143 MILLION CALLING

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, 121 member Mike Douris and his team embarked on an adventure by founding a new organization to bring Good News and practical aid to orphans around the world. The following press release announced the new ministry group.

NEW “ORPHAN OUTREACH” ORGANIZATION LAUNCHES IN DALLAS TO AID WORLD'S CHILDREN IN NEED
Charity's Founders Passionate About Cause, Bringing 52 Years Collective Orphan Ministry Experience

As the AIDS epidemic alone claims the lives of millions of parents in impoverished nations, Orphan Outreach, a new social service charity, has debuted in Dallas to reach out to children in need around the world. The non-denominational Christian-based organization has launched its website www.orphanoutreach.org, providing a virtual link between volunteers, churches, overseas staff and donors meeting the spiritual, physical, emotional and educational needs of orphaned children.

The passionate team of six Orphan Outreach founders brings strong professional backgrounds and more than 52 years of collective orphan ministry experience gained, in part, from work at Buckner International, one of the country's largest private social-care organizations. Their extensive knowledge of foreign childcare systems and effective activation of church and volunteer bases is enabling the new non-profit to begin its work in Russia, India, Guatemala, Honduras, and other areas at-risk, especially for AIDS.

“An estimated 143 million of the world's children are orphaned or homeless. Our team is dedicating our work to reaching out to those who are in dire need of help and hope,” said Michael Douris, president of Orphan Outreach. “Many live simply for today with futures dulled by illiteracy, poverty and illness. Orphan Outreach will directly minister to these children to provide for a brighter tomorrow. ”

Orphan Outreach will primarily concentrate on early intervention efforts and improving the lives of orphans living in sub-standard conditions, with the hope of impacting the cycle faced by at-risk children through:

• Developing Christian schools for at-risk children in order that they may develop spiritually and educationally and be prepared for adult independence
• Providing families for homeless children through Christian foster care
• Equipping churches, as well as individual Christians, to minister to distressed orphans through mission trips, volunteerism and both monetary and in-kind giving opportunities
• Enhancing the quality of life for orphaned children by providing key humanitarian aid
• Improving orphan living conditions by remodeling existing orphanages and establishing new ones
• Partnering with private NGO's and governments to develop best child care practices in the framework of least restrictive care and developing preventive and aftercare programs
• Providing medical and dental care to children who are orphaned or at-risk of being orphaned
• Spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through the outward demonstration of Christ's unconditional love

“It is hard to describe the tremendous needs of the orphaned children we meet through mission trips. This new organization will provide Americans a way to reach out to others around the globe through activism, donations and prayer,” said Blair Pogue, a founding board member whose family's Pogue Foundation is among the donors providing seed money to launch Orphan Outreach.

For more information on Orphan Outreach, visit www.OrphanOutreach.org.

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