s moment of truth presented itself to him. He was prepared to meet the 17 children, but was unusually nervous.  The business guy in him did what he thought best… he went out and purchased gift packages for each child. He walked through the gate of the refugee camp and into the little shanty.  There they were… children lined up, smiling, sitting patiently on the floor.  One by one, each child was called forward to greet Mike.  They graciously accepted their gifts and then returned to their spot on the floor.

There was just one hitch; Mike brought 17 gifts, and there were 19 kids.  Unbeknownst to Mike, the orphans’ caretakers had stretched the support money they received for 17 to keep two more kids alive.  Everyone just ate a little less rice and beans.  But two children now sat, empty handed, and Mike sat there embarrassed.  Then he looked closer.  Were those two upset that they didn’t get gifts?  They weren’t at all.  They were content.  Home.  Fed.  Full of joy.  Full of song.  Blessed.  God used those children to teach Mike an unforgettable lesson in love and humility that trades in currency far more reliable than dollars.

Beth’s prediction had been on the mark.  There was no way to know where this journey would take her and Mike – and now so many others.

There are well over 100 million orphans in the world, waiting for a chance to come into a loving home.  They don’t need gifts or extravagance.  They desire only the basics of a good life.  Mike and Beth started a non-profit organization to assist children who are on their own.  They dreamed that one day, perhaps they could fund 10 homes, maybe more, for these children.  It turned out they found much more, as their small project ballooned into what is now The Global Orphan Project.

GO Project plans children’s villages around the world where local churches, often with the assistance of widows and other women, care for orphaned and abandoned children in their communities.  But they need help. GO Project engages groups locally to provide that help.  Families, schools, businesses, and churches give, go, and spread what has become a grassroots movement to care for orphans.  They’re sponsoring children’s homes, schools, and even entire villages impacting several hundred kids – and teaching others to do the same.

Today, Mike and Beth lead GO Project’s board and, along with other private investors, fund all of GO Project’s overhead.  Fully 100% of a GO Project donation is used for orphan care.  As Mike puts it, “we want to share this amazing journey and become a footnote to how this started.  We fund the overhead to encourage many more to give their hearts and engage.  All are welcome, whether Christians or not.”

Mike and Beth – parents of five and grandparents of seven, with another on the way – have experienced highs and lows, great joy and great pain.  They’ve seen money come and go.  They’ve been refined and invigorated through faith.  Most of all, they’ve gained much wisdom.  Now a growing movement of so many experience a lesson Mike and Beth learned:  children hurting and in need, children dying in poverty, need help.  But they also offer riches to us that our economy cannot compute.  Did Mike and Beth Fox have it all through material items?  No.  That’s the myth of strivers.  Actually, children with nothing have shown them the secret of being content.

To learn more about Mike, Beth and GO Project, go to www.theglobalorphanproject.org. 60 Minutes will rebroadcast their segment about the Global Orphan Project on Sunday, July 11^th.

Mike and Beth lead the Global Orphan Project.	Beth gives many hugs.

Our Town is full of generous citizens who support philanthropic causes.  In fact, high net-worth citizens in Kansas City donate two times the national average when making charitable gifts.  When asked why Kansas City ranks so high in charitable giving, Laura McKnight, chairman and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, says, “People in the Midwest give for a sense of making a community better.”  The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation makes organizing and structuring charitable donations simple to do, while offering creative options for individuals, families and businesses.

Laura McKnight understands, and is a strong believer in, the benefits of planned philanthropy.  She says the GKCCF “offers people a better way to give.” She sees a huge increase in people who want to organize their gifts. The foundation assists donors with the creation of a fund, administration and planning of gifts to accomplish the donors goals while achieving maximum tax advantages.  The foundation’s services allow donors to satisfy their philanthropic goals in an organized and highly-effective manner.  The result underscores the vision of the foundation:  Community dreams fulfilled through the power of philanthropy.

The values of the foundation are solid:  Integrity, respect, passion and innovation.  The foundation conducts their work with transparency and honesty, values each person as individuals and respects diversity.  It also possesses passion for its mission, and seeks new ideas, working with flexibility, urgency, enthusiasm, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

The foundation, which oversees nearly one billion dollars in assets, houses 3,000 charitable funds and has provided more than $1.5 billion in grants since its inception.  Through regional affiliates, the foundation works with all parts of the city and for a variety of causes.  The foundation also administers Greater Horizons, which connects donors with charitable interests across the country.  With a local, regional and national presence, the GKCCF does offer a multitude of choices for philanthropists of all sizes.  As Laura says, “We have something to offer everyone.”

The new chairman of the board of the GKCCF is Anne St. Peter, founder of Global Prairie, an integrated marketing firm based in Kansas City.  Anne is approaching her two-year term as chairman with unmatched enthusiasm, and is confident that the foundation has “our fingers on the pulse of the Greater Kansas City community.”  Anne puts the innovation value into place every day at her company.  At Global Prairie, each employee has a fund at the GKCCF in their name that they direct.  Three times a year, on employees’ birthdays, hire anniversaries and holidays, Global Prairie makes a contribution to each of these funds.  In addition, at the end of each year, Global Prairie donates 10 percent of its profits to the Global Prairie Foundation.  Laura McKnight helped design this program, which Anne says has been a “phenomenal recruitment tool.”  The giving plan helps “attract the type of people who are interested in giving back,” said Anne.  In addition to the employees’ funds, Global Prairie encourages employees to be active in charitable organizations and to achieve leadership roles in the groups that are important to them.  Anne wants to reinforce the message of community engagement, and Global Prairie makes an extra effort to support the organizations where a member of the Global Prairie team has taken an active role.

