 UPDATE
Myanmar, July 2008
Two months after Cyclone Nargis hit the coast of Myanmar, millions of people still need help. The latest reports estimate 140,000 dead and 2.4 million people seriously affected. Some say that the victims will still need serious help on into April 2009.
(Click Here to view the conditions in Myanmar.) 
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WHAT IS THE CHILDREN'S CHAMPION AWARD?
The Children's Champion award exists to recognize those who have used their positions of influence to ensure that children receive hope against the odds. |
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THE COMPASSION INSTITUTE
Summer is travel-time for Compassion Institute trainers. This August we will conduct trainings at the CHF Chicago offices and in San Jose, Costa Rica.
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CHF AND THE NATIVE PHILIPPINOS
The native people in The Philippines are called Aetas. As a hunting and gathering people, they move from place to place. This makes it difficult to give aid to them with any consistency. |
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MERCY NETWORK UGANDA
The eyes of the world are on Africa.
The continent is broiling with poverty, hunger, AIDS, and tyranny. Lawmakers, global aid workers, and celebrities worldwide are desperately seeking solutions that might help end the devastating cycle of poverty. |
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MERCY NETWORK PERU
Our Mercy Network in Peru launched just one year ago. 10 churches were trained and shortly after began distributing Food Paks to the homes of the needy in the villages and slums in and surrounding Lima. As we monitor their progress, we are encouraged by the effect this strategy is having on the families served.
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PROVISION IN DESPAIR
Pastor Miguel Garcia from Iglesia La Gran Comision, has been ministering in Mexicali for over 16 years now. He and his wife invest in the ministry out of their own pocket. With the way that our economy has been going lately it became very difficult for them to continue doing this. |
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EARTHQUAKE IN PERU
CHF Mercy Network Mobilizes in Peru
to Alleviate Quake Suffering |
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LATIN AMERICA UPDATE
Aura lives with her 7 children and her parents in a 3 room shack in Guatemala City's famed Zone 3 garbage dump. The front door opens into a room carpeted with junk salvaged from the dump. One room has a bed and a crib that she and her children share. Her parents share a bunk in the other room. Each day, Aura leaves her 2 month old baby with her youngest sons while she scours the dump for items that might take a price in the market.
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MERCY NETWORK LOS ANGELES
"I want to share with you that when I was delivering a Food Pak to one family last Friday, another woman came up and introduced herself to me. She asked if she could have some food too. She went on to explain that she and her two children had recently fled their home in another city following an incident of domestic violence with her husband. |
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CHICAGOLAND LAUNCH
The launching of CHF-Midwest.
this year recalls a verse from the prophet Zechariah: "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..." (Zech. 4:10).
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MAKING 4˘ FEED A CHILD
Just before the holidays, I had the opportunity to lead a team to Peru where I was reminded again of the incredible impact poverty has on children and families. Peru is not unique in this regard. Most anywhere you go in this world, it seems, you will find large pockets of children suffering from the effects of hunger and poverty. |
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LATIN AMERICA NEWS
One in every 4 people in Latin America survives on less than $2 per day!* That is clearly not enough money to live on, especially when you consider you may have spent that much on a cup of coffee today. It is these children that we strive to reach through our Latin America programs.
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STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
This year, a panel of graduate students from UCLA will be conducting a study to audit our statistics and reporting. They will follow our products through our Southern California Mercy Network distributions to the homes of needy families. |
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MENTORING THE MISSION
This is a common phrase we hear from ministry leaders after they complete CHF's Compassion Ministry Essentials Training. They don't seem to expect the in-depth, visionary training they receive when they first begin the process of joining CHF's Mercy Network. Though, once they have completed it, they are amazed at the growth and ministry-steering vision they achieve. |
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SHARING A SMALLER PIECE OF PIE
Guatemala City is much like any large city. It has a business district, industrial areas, suburbs and poor areas. Then, there are places that are so poor and crime ridden, you would never dare to enter. |
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AIDING REFUGEES
Darfur In Chicago
The humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan is well known. With estimates of 400,000 people killed and 2.5 Million displaced, the situation has been tagged as one of the worst in history. |
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WALK WITH THE EGYPTIANS
Recently, CHF found a unique opportunity to help a large ministry serve the poor children in Egypt. We were invited to Cairo to visit the compassion programs of Kasr El Dobara. |
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LOS ANGELES MERCY NETWORK
Our L.A. Mercy Network sees home delivery of food as the prevailing strategy in helping the needy. |
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MIDWEST MERCY NETWORK
Our Midwest Distribution Center near Chicago reports a fruitful Food Pak program there. |
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CHANGE OF PLANS CHANGES LIVES
Earlier this year we shared our plans to send 5 truckloads of nutritious rice casserole to a ministry partner in Cairo, Egypt. |
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NEW NAME, EXPANDED VISION
An amazing thing has happened to Children's Hunger Fund Chicago.
