The growth of a nonprofit doesn’t happen spontaneously. It takes a plan, executing, nurturing, and evaluating that plan, hard work, and involving others along the way as a team.You, the donor, are first and foremost on our team.
Without you…the needs of orphans will never be met, young adults would not know how fulfilling life can become when they visit orphans, and people of all ages would never know the joy that comes from giving goods and shipping them to meet the needs of disadvantaged children.
Chris Burgin | Founder and CEO
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, I owned a business that operated on two principles: Satisfy the customer and make a profit. Every transaction needed to follow these inseparable principles or the business didn’t prosper. It was successful, but after selling the business and starting to work on a master’s degree, I ran across a five-part growth principle for churches by Arthur Flake that has held true for me for 20 years. It is simple, but profound and works for any organization:
- Know the possibilities
- Enlarge the organization
- Provide the space
- Enlist and train the workers
- Go after the people
What are the possibilities for growth with Allies?
How many orphans can we help if…
...we enlarge the organization of staff and volunteers?
...provide the needed space to get the job done?
...enlist and train the volunteers needed to change the lives of the children in the orphanages?
We have proved this organizational plan over and over again which is how we now serve more than 3,600 children in 69 orphanages in 10 countries! This growth wouldn’t have been possible without your support that enabled Director of International Operations Dr. Tatiana Baeva and her staff to do this life-changing work.
And this growth around the world has also created a need for more space here in Mansfield, Texas. In the past month, we moved into a larger office and warehouse in the same complex almost doubling our former space which will allow for even more possibilities to serve orphans and others. It is unbelievable that the work of Allies began in my detached garage in 2011 and has now grown to what it has - all because of YOU!
Thank you to Margie Brooks and her crew of dedicated local volunteers who did the physical labor for the move and most of all, thank you to all our donors who have made this growth possible!
Dr.Tatiana Baeva | Director of International Operations
The Allies Mentoring Program in Vietnam officially began in January 2019 and our recent trip to the Khanh Hoa region marked a full year of programming. Before the car engine had stopped running, the children at Mai Am Chua Phu Quang were already yanking open the doors of the vehicle to greet and hug us.
They were so excited that we had come to visit them that the younger children didn’t realize that Thuy, Allies area leader, was still in the backseat. They slammed the car door shut and eagerly led us into the temple. When they realized what they had done, they dropped everything and ran back to the van screaming, “Grandma Thuy, Grandma Thuy!” They embraced her and apologized before peppering her cheeks with kisses.
“I wasn’t here last month and I thought you might have forgotten about my birthday this month,” one of the younger boys told her. Thuy leaned down and gave him a big hug and promised him that she would never forget something so important.
In that brief interaction, we could see all the difference one year had made. We could see the love and affection that the children so desired and needed was being filled.
We could see that the orphans’ behavior and attitudes have drastically improved. We could see life coming back to some of the children’s eyes. They weren’t just existing anymore because they finally mattered to someone who they could see as a maternal figure in their lives.
YOU made this possible!
You see, many of these orphans do not even know the date they were born or what it’s like to celebrate a birthday. They are so surprised Allies mentors would not only visit them regularly throughout the year, but remember their special day and bring a cake to celebrate with them! The volunteers have not only built meaningful relationships with the orphans in Vietnam, but have stepped into the role of a grandparent or aunt to many of the children. Because of your generous gifts, you’ve created the opportunity for our volunteers to establish deep bonds with the children and to nurture and guide them towards a positive path of their own choosing. We are so grateful to have your support as we continue this journey in Vietnam.
We cannot wait to see what the future brings for these children!
“Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.”
– Fred Rogers, television personality
Margie Brooks | Volunteer Coordinator and Office Manager
Allies volunteers are heroes to over 3,600 orphans across the globe empowering them for a brighter tomorrow. Every hour you volunteer, every bag of clothing you sort, every box you pack, and every hygiene kit you put together is making a forever difference for a child in need. We are incredibly grateful for this past year and how God blessed the ministry of Allies through your generosity.
In 2019, YOU volunteered 1,505 hours at 124 volunteer events, packed 228 boxes, and shipped over five tons of goods! This was only accomplished because of dedicated advocates like you volunteering time, in-kind donations, or monetary support. Allies is currently looking for
Your Gifts at Work in 2019
Karen Yarbrough | Director of Donor Relations
At Allies, we’re all about children and not so much about statistics, but every so often it’s good to step back to see what the numbers are telling us.
In 2019, we served:
- 3,600+ orphans
- 94 single parent families
- 782 handicapped orphans AND
- 800+ volunteers worked with us!
This is the impact of what happens when people care...individuals like YOU! When donors work side-by-side with us, you improve the lives of children and others in need worldwide. These numbers represent the thousands of children you have helped. But what does “We served 3,600+ orphans” mean?
It means...
- Many orphans now have their own personal toothbrush for the very first time
- Single parents are now able to keep their children instead of handing them over to the orphanage
- Handicapped orphans are given a chance at life instead of being cast out until they die
- 62 orphans attend university rather than live on the streets
- Nearly 500 children decided to follow Christ
- ...And so much more!
We are forever grateful to the hundreds who gave donations, took a trip to visit our mentors and orphans in other countries, donated goods, bought cheesecakes in support of the Henshaw Tutoring Program, helped increase our endowment, volunteered time, and prayed for the orphans we serve. Together, we are literally saving lives and souls!
Texans Experience Siberian Winter
Cold is probably an understatement to describe winter in Siberia, but a recent visit from some Texans warmed the hearts of orphans there. And it should warm your heart to hear that your support is truly making a difference in the lives of orphans!
Michael Henshaw, a longtime Allies supporter, took his annual trip to Russia with newcomer Garrett Smith in December and January. They visited three orphanages in Siberia where they showered the children with supplies, hygiene kits, and toys that you provided. It meant so much to the children being that they have very little to call their own and they were surprised that people would travel so far from another country to spend time with them.
“It brightened their day,” Garrett, a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, said. “I was a children’s ministry intern and I loved working with children. I wanted to use what I’ve learned here to cheer up some kids over there.”
This was the fourth trip to Siberia for Michael, who is well known for his cheesecake fundraiser that supports what is now named the Henshaw Tutoring Program. Allies programs are currently in four orphanages in that area compared to just one orphanage the first year, and Michael was able to see how the tutoring program is making a huge difference in the lives of orphans.There was one young man who was very standoffish during an earlier visit, but has since started the tutoring program. “I always try to reach out and show love to the tough, teenage guys and he told me during this last trip,
‘You inspire me and you’re such a nice guy. If you had never come, I would still be mad and sad,’” Michael shared. What stood out to Garrett how hungry for attention the children were. “There was one boy who came up and sat on my knee and kept grabbing my arms and made me hold on to him,” he said. “Naturally, I would pull away after awhile, but every time I pulled away, he would pull my arms back around him like a seat belt and wouldn’t let me go. He was hungry for that affection and attention.”
That need for attention is why the Allies mentoring program that you provide is so important. Michael and Garrett observed Allies area volunteers and those special connections. The volunteers become like big brothers and sisters to the orphans who count on their monthly visits to the orphanages. “These orphans think, ‘I didn’t have anyone that cared about me, so why would I care?’” Michael said. “It really does change things for them to have someone who will check on them and give them a pat on the back. With our program, that connection gets deeper and deeper.”
Thank you for making sure these orphans are receiving the love and attention they so desperately need and have warm hearts throughout the year!