2022 Annual Report : simplebooklet.com

39 YEARS OF WORTH PURPOSE A Letter From Our CEO In my first year as Forward Edge s CEO many people asked me what I love most about this organization I think what drew me to Forward Edge 13 years ago continues to motivate me today and that is our core belief that every human being was created by God with great worth and great purpose Ephesians 2 10 tells us that we are God s masterpiece great worth created in Christ Jesus for good works great purpose which God prepared in advance for us to do It is this core belief that drives us to help children around the world overcome poverty discover their true worth and pursue God s extraordinary purpose for their lives Said another way our strategy at Forward Edge for serving children is to empower enlighten and engage First we empower children practically by taking care of their physical and educational needs This builds trust with them and their families opening the door for their minds to be enlightened with the gospel message Finally as Christ transforms them holistically they are able to engage in the unique purpose He has designed for each of them This value of engaging in God s purpose for our lives is also why we provide meaningful mission trips that inspire Christ followers to live more purposefully back home It s the kind of life we dream of for every person who interacts with Forward Edge whether that s a child coming from a slum in Africa or an adult from an American suburb Let me share with you an example I was able to witness in 2022 of this mission being accomplished In late spring I had the opportunity to visit our program in Kijabe Kenya called Mama Beth s Among the staff of 15 people all locals I met a young lady named Lilian Lilian came to the program as a sponsored child when she was six years old She was an AIDS orphan who had inherited that horrible disease from her mother Without Mama Beth s the world was stacked against Lilian She felt no worth and no purpose Not only could this infection destroy her health it also meant she would likely never get hired for a job or find a spouse because her community viewed her as damaged goods 4 But that was not Lilian s story God brought her to Mama Beth s where for 16 years she was empowered through nutritious meals a quality education essential medications and a loving community Additionally she was enlightened to the truth that she mattered to God and that He had an extraordinary purpose for her life Today Lilian is a happy healthy young woman She works for Mama Beth s as our tailor sewing the school uniforms we provide for the children in our program She has discovered her worth and purpose and her life is absolutely beautiful Countless children and adults have discovered more about their God given worth and purpose through Forward Edge over the past 39 years Here are just a few more examples from 2022 This is an excerpt from 11 year old Angel s Christmas letter to his sponsor Angel is battling leukemia A few months ago I went to the hospital and started treatment again I m still grateful to God because even though I ve gone through a lot He allows me to enjoy every day with my family It is a gift from God I m asking God to feel better and have the strength to run again I pray God increases my parents faith God has a beautiful purpose for our family In December we received a college graduation announcement from Hannah Moats that said the following I just wanted to send you one of these because this organization has played a huge role in my life I was 16 when I went to Villa Esperanza in Nicaragua Ever since that trip I aimed my studies to help children I am now graduated and will be working for a non profit that focuses on ending domestic minor sex trafficking With that said I just wanted to say thank you to Forward Edge for making an impact in my life One of our recent graduates from Villa Esperanza Gloria had this to say I want to thank you in a great way for all the support you have showered over me since the moment I came to the program You have helped me grow spiritually as a person and professionally I have reached many goals during my stay here I will work hard to keep studying in college to graduate and be a professional I will never forget what you all have done for me and how you helped change my life Here are some more highlights of your impact in 2022 Early in the year you helped more than 3 000 earthquake survivors in Haiti with immediate needs like food parcels tarps blankets and sanitation kits You helped us increase our lunch program in Kenya to more than 620 students These meals have fed their bellies and minds resulting in great improvements in their academic success You helped us purchase four acres of land in Uganda for a future community center You built kitchens for our programs in Haiti and Uganda resulting in regular meals for more than 400 children Your support for our micro financing and financial literacy programs in Nicaragua and Uganda helped more than 37 entrepreneurs successfully start businesses 1 552 students made purity commitments through our sexual abstinence training at public schools in Nicaragua made possible because of your support One of our partners Andersen Construction broke ground on our new private Christian school in Oaxaca which will be able to house 100 students I hope you take the time to read the many more amazing statistics and stories in this report of lives transformed through wonderful Forward Edge partners like you You share in the joy of each victory won and life transformed Thank you for partnering with us to live out some of God s good works for you in 2022 Your steps of generosity service and prayer were all steps of faith onto life s forward edge This is the place where God is moving and lives are transformed and we re honored to stand here with you It s a beautiful view You matter Tim Ainley Chief Executive Officer Forward Edge International 564 people confessed Christ as their Lord and Savior 80 people were baptized 5