When we first began developing a platform for ministry there, our vision was to establish a Mercy Network that would serve the needs of children throughout Chicago's inner-city areas. |
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TOY WRAP RADIO SPECIAL
Radio station KKLA (99.5 FM in Southern California) visited us at our Toy Wrap on December 1st, 2007. Click "more" to listen. |
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ARTICLE CITES CHF'S GOOD WORK
An article in World Magazine by the leader of Wall Watchers, an independent ministry watchdog organization, cites Children's Hunger Fund as an example of a charity that not only addresses the physical needs of poor children, but seeks to meet their spiritual needs as well. |
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JOY IN THE JUNGLE ~ A Mercy Network Serves The Talamanca Natives
Deep in the tropical rain forests of Costa Rica live the Bribri (BREE-bree), the original people of the Talamanca region. This indigenous tribe has lived in the mountainous jungles along the Caribbean coast for centuries and much of their ancient culture and traditions still survive. |
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A NEW WAY TO CARRY HOPE
When the weather in tropical Africa prevented the use of our traditional Food Pak®, CHF developed a more resilient and environmentally-friendly package for home food delivery. |
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A FRESH PLACE TO REST
CHF was able to provide fresh beds, mattresses and bedding for a group of orphanages in Ukraine. |
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AN UNUSUAL GROCERY STORE
How one church works to give dignity while providing for the needy. |
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MERCY IN MICHIGAN
New opportunities are opening to serve a large community of needy families throughout Michigan. |
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SERVING EL SALVADOR'S POOR
In the small country of El Salvador, 68% of the population lives in poverty. This sad situation provokes the exodus of approximately 720,000 people each year. |
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WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD
A new Mercy Network church is launching in a unique area for compassion ministry: Hollywood. |
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CONFRONTING THE CRUNCH IN CAMBODIA
Have you been feeling the crunch of rising prices at the gas pump and the grocery store? If you answered "yes", most people around the world agree. The rising cost of items like gasoline, cooking oil, and food are having global effects. |
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GETTING INTO GUATEMALA
In Guatemala, over 22% of children under 5 suffer from malnutrition*. Over half of the population lives at or below the national poverty line**. That means that every other person we encounter in Guatemala is in need of some sort of help to meet his or her basic needs. |
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MICHIGAN MINISTRY MOUNTS
God is doing amazing things at CHF Midwest. We have been developing a relationship with Urban Family Ministries (UFM) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Nearly 12% of the population lives in poverty and our desire is to help them through the compassion of local churches. |
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ONE FOOD PAK BUILDS FIVE RELATIONSHIPS
As we climbed crumbling rock pathways among seemingly endless rows of aluminum and cardboard lean-to shacks, we were astounded by what we saw. Mile after mile of shanty homes were stacked one upon another. A spirit of hopelessness consumed us everywhere we looked. However, we knew the opportunity to see the hand of God at work lay ahead of us, and with that came hope. |
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1991:
December: CHF files for non-profit status and is incorporated in California.
1992:
January: Local food distribution program in Riverside, Ca. begins serving churches with food for low-income families.
February: First international project is completed - airlifting a shipment of medicines and medical supplies to aid village children in Mexico.
April: In response to Los Angeles riots, CHF provides 30,000 pounds of food per month to South Central Los Angeles residents.
October: Local food program begins 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley, operating from a 2,000 square foot warehouse in Panorama City.
1993:
February: First relief shipment to Romania, providing 40,000 pounds of Gerber's baby food to aid children in orphanages and baby homes.
April: First shipment of food and relief sent to Africa, aiding children in Nigeria and Chad.