Anne’s enthusiasm for philanthropy is evident not only in the unique funds she has the GKCCF create for her team members, but also in her role as board chairman.  Her goals for her tenure match the Foundation’s goals: increasing charitable giving in Kansas City, connecting donors to the community needs they care about, and playing a leadership role in critical community issues.

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is well-placed, both locally and nationally, to assist seasoned donors as well as attract new ones.  Educating youngsters about the importance of philanthropy is another goal of the foundation, and their Camp Charity is a way to show youth the ways they can make a difference with charitable gifts of time, talent and treasure.  Every Camp Charity participant receives a $25 Giving Card to redeem on a charity of their choice.  The next Camp Charity is scheduled for June 12th, and the GKCCF can provide you with registration details.

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is truly a remarkable institution, highly respected as experts in their field.  Whether you are a business owner wanting to mirror the giving methods of Global Prairie, a family or individual who wishes to organize their charitable gifts or an adult who desires to direct a youngster on a philanthropic path, the GKCCF has everything in place to assist in making charitable gifts as organized, effective, meaningful and successful.

Laura McKnight	Anne St. Peter

Since its founding in 1971, Operation Breakthrough has provided much-needed services for low-income families.  The organization has made quality childcare its primary mission, and today Operation Breakthrough ensures that more than 600 children, aged six weeks through 17 years, are safe, supervised, fed, and educationally stimulated.  Additionally, Operation Breakthrough provides on-site medical care, mental health services, speech and occupational therapy, tutoring, mentoring, a food pantry, and other emergency aid and parenting education programs.

Moving toward fulfillment of their mission has created unique opportunities for Operation Breakthrough, and one of the most recent is the introduction of a new line of greeting cards, illustrated exclusively by the children served by the organization.  Each colorful card features art created by the children, and cards are packaged in four assortments… two for the holiday and two for everyday.  Each package contains eight cards and nine envelopes and are attractively priced at $10 per package.  Mail Print, Inc. generously donated the printing of the cards, enabling all proceeds to benefit the children of Operation Breakthrough.

Supporting Operation Breakthrough has never been easier, or more fun!  The cards, which also come in gift tag size for $5, are available online at www.operationbreakthrough.org, or a variety of retailers throughout the area, including Annedore’s, ARTichokes, Ceramic Cafe, Churchill, feng, 5B & Co. Candlemakers, Flowers by Design, Hollyday Aesthetics Spa, The Learning Tree, Mail Packages Etc., Pear Tree, Pryde’s Old Westport, RSVP in the Village, Reading Reptile, Shop Girls, and Webster House.  

In addition to the generosity of the retailers, volunteers planned and executed the entire greeting card project.  Melanie Bolin and Sarah Telford created the packaging and marketing of the cards.  Judy Bellemer, a retired art teacher, guided the children through their artwork, and Stephanie Lawrence completed the graphic design for the cards and marketing materials.

The greeting cards not only are a colorful and creative way to raise funds, but they are also an excellent outlet for the children’s creativity.  Additionally, the children feel the empowerment of enterprise and gain a stronger understanding of creating a product, marketing and selling it.  Buying Operation Breakthrough greeting cards is more than a purchase… it is an affirmation of the good work of the organization as well as the creativity the children.

Samples of the cards created by children from Operation Breakthrough. 

The services the City Union Mission provides are an invaluable resource in Our Town by offering help and hope to the needy since 1924. Multiple programs comprise the core of the City Union Mission. The New Life Center is capable of helping up to 100 men in their long-term program.  The Family Shelter has 10 family rooms and helps families and single women, through a six-month program, get their lives back on track. The Mission Farm program, located in the Warsaw, Missouri, area teaches men a trade while they work on the 1,000 acre Opportunity Farm. The Mission’s camp for kids, Camp CUMCITO, provides a one-week camping experience from youth ages four through 16. Since the 1930s, the camp has made possible a unique camping respite for needy kids and teaches them the value of playing, sharing and loving and consistent discipline.  Open for five weeks during the summer months, Camp CUMCITO hosts more than 500 kids each summer.

Men involved in City Union Mission’s long-term program can earn their GED and gain valuable work experience.  Working in thrift stores enables the men to garner customer service and retail skills and learn other aspects of business. Men also have employment opportunities in restaurants and some are sent to Springfield, Missouri, to a cooking/chef school to further polish their skills.  

Medical care is a key to good health and City Union Mission assists in providing care to the needy.  Last year, more than 8,800 patients were seen by the Mission’s medical services department. Two nurses and volunteer doctors deliver health services and there is an infirmary in the men’s facility for recuperation, the only shelter infirmary in Kansas City.  Mission clients are also eligible for eyeglasses and dental services.

Dan Doty, executive director, explained that the needs for the community have increased; the number of poor in our area has gone up and more people than ever need help. People and families who never imagined they would be in a homeless shelter are now finding themselves in the position of relying on the City Union Mission’s services. This means community support, now more than ever, is needed. The operations of the Mission are reliant solely on donations as the Mission receives no government funding. Monetary donations are appreciated, as are gifts of household items, bath towels, clothing and fresh produce to serve with meals. The Mission offers a pick-up service to secure donated items as well.

There are many opportunities to be involved with City Union Mission.  The Mission is always in need of volunteers and only minimal mandatory training is required. There are never enough tutors at the Mission and volunteers 18 years of age and older are invited to help educate Mission clients.  Delivered meals are always appreciated and creating and making meals is a wonderful way for groups, such as churches or scout troops, to be involved.  

The City Union Mission does much more than offer a short-term fix for the problems of the needy and the homeless… its programs offer long-term solutions in helping clients make healthy lifestyle choices.  Through their counseling addiction recovery and education programs, the City Union Mission helps break the cycle of poverty, homelessness and reliance on government assistance and instill a healthy work ethic and attitude in their clients. The Mission not only saves lives… it changes them.