Frequently Asked Questions

Your name is Giving Children Hope, but you do more then just children’s projects, why?

The founders began this organization due to the great needs of children around the world. As the organization grew it took new shape. They realized that in order to meet the needs of the kids they would also have to address the needs of the parents. For instance, our Hands of Hope program, which trains individuals on computer technology or warehouse operations, helps to employ parents and therefore keeps children out of poverty when their parent is earning a self-sufficient income.

Giving Children Hope appears to conduct work all over the world; do you have priorities set in terms of countries or communities to focus on?

This is a great question – the answer is no. Many larger organizations choose to pre-determine areas of impact and they focus solely on these parts of the world. At GCH, we have taken a different approach to address a niche that is currently not being filled. We chose to allow others in need – wherever they might be located – to come into our office, talk with us and fill out an application.

Often small community leaders know best how to address the needs of their own community. The problem they face is the knowledge of how to procure and logistically receive their community needs. This is where we come in. We are experts in technical and medical supply needs in developing countries as well as in logistics. We partner with these individuals to develop a clinic that meets their specific needs – if a large humanitarian organization hasn’t determined their community as part of their strategic plan these communities are left without aid. We chose to fill in the gap in this manner.

There are also community groups and churches that want to do something about global needs, say AIDS in Africa, but they don’t know where to begin. They can also partner with us on a specific project to help raise the funding for one of the many community projects we are working on – in the process they are educated on global issues in a tangible way. In this manner GCH is often a bridge or connector of needs and resources while offering what we know best: our expertise and lessons learned in community development.

How is Giving Children Hope different from other international relief and development organizations?

One of our core values is listening. As a listening organization, we work with partners in developing countries and listen to their needs instead of imposing our ideas or strategy on the community. It is the community that is deciding what they need and which projects are needed first. Instead of being community based, we are community initiated. A project has the greatest chance for success when the community has true ownership and input into the development.

What do I do if I want to ship a container to a project I am working on in another part of the world?

Please call us and ask for a sponsorship application. We can provide low cost donated goods and arrange the shipment for you.

What do I do if I have funds or the time to make a difference on these big problems of the world but don’t know anyone in another country?

You can get involved with us! You can contribute your donation to our general fund, which enables us to use the money for the greatest current need. You can also contribute to a particular project or issue. We’ll keep you in the loop so you can know how your funds are impacting those locally or globally.

You can also volunteer with us. We always need volunteers. Come to our Distribution Center in Buena Park and we can put you to work. Soon you’ll be able to check our website for volunteer opportunities.

You can fundraise for us. This is often the biggest obstacle to completing a project. You can do a general fundraiser that might help us if there is an unexpected disaster (which happens several times per year). You can also pick a project to fundraise for. This is a way to be connected to the reduction of extreme poverty and other global issues in a tangible and necessary way.

I see you conduct many projects around the world, are you involved in issues facing American children?

YES! We are committed to relief work anywhere in the world. We shipped 40 truckloads of relief goods to post-Katrina and set up a soup kitchen to help meet the needs of the people. We were also involved in the relief efforts for the Southern California wildfires.

Additionally we are committed to poverty reduction and hunger issues locally. We operate local workforce development programs where we seek to have individuals enter or re-enter the workforce and break the bonds of poverty. Our “We’ve Got Your Back” program is our local program serving homeless Orange County school children. These children receive nutrition training in the classroom and a backpack filled with food on Friday’s to last them through the weekend. Furthermore, GCH supplies numerous Orange County organizations with needed supplies, most of whom serve children. Rest assured that when you partner with GCH you are partnering to help not only children in developing countries, but American children in need.

Can I make a donation in memory of someone?

Absolutely!

Can I donate by credit card?

Sure, presently we take credit card payments at our location in Buena Park. You can also pay by credit card through our PayPal account on our website.

How are your micro-enterprise projects in other countries related to the medical clinics you develop?

While we deal with many medical projects, we are interested in holistic development of communities. Often the greatest needs of those in the developing world are around basic medical necessities. We engage in micro-enterprise projects that help bring economic development to create healthier communities. Often these projects also help finance the sustainability of the medical clinics that serve the poor or a children’s home often housing orphans. Additionally, one of the best ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is through the creation of jobs giving many individuals options for survival.