December: First annual "CHF Holiday Toy Drive" begins. Approximately 5,100 toys are collected and distributed to low-income children in California.
1993 Relief Highlights:
Eight truckloads of humanitarian aid sent to Native American Indian reservations in the Western United States
Nineteen sea containers shipped to 11 countries
Five million pounds of food is distributed to aid children in the U.S.
1994:
January: Northridge earthquake of January 17th dramatically impacts future of CHF's program development. CHF helps provide 15,000 hot meals a day during first two weeks after the earthquake.
February: FEMA provides CHF with warehousing, staffing, and equipment to distribute 120 truckloads of emergency food over 10-week period. 110 churches in San Fernando Valley begin receiving food from CHF, providing food to 55,000 families during first week of February.
June: CHF moves into a 10,000 square foot warehouse in Pacoima to house its operations.
December: CHF provides 85 southern California churches with 22,000 food baskets and 18,000 toys to aid needy children.
1994 Relief Highlights:
49 sea containers of aid were distributed to fifteen countries.
More than 8 million pounds of food was distributed.
270 individuals completed job-training programs across the United States.
$12 million in humanitarian aid was distributed.
1995:
February: Impact on children in the Former Soviet Union expands through CHF's support of Operation Carelift '95.
March: Funding received to purchase first bobtail truck to assist local food program.
March: Relief provided for aid flood victims (mainly migrant worker families in central California).
November: Food packages provided to 27,000 families over the holidays in southern California.
1995 Relief Highlights:
Holiday Toy Drive provides 105,000 new toys to children in need.
More than 8 million pounds of food was distributed.
International program grows to 61 sea containers shipped
Southern California distributions aid 125,000 families
1996:
January: Partnership established in mainland China, providing relief supplies to aid the poor.
March: Support begins to inner-city children in Brooklyn, New York and the Five Burroughs area.
May: Relief efforts expanded in Moldova through partnership with Global Operations.
September: McDonald's begins its partnership with CHF, donating 700,000 "Happy Meal" toys for our holiday programs.
December: 165,000 toys are donated to CHF to distribute to needy children.
1996 Relief Highlights:
77 sea containers are shipped to aid children in 33 countries.
$5 million in relief aid sent to Romania to help support 43,000 children.
$22 million total in relief aid is distributed around the world.
Volunteers gift wrap 40,000 toys at CHF headquarters
1997:
April: Development of Compassion Ministry Training Team
May: Vegetable seeds sent to North Korea to aid famine victims.
May: Partnership with Mercy Ships begins to outfit a medical clinic in Leon, Nicaragua.
June: Monthly volunteer workdays begin, one Saturday morning each month.
June: Distribution of school supplies to orphanages and churches begin on a regular basis via partnerships with Gillette, 3M, Office Depot, and Viking Office Supplies.
December: 455,000 toys and gift items distributed to children worldwide.
1997 Relief Highlights:
110 sea containers shipped to 30 countries.
$29 million in relief aid is provided.
1998:
March: Pacoima facilities expansion - additional 13,000 square foot warehouse is leased.
April: 50,000 children across the US benefit from selected Easter outreach programs.
May: "Care Package" Program established in an effort to build relationships with the poor.
June: 1,000 Care Packages per month are shipped to Brooklyn, New York to aid needy families.
June: Shipment of corn seed and other relief aid sent to help suffering Christians in Sudan.
June: Weekly volunteer programs expanded to include every Wednesday.
August: Multiple containers of relief aid sent to Ukraine targeting children of Chernobyl.
October: CHF begins sending relief aid to Indonesia.
November: Relief aid sent to Honduras and El Salvador to aid victims of Hurricane Mitch.
December: 40 foot container of Care Packages sent to Cuba to pave the way for 1.8 million books and bibles to enter the country.
1998 Relief Highlights:
$43 million in relief aid distributed in 58 countries
U.S. distributions impacted 54 cities in 24 states
155 sea containers were shipped internationally
1.9 million toys were distributed at Christmas
30,000 Care Packages were distributed to families
1999:
January: CHF commits to send 25 sea containers of relief aid to Indonesia.
March: 1,000 feeding centers added to the distribution program in Indonesia.
