Frequently Asked Questions

What is Orphanos Foundation?
How do you say Orphanos?
What are some of your biggest needs?
How can I get involved?
Who are "children at risk"? What does this mean?
How many homes are there and where are they?
Does Orphanos run the homes?
Do you do anything in Memphis?
My company wants to support Orphanos. How do we do that?
What if my company has concerns about being tied to a religious organization?
How do I support Orphanos personally?
Does 100% of my gift really go to the children or the homes? How do you keep the lights on?
Is my gift tax deductible?
How do I know your team is ethical?

 

What is Orphanos Foundation?

We are a Memphis-based 501(c)3 Christian charity that partners with Christian orphanage homes and Christian missionaries who help children at risk around the world.

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How do you say Orphanos?

Orphan.... os. (It's Greek for orphan. James 1:27)

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What are some of your biggest needs?

Please visit the pages under Ways to Give to find out more on specific projects or other areas we need support.

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How can I get involved?

  • Give to a project, give to a missionary, sponsor a child, or give towards our overhead expenses (we love automatic payment from regular monthly donors).

  • Go on a short term mission. (More than 60 short term mission teams consisting of nearly 700 people have visited our partner homes.) We offer two week teams, two month internships, two year explorers, and career opportunities.

  • Pray by utilizing our missionary blogs and home blogs.

  • Send a kid a Christmas Card through our Kards 4 Kids Program.

  • Participate in our Spring Golf Tournament.

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Who are children at risk? What does that mean?

Viva Network, a leading international Christian voice on children at risk defines ‘children at risk’ as persons under 18 living in situations which may include: disabling or bonded child labor, war and other forms of violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, disease, drug abuse or disability, neglect, loss of family or primary care-giver, extreme poverty, or oppressive institutions.

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Where are the homes? How many?

We have 9 locations we currently partner with in some way or another. All of these locations are outside the US. Currently we partner in Brazil, South Korea, Colombia, Mexico, India, Jamaica, and Ecuador.

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Do you guys run the homes?

No. Local churches or other groups do that. We help with major projects or self-funding grants. For example, through the generosity of our donors we funded a bakery for one home so the kids could make food, sell the extra bread and learn a trade. Through our donors we’ve also funded projects such as digging wells, remodeling cafeterias, purchasing farm land to grow food, educational grants, and much much more. We give the gifts anonymously - so there's no Orphanos Foundation wing at any of the homes nor do any of the donors' names appear on plaques at the homes. Being a Christian organization, we prefer to let God get the credit for these gifts.

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Do you do anything at home in Memphis?

Our main event in Memphis is the Memphis Messiah. Each December we enabled about 5,000 Title 1 students in the 4th and 5th grades from the Memphis City Schools and the Jubilee School system to attend three abbreviated performances of Handel’s masterpiece. Through local business sponsorships we completely underwrite the $75k expenses for those presentations because the message of Handel's Messiah is important.

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My company wants to support you guys. How do they do that?

We can get them a copy of the 2012 Memphis Messiah corporate sponsorship package when we have it ready. Let us know who your company contact is (name, position, phone, e-mail). If you know the budget/decision cycle key dates, that helps but isn't necessary - we can take it from there. In the meantime, send them this year's link memphismessiah.org.

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What if my company has concerns about giving to something religious?

We are motivated by our faith to help these children. Nevertheless, many non-religious companies have chosen to support us because of:

  • Our tie-in to Education (the 36 Memphis Inner-City Schools)

  • Our commitment with Memphis as our home-base since 1997 (global charity with a local impact)

  • The worthiness of the cause - once they see pictures of the kids and hear our story, they decide to "give anyway"

  • Self-interest - the people who attend events like Memphis Messiah tend to be attractive to sponsors and their business message.

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I want to support you guys personally. How do I do it?

You can Give Online.
With your permission we can debit checking account each month in any amount you tell us too.  (Authorization forms are available.)
You can give us a one-time gift of cash/check or stock.
You can also designate Orphanos Foundation on your United Way or Combined Federal Campaign form.
Or, you can give to us through your Hope Community Christian Foundation or other giving account.

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Does a 100% of my designated gift really go to the kids or the homes? How do you guys keep the lights on?

Yes! Amazing, isn’t it? 100% of your designated gift does go to the project or missionary you specify. If you want to help keep the lights on, tell us you also want to be part of the AdminTeam. Incredibly, this model has worked for us since 1997. We believe it is evidence of God’s blessing on our work.

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Is my gift tax deductible?

We are a 501c3 charity - just like a church, synagogue or the United Way. You should contact your accountant to see how gifts would impact your personal tax liability, but normally gifts to Orphanos are tax-deductible.

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How do I know you guys are ethical?

Our reputation is important to us and to the kids. That’s why we are members of The Standards of Excellence, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, the United Way, and even have our books audited by an outside auditor. We'll be glad to open our audited financials to you, if you have real interest or concerns.

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