You appear to be a faith-based organization, are you affiliated with any denomination?

No. We are a faith-based organization that believes in biblical principles, but we are not affiliated with any denomination. We seek to have a diverse board, which includes individuals from various denominations or non-denominational churches. We are a humanitarian organization compelled to serve the needs of the poor regardless of religion.

So, you are faith-based, do I have to believe in the Christian faith to become involved?

No. We work with individuals and groups from all walks of life. We are compelled to serve around issues of poverty because of our belief in the Bible, but we do not require our recipients, donors, or volunteers to believe the same way. However, we believe that prayer for our projects and container shipments is a necessary part of our work and sets us apart from other similar organizations.

Do you provide your medical supplies and equipment for free to your partner agencies?

Yes and no. We are always working hard on securing more funding to enable us to provide items for the lowest possible sponsorship. While the product that we send to our recipients is for free, there is always an associated sponsorship asked of the partnering organization.

Why is there a cost if you utilize donated goods?

Great question. There are a few answers. The first is that in order for an organization to take ownership of a project it must be invested in its success. When items are given for free, the success of a project greatly diminishes. We want to work on sustainable and successful projects and have found that a financial investment from our partners makes a difference.

There are also associated costs to our operations. We have salaries to pay, items to procure, facilities to maintain, items to sort through and inventory, equipment to re-furbish, shipping charges etc. Additionally, we are often charged handling fees for the product and equipment that we receive from others. We are able to procure these items at a reduced fee due to our 501©3 status but there is still an associated cost. A basic clinic in an African country costs approximately $15,000 (depending on equipment needed). The true market value rate on producing this same clinic would be triple.

You ask for new clothing only, why don’t you take used clothing?

This is a great question that we are often asked. Sometimes someone feels offended that we only want new clothing and not used clothing as we NEVER mean to offend people’s good intentions. The individuals we serve have often suffered traumatic devastation due to manmade or natural disasters. Our goal is to serve them in a way that offers respect and dignity. We try and ask ourselves, if I just lost everything I own in a fire or earthquake, what would I want to be given? Often handing someone in this situation worn clothing can cause offense to them. Unfortunately many people assure us that the items they are going to bring us are in excellent condition; but often they aren’t. Our energies and space are then used in ways that aren’t productive in meeting the true needs of those we are trying to serve. If you have further questions about our policy on used clothing, please call us.

Will you do the fund-raising for our project?

No. While we do all we can to help keep associated sponsorship as low as possible, and we will support and give you fundraising ideas, we cannot do the fundraising for you. We focus on what we do best; that is procuring the best possible goods at the least possible costs. Since you are the one most passionate about your specific project, you are in the best position to successfully fundraise.

How do I know that the partners you work with are legitimate and the funding of the projects is really going to this community?

We screen our US partners with a strict application process in which we check references, carry on joint visits, and communicate regularly with them. Overseas partners require similar checks, actual on the ground visits, and consultation with local authorities.

How do I know you are a credible organization?

Stop by and visit us anytime and see the work we do. We are also registered with the United Way, ECFA, USAID, InterAction, CFC, Office of the Attorney General of the State of California, Independent Charities of America and Children’s Charities of America.

You state that 99% of all funding goes to programs; it seems unrealistic. How is this possible?

Agencies that engage in relief and development work often receive a great deal of “Gifts in Kind” which drives down the amount that is spent on administration. Gifts in Kind are items that are donated and then recycled and sent out to places of need. Perhaps it is Arrowhead donating us pallets of water or Cardinal Health donating us medical supplies. These items are counted on our books as cash revenue but in reality they are actually product to be used on our projects and not cash that can be spent on administration expenses. We work hard to ensure that our administration costs are low and we are able to utilize the maximum amount possible on programs while still investing in proper infrastructure at GCH.

Can my business help support these global or local efforts?

Of course! Cause-marketing campaigns are said to produce a 200-300% return on investment. If your business would like to support our organization in a marketing campaign call our office. We would love to develop more win-win relationships.

Do you give tours?

Sure we do. Call our office and schedule a time to come and take a look at our facility. You could bring a group to volunteer at the same time and have lunch here.

How can I pray for you?

Please send an email to jsteverding@godaid.org and ask to be added to our prayer group list. We send out a twice-monthly email with our prayer needs and we GREATLY appreciate your prayer support.