April: Targeted campaign is developed to aid refugees in Kosovo.
May: Native American Indian children assisted in the "Bennett Freeze Zone" of northern Arizona.
July: "Christmas in July" begins with volunteer toy wrapping event to assist with holiday programs in southern California.
September: "Gift Pak" program established to provide another relational tool in reaching the poor. Back-to-school programs touch the lives of thousands of needy children across the US.
September: CHF rushes relief aid for starving refugees in East Timor, Indonesia
December: 1.5 million toys distributed to children in need at Christmas.
1999 Relief Highlights:
1,100 volunteers assisted CHF in 1999
$37 million in relief aid was provided to children worldwide.
180 sea containers were shipped to children in 43 countries.
2000:
January: Venezuela flood victims receive care packages and other relief aid.
April: Easter Outreaches across the US are expanded to reach 40,000 children.
May: 1.8 million sets of new thermal underwear are donated to CHF for use in orphanages throughout Eastern Europe.
July: Famine victims aided in Ethiopia. Thousands of pounds of rice are provided to help with emergency assistance.
July: 400 volunteers attend "Christmas in July" event, helping us gift-wrap 15,000 toys for Christmas.
July: CHF supports "Mission to Russia" project with humanitarian aid to benefit children in orphanages throughout Russia.
October: Care Package distribution begins in the Coachella Valley of southern California, aiding migrant worker families and the poor.
November:Level of operation expanded in the Appalachian states. Thousands of toys are provided for the holidays.
December: 3.5 million children in 60 countries received a new toy at Christmas.
December: 15 million McDonald's "Happy Meal" toys were distributed worldwide.
December: Nearly one million new teddy bears were donated to CHF for outreach programs to children in need.
2000 Relief Highlights:
Food for more than 5 million meals provided.
41,000 Care Packages distributed worldwide.
50,000 Gift Paks assembled and distributed to the poor.
Nearly $71 million in relief aid was distributed to 70 countries worldwide.
240 sea containers shipped internationally.
2001:
January: El Salvador earthquakes cause CHF to develop earthquake relief campaign.
January: Distribution base in Washington, D.C. and Virginia expanded, partnering with Kids Konnection to assist 4,000 inner city children.
January: CHF commits to provide 1,000 Care Packages per month to support families in Romania who remove their child(ren) from the state-run orphanage system.
March: CHF Warehouse expanded into one 26,000 square foot facility.
June: El Salvador earthquake relief project nears completion. Nearly 140,000 people benefit from $2.8 million in aid sent by CHF.
July: CHF expands its impact in the Caribbean, sending shipments to Haiti, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries.
August: "Back-to-School Project" to aid America's poor children provides more than $1 million of school supplies to children in need.
September: "Operation Winter Relief" program is established in response to the 9/11 acts of terror.
December: Volunteer gift-wrapping event at CHF headquarters draws 1,200 people. More than 60,000 gifts are wrapped for Christmas distribution.
2001 Relief Highlights:
$69 million in relief aid is distributed to children in need. More than 200 sea containers are shipped to developing countries.
More than 9 million pounds of food is distributed through Operation Winter Relief, aiding more than 1 million of America's poorest children.
42, 000 Care Packages assembled and distributed to needy families
38,000 Gift Paks assembled for the poor
More than 6,000 volunteers assist with distribution projects at CHF's headquarters.
2002:
January: 1 million-plus children in 38 states are assisted through Operation Winter Relief.
10 million pounds of food distributed in sixteen states.
4 million dollars worth of hygiene items distributed to lower income families.
2 million dollars worth of winter clothing given to families in need.
10,000 Care Packages and 8,000 hygiene kits assembled and distributed.
August: Program services expanded to Coachella, just east of Palm Desert, CA.
November: Weekly distribution to 400 lower-income Coachella families begins.
2002 Relief Highlights:
3 million dollars worth of nutritional supplements donated through partnering corporations such as USANA, Rexall, Natrol, and Metabolife.
2,200 malnourished children receive daily nutritional supplements due to corporate partnerships.
More than 42,000 Care Packages are assembled and distributed to low-income families.
More than 1000 people now donate 10 dollars on a monthly basis as a Food Package sponsor.
CHF surpasses the 50 million dollar mark in corporate contributions.
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