2009 Birthday Offering Recipients

His Kids, Too!
Children’s Home for Orphans
Dzerzhinsk, Ukraine

Mission/Purpose Statement
His Kids, Too! is a Christian organization in Ukraine that shares the love of Jesus Christ with children who have been orphaned. The home provides health care and education as well as the basic needs of food, lodging and clothing. His Kids, Too! gives the children the education and encouragement they need to build bright, productive futures. Since opening in 1998, the organization has expanded the number of children it helps, from 400 to more than 5,000 in 21 orphanages.

The grant money will be used to either renovate an existing building or construct a new building for the Children’s Home. This home will operate in accordance with Christian traditions and values, though the religion of beneficiaries will have no bearing on their inclusion in the home environment. Every attempt will be made to include cultural and religious traditions common in Ukraine in the children’s daily lives at the home.

The Children’s Home will house up to 30 orphaned children, ages 5–18, with special needs. The Children’s Home will be a place where children are nurtured, loved and educated in a Christian environment. It also will provide the community with a recreational center, Christian counseling and education and/or tutoring for educationally delayed children.

Read a thank-you letter (in English or Spanish) from His Kids, Too!

Learn more about the Birthday Offering and find out how to give.

La Mujer Obrera
Centro Mayapán
El Paso, Texas

Mission/Purpose Statement
Founded in 1981, La Mujer Obrera responds to the needs of thousands of Mexican immigrant women who lost their jobs as factory workers when globalization made it cheaper to have factories in developing countries. La Mujer Obrera works to revitalize the area and create long-term, sustainable economic opportunities for area residents. The organization is in the process of renovating a facility that will house the next stage of its sustainable community strategy — Centro Mayapán.  

Centro Mayapán’s work will encompass community revitalization, economic justice, women’s leadership development and the revival of Mexican cultural heritage. The project will revitalize the South Central neighborhood of El Paso and create viable community economic development alternatives for unemployed female factory workers and other Spanish-speaking, low-income women and their families.

Centro Mayapán expects to provide microenterprise training and support for 25 businesses and 50 low-income women, workforce training for 100 low-income community members, bilingual workforce preparedness training, cultural celebrations, a cross-border trading network with indigenous women’s artisan cooperatives in Mexico, leadership training and civic engagement. 

Read a thank-you letter (in English or Spanish) from La Mujer Obrera.

Learn more about the Birthday Offering and find out how to give.