Trace Thurlby Joins Global Orphan Project

For more information, contact: Mike Farag, director of communications

//FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE//

The Global Orphan Project Expands Leadership Team to Meet Increasing Needs in Haiti and Around the World

KANSAS CITY, MO (Jan. 21st 2010) Communicating from Port Au Prince, Haiti, Mike and Beth Fox, Founders, and Joe Knittig, CEO announced the addition of Trace Thurlby to the KC-based Global Orphan Project as their new President.

Trace recently served as COO for Bott Radio Network.  During his tenure, BRN grew from 25 broadcast outlets to more than 80. In addition to BRN, Trace brings financial experience from the investment industry and leadership skills developed in the military.

“Trace’s operational expertise and heart for our ministry will help us meet the growing need to care for orphans in Haiti and around the world.”  Joe Knittig.

“God pierced my heart for this ministry in 2006 during a GO Vision trip in Haiti. Ever since I’ve considered it a great privilege and joy to serve with Mike, Beth, Joe, and the incredible team at GO. The opportunity to care for God’s kids full time is an honor. I’m all in.” Trace Thurlby

The Global Orphan Project cares for the world’s neediest kids in the world’s neediest countries. Currently, Mike, Beth, Joe, Trace, and team are in Haiti to care for the newly orphaned following last week’s devestation. Thousands from across the nation have reached out to help through The Global Orphan Project. 100 percent of the donations made to the GO Project’s Haiti Relief Fund will be used to bring healing.

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About The Global Orphan Project

The Global Orphan Project is powered by Kansas City, MO.-based C3 Missions International, Inc. The Global Orphan Project provides practical outlets to care for orphaned and abandoned children living in extreme poverty. As a 501 (c)(3), donations to The Global Orphan Project are tax deductible. For more information, visit www.theglobalorphanproject.org.

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$1 Million ‘Recession-Buster’ Fundraiser Matches Donations

From retailers to car dealerships, it seems businesses everywhere are offering incentives to drive sales and help consumers’ stretch their budgets. Now, you can add The Global Orphan Project to the list.

To help you stretch your charitable giving in a down economy, we are matching “invest” donations up to $1 million through Sept. 20, 2009, as part of our Million Dollar Challenge.  So far, we have raised $285,000 toward our $1 million dollar goal!

“We are sponsoring the Million-Dollar Challenge because a recession doesn’t hamper people’s desire to give, only their ability to give,” said Michael Fox, co-founder of The Global Orphan Project.

There are 3 ways you can help:

• Donate to the $1 million dollar challenge here>>
• Fund raise on Facebook Causes >>
• Spread the word
  • Email your friends this article, use the “Share/Save” button at the bottom of this post
  • Download and attach the banner at the top of this page to your blog or email (On the Home Page under SHARE TOOLS)
  • Hand out some “share cards”, a donation of $50 or more gets share cards sent to them, or stop by our offices.

According to UNICEF, there were more than 143 million orphans worldwide in 2006 – that’s equal to nearly half the population of the United States. Most live in extreme poverty. With your help we have built more than 110 homes in 14 countries in the past five years, tackles the orphan pandemic by building self-sustaining villages that care for the kids.

To keep those homes and villages operating, the nonprofit needs “invest” donations, which, as Fox says, “Pays for everything from beds to beans.”

If matching funds weren’t enough incentive to give, 100 percent of every donation –whether it’s $5 or $5,000 – goes straight to the kids. And, the best part? Anyone at any age can get involved and make a difference. Seven-year-old Isabelle Redford, recently featured on ABC’s “World News with Charles Gibson” and CBS’ “The Early Show,” makes and sells greeting cards to raise money. So far, she has sponsored one home in Haiti and is breaking ground soon on a second home in Malawi, Africa.

Even Kansas City Chiefs players Dwayne Bowe and Branden Albert are signing on.  “The Global Orphan Project is making a huge difference in the lives of orphan kids all over the world, I’m helping them raise one million dollars before September 20th, it’s time we all got involved in some way!” Bowe said.

Down economy or not, double your investment is a sweet deal.  Let’s get active and take advantage!

Isabelle Redford Makes News

Friday, Jul. 03, 2009
Parsons girl raises money for Haiti homes
By BRIAN HOLDERMAN – Parsons Sun

PARSONS, Kan. — A two-year journey of hope to help others less fortunate in other countries can be rewarding for those willing to put forth a little effort.

Isabelle Redford, 7, began her journey with the idea of providing aid to C3 Missions and the Global Orphan Project. She helped by hand-making gift cards.  Her parents, Kevin and Kelly Redford of Parsons, have done mission work in Haiti and they explained some of their work to Isabelle on their return in 2005.

To find out more visit www.theglobalorphanproject.org

Her parents told her two babies born premature and their mother had died during child birth. The missions group with the help of members of the community helped care for the infants.  In Haiti, if a person touches a child after a parent dies then they are to assume responsibility for the child.

Isabelle’s passion to help those children and others grew and her mom and dad encouraged her to do what she could to provide for them in some way.  She began by drawing and coloring pictures and with some help from C3 Missions she was able to have a collection of cards boxed with envelopes to help her sell more cards in a shorter time frame. The box of cards sell for $40 with each dollar earned going directly to funding a new home for orphan children.

Isabelle has raised a little more than $10,000 through card sales, garage sales that include some of her art work, toys, clothes and baked goods with the help of her family.

Her first missions home she helped build was in Tiatayn, Haiti, in Hope Village. She raised $5,000 for part of a four-apartment complex for six orphans to live and a house mother. The home was given the name of Isabelle Redford’s House of Hope by the family who is living there. The kids who live there range in age from 5 to 12 and despite their language barriers they found they had many things in common: jump rope, soccer, hide and seek.

“Most people in Haiti live in shanties. While things don’t really look that poor since they drive cars, there isn’t much produce or income due to all the stripping of the land during the time when the French occupied the area,” Isabelle said.

“There are hurricanes and mud slides and many people perish from these events yearly,” she said.  Isabelle also said she enjoyed going there on the mission trip and meeting all the kids.  Isabelle brought beads and other trinkets there and spent time with the kids making necklaces and bracelets and visiting the school, church and doctor’s office and attempting to survive the humidity and heat.

Haitians said around 1,300 students attended the school nearest Village of Hope. Haiti has a 70 percent illiteracy rate. Isabelle and her mom both said it wasn’t uncommon for them to be walking down a street and see kids and families sifting through the trash along the roads trying to find food or items that they could sell or trade for food.

The second home is scheduled to begin construction soon in Ghana or Kenya, Africa, on $5,000 she earned through card sales and donations from churches and other youth organizations.

Isabelle now has a blog (artsfororphans.blogspot.com) and Global Orphans’ Project has a Web site (http://www.theglobalorphanproject.org), which has a $1 million challenge going on until Sept. 20, with a dollar for dollar donation match to assist orphans through C3 Missions and Global Orphans Project.