About Us
The Christian Alliance for Orphans unites more than 200 respected organizations and 850+ church members. Our joint initiatives inspire and equip Christians to effectively live out the Bible’s call to care for orphans and vulnerable children. [Click Here to Learn How!]
CAFO was birthed at a gathering of thirty-eight Christian leaders in 2004. Although serving in diverse fields, they carried a shared sense that God desired to call His people to step up decisively for orphans and foster youth. They pledged to “leave logos and egos at the door” to advance this vision in shared action.
The size and scope of CAFO’s work has grown significantly over the years, but the core mission remains the same. CAFO members join in coordinated initiatives that grow effective adoption, foster care and global orphan care rooted in the local church. These include the annual CAFO Summit, Orphan Sunday and Stand Sunday, Global Networks, the “More Than Enough” foster care initiative, the Center on Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families, and an array of other shared undertakings.
Without CAFO, many good ministries would still faithfully serve – yet often in isolation or even competition. Today, we get to see what is achieved when we labor together for a vision larger than any one of us could accomplish alone.
As CAFO helps Christians understand God’s call to care for vulnerable children and equips for effective response, the impact reaches far beyond a single program or met need. Rather, an ever-growing community of passionate individuals, families, churches and organizations invest time, talent and treasure in a personal and sustained commitment to caring for children in the name of Jesus.
Membership
CAFO Membership is an opportunity to join in a vision for God’s glory and the care of orphans that is larger than any one organization or project. Together, we work to inspire and equip God’s people to reflect His heart for the orphan. To a watching world, CAFO is an all-too-rare picture of the church unified, serving the fatherless in both word and deed, bearing poignant testimony to the character of our God.
CAFO membership includes organizations, churches and individuals. Regional and national alliances of churches as well as businesses may also join as CAFO affiliates. Together, all Alliance members advance a vision larger than any one of us. The unity and coordination provided by CAFO helps us all to join for shared impact no one organization, church or individual could achieve alone.
MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS are required to embody the highest commitment to financial integrity, good governance and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Members represent the full continuum of response to orphans worldwide—including many of the most admired names in adoption, domestic foster care, global orphan care and advocacy.
MEMBER CHURCHES hold convictions consistent with the Alliance statement of faith and core commitments and share a desire to see God’s people effectively answer His call to care for vulnerable children and families. Many of the nation’s strongest church orphan ministries are Alliance members, both receiving and giving mutual support as part of the CAFO community.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS stand committed to the Alliance statement of faith and its mission. Through their own spheres of influence, as well as through their annual dues, they aid the ongoing work of the CAFO community.
Leveraged Impact
CAFO does not require a large overhead budget or infrastructure. Rather, its impact flows from the coordinated efforts of the extensive expertise, infrastructure and networks shared by CAFO member organizations and volunteers. Contributions to CAFO-led projects each year are more than tripled by the value of members’ volunteer and in-kind commitments.
CAFO Initiatives
CAFO SUMMIT has become a global hub of connection, learning and action for what Christianity Today called “the burgeoning orphan care movement.” Each year, the Summit equips leaders, advocates, pastors and parents from every U.S. state and countries around the globe.
GLOBAL NETWORK connects and equips local churches, NGO’s and advocates in developing nations toward wise and effective care for vulnerable children in their communities. By offering essential tools and resources to 45+ countries in 2021, the Global Network equips local churches to provide wrap-around support to adoptive/foster families and to effectively and wisely care for vulnerable children and families.
NATIONAL CHURCH MINISTRY INITIATIVE helps local churches start and grow effective and sustainable foster care, adoption and orphan care ministries. This year, more than 800 churches have been equipped to launch and lead ministries through webinars, resources, workshops and personal coaching sessions.
MORE THAN ENOUGH works to see the church provide more than enough well-supported families for every child in foster care, including foster, kinship, adoptive and restored biological families. We aim to help start or grow a local church network covering every one of the 3,142 US counties by 2025.
ORPHAN + STAND SUNDAY This vision began in a small church in Zambia, and with CAFO’s stewardship, is now a major catalyst for changing children’s lives across the U.S. and in more than 120 countries worldwide. We operate with a team of 190+ committed volunteers who make this possible.
OVC RESEARCH The CAFO Center on Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families helps improve the quality of care for orphans around the globe with more than 35,000 distinct equipping events/experiences delivered this year, from webinars and symposia to downloaded resources. The initiative helps child-serving organizations to apply current research and best practice models in their programs that aid children and families in more than 100 countries.
STUDENT INITIATIVE helps to prepare young leaders for a lifetime of effective, God-honoring service to orphans. The “OVC Essentials” course offers students and recent graduates a 10-week online course as they intern with frontline organizations or study in school, helping lay the foundation for a lifetime of effective service.