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OUR PROGRAMS Breaking the cycle of poverty We empower individuals trapped in poverty through our child focused community development programs Unique to each community We collaborate with local pastors and visionaries to provide families with the tools and resources needed to overcome complex and unique obstacles faced in each community Mind body and spirit Our holistic approach equips children to flourish and thrive igniting a brighter future for generations to come Oaxaca Mexico 24 Staff 4 Communities 190 Children Adults Served Managua Nicaragua 24 Staff 18 Communities 3 758 Children Adults Served El Cobre Cuba 7 Staff 3 Communities 1 042 Children Adults Served Les Cayes Haiti 4 Staff 2 Communities 367 Children Adults Served Kampala Uganda 3 Staff 6 Communities 1 071 Children Adults Served Kijabe Kenya 20 Staff 3 Communities 502 Children Adults Served EXPANDING OUR FAMILY Our Forward Edge Family is a diverse group of Christ followers from around the world composed of different backgrounds experiences and nationalities Despite our differences we are united by a shared purpose to follow God s unfolding plan by helping people overcome spiritual and material poverty and step into God s extraordinary purpose for their lives In 2022 our Director of Programs Jeff Thompson journeyed to Kosovo and Ghana to explore new programs that came to our attention through relationships After careful consideration we determined that both programs would be great additions to our ever growing family We adopted Create Hope Ghana in late 2022 and plan to adopt Cornerstone Kosovo in 2023 Jeff with Jonathan Haruna and Rhoda Wumbei Directors of Create Hope Ghana 6 7

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2022 HIGHLIGHTS Andersen Construction Expands School In October a team from Andersen Construction traveled to Oaxaca Mexico to lay the foundation for a classroom expansion project at Siloe School Siloe School part of our Mexico children s program opened its doors to 28 elementary students in 2021 and with their commitment to providing life changing education the school has already grown to 48 children The future of Siloe School is bright with plans to continue expanding in the years to come With the completion of this project four additional classrooms will be added to the school This project is a testament to the power of partnerships and how together we can change many lives Rebuilding Hope in Haiti After the devastating earthquake that struck their communities on August 14 2021 the Tene Jupither Cheri Joseph and Matino families were left homeless and hopeless Fortunately Forward Edge partners like you stepped up to help With your support the families were able to rebuild their homes and regain a sense of safety and comfort Despite the challenging circumstances they remained resilient and were able to find hope amid tragedy 8 Forward Edge Leaders Visit Uganda and Kenya Forward Edge CEO Tim Ainley Director of Programs Jeff Thompson and Board Chair Greg Seifert visited our Kenya and Uganda children s programs in May Their trip was marked by a beautiful reconnection with the staff a chance to participate in program activities and an opportunity to see the incredible impact being made in vulnerable children s lives In Uganda the team visited the Kizito school program and the Katanga slum programs that are providing nutritious meals spiritual discipleship and hygiene training for over 150 children every Saturday They also witnessed the incredible progress made in the financial literacy program that has changed the lives of many families In Kenya they visited Mama Beth s pre school program along with current feeding programs at two local primary schools and a potential third one with more than 400 children in need The team discussed the use of new property acquired for Mama Beth s home building program and met with new staff members Din and Angela who are instrumental in overseeing spiritual care and child sponsorship The team left East Africa grateful for the staff s dedication and encouraged to see God s favor over the growing impact of these programs Two Countries One Purpose The Director of our children s program in Uganda Bonny Lugayizi recently visited our Kenya program to learn from and dream with our Director there Jane Wathagana He wanted to learn how to open and operate a community center in Uganda similar to Mama Beth s in Kenya While there Bonny also helped equip women in the Kijabe community with skills in financial management entrepreneurship banking and loans This trip had a tremendous impact on both programs inspiring and equipping both leaders with tools they need to take the next steps in their community development plans Empowered by Micro Lending Maria s story is a true testament to the impact of micro lending and entrepreneurship training Despite facing difficult financial challenges Maria never lost her vision for a better future for herself and her family With the help of Forward Edge she was able to take the first step towards achieving her dreams by applying for a small loan The loans and business training she received through our partner organization called The NEO Fund gave her hope and confidence to expand her grocery store which resulted in a significant increase in her monthly income Maria is now full of faith and optimism for the future knowing she can continue building a better life for her family 9

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EMPOWER ENLIGHTEN ENGAGE Ephesians 2 10 starts with the proclamation that we are God s workmanship or in other versions handiwork or masterpiece This foundational belief fuels our mission to empower every child and adult to recognize their inherent worth and purpose By providing comprehensive holistic programs that focus on education healthcare nutrition and spiritual development we seek to break the cycle of poverty and equip individuals with the tools and resources they need to thrive and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities Heartbreak and Hope The Trujillo Family Receives the 13th Home in Mexico The Trujillo family s journey is one filled with both heartbreak and hope They left behind their home in Mexico City to start anew in Oaxaca dreaming of a better life They poured their blood sweat and tears into building a successful butcher shop and saved every penny to construct a home for their family But life can be unpredictable and cruel and their dreams were shattered when Sandra the mother suffered a terrible accident The family s savings were quickly drained and they were forced to live in a humble tin shack Things only got worse when their youngest child was born with a serious heart condition Their world came crashing down when their child tragically passed away leaving the family grief stricken and buried in debt As if that wasn t enough Sandra was hit by a car and hospitalized for four long months adding even more medical bills to their already mounting debt Their dream of having a safe and warm home where their five children could grow seemed to slip further and further away But then a glimmer of hope arrived when Operation Enduring Homes our home building ministry in Oaxaca chose them to receive their 13th home built Throughout their difficulties the Trujillo family remained hopeful and held onto their faith Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the hard work of Operation Enduring Homes the Trujillo family is finally seeing their dream of a decent home come to fruition They are a powerful reminder of the strength of faith hope and determination in the face of life s difficult circumstances Their new home now provides a safe and happy environment for their children to grow and thrive 13th HOME 10 38 620 CHILDREN FED EVERY SCHOOL DAY IN KENYA Feeding Hundreds More in Kenya We re excited to share that our Kenya feeding program has now expanded to a third school Kago Primary The cheerful sounds of laughter and joy can be heard from over 200 children as they now enjoy a tasty daily lunch provided by our program For many of these children who don t receive three meals a day a healthy lunch makes a huge difference Full bellies attract children to attend school consistently leading to improved focus and academic performance In 2022 we were able to purchase a new van for our program which now makes it possible to deliver daily nutritious meals to over 600 children at three different schools A Life Changing Summer in Haiti In the summer of 2022 our children s program in Haiti worked tirelessly to empower underprivileged children and teenagers in the community of Vernet Through their second annual Summer Training Camp they provided 131 participants with six weeks of hands on learning in six different trades including sewing pastry and cooking tiling plumbing crochet and arts and crafts But the camp was more than just practical training The first week was dedicated to Summer Bible School 2022 where participants were introduced to biblical stories and gospel songs filling them with hope from the Word of God All 191 participants left with renewed spirits and a newfound sense of possibility The closing ceremony was a beautiful celebration of everyone s hard work and dedication Parents friends and honored guests came together to applaud the children and award them certificates of participation Beyond learning new skills the Summer Training Camp instilled in these children and teens a sense of hope and faith that will last a lifetime 131 CAMPERS 6 WEEKS 6 TRADES 11

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EMPOWER ENLIGHTEN ENGAGE Ephesians 2 10 reminds us that we ve been created in Christ That s why the core of Forward Edge s mission is to declare and demonstrate the transforming power of His gospel We strive to enlighten minds and hearts with the love of Jesus through our work in communities around the world By providing opportunities for spiritual growth discipleship and outreach we aim to ignite a passion for Jesus in the hearts of those we serve empowering them to pursue lives of purpose meaning and service Through our ministry we hope to spread the light of God s love and inspire others to join us in building a better world rooted in the transformative power of Christ s love Teens in Cuba Lead 31 to Jesus We re always amazed by the imagination and passion of our program staff In August our Cuba team took teens in our program with local guides to different neighborhoods where they prayed for people and shared the Gospel with enthusiasm The outcome was nothing short of miraculous The teens engaged with 146 people and 31 of them put their faith in Jesus These new believers were prayed for and matched up with local mentors to help continue in their faith journey As a reward for their hard work the teens indulged in a delicious snack and enjoyed a fun filled afternoon at the beach One of the leaders acknowledged It was a day of harvest and joy We couldn t be prouder of our teens for being such amazing messengers of God s love It was a day of harvest and joy 12 Shining Light A Week of Spiritual Training in Haiti In July our Haiti team organized a week long spiritual training for the children in Kid s Club our program in Vernet and the results were inspiring The children were eager to learn about the Bible and our team delivered an engaging and thought provoking curriculum They covered a range of topics from the creation of the world to the story of Jesus as the light of the world The children were captivated by these teachings and were deeply impacted by what they learned Even better our team was able to reach more children beyond those in Kid s Club giving them a chance to explore their faith and learn about the power of God s love One young boy in particular stood out as an example of this training s impact Through his dedication and hard work he was able to recite John 1 1 14 by the end of the week His passion and enthusiasm were contagious inspiring others around him to dive deeper into their own faith And that s not all We were able to provide more than 150 children with Bibles so they can continue their journey of faith at home with their families John 1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God 2 He was in the beginning with God 3 All things were made through him and without him was not any thing made that was made 4 In him was life and the life was the light of men 5 The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John 7 He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him 8 He was not the light but came to bear witness about the light 9 The true light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world 10 He was in the world and the world was made through him yet the world did not know him 11 He came to his own and his own people did not receive him 12 But to all who did receive him who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God 13 who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory glory as of the only Son from the Father full of grace and truth 1 WEEK 150 CHILDREN RECEIVED BIBLES VIDA Providing a Better Path for Teens Our VIDA program is a poverty prevention training program aimed at fighting Nicaragua s very high teen parent rate the highest in Latin America Many call teen pregnancy the door to repeated poverty This program teaches the gospel and the value of sexual abstinence to thousands of teens in the Nicaragua public school system In 2022 the VIDA program taught 1 708 students 25 of pregnancies in Nicaragua are among teenagers 2 004 Students received abistenence training 13

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EMPOWER ENLIGHTEN ENGAGE Ephesians 2 10 concludes with a powerful reminder that God has created each of us with a unique purpose in mind to do good works At Forward Edge we take this message to heart and believe that one of the most powerful ways we can demonstrate God s love is by practically loving our brothers and sisters in need By engaging the global body of Christ in serving one another we believe we can create lasting positive change in the world Through our ministry we seek to bring people together and inspire them to live out God s call to love one another in all they do One Week to Change a Life We often say that perhaps even more meaningful than the one week someone is on a mission trip is the 51 weeks they aren t It s common to hear of team members whose lives are profoundly transformed even in just a short time on the field One remarkable example of that is Nico a high school valedictorian who shared In just one week in Kenya s Kijabe I witnessed more joy than in my entire 18 years in America Nico embarked on this journey with uncertainty unaware of what awaited him However he returned with a renewed perspective on life During his valedictorian speech he challenged the notion that happiness alone is our purpose emphasizing that true fulfillment cannot be found in worldly pursuits Witnessing the struggles of the people in Kenya who lacked basic necessities such as food clean water and proper shelter deeply impacted Nico Their humble dwellings devoid of modern comforts made him realize something profound He shared an analogy that struck a chord with his audience So often we seek joy in the world adding a little bit of God as mere decoration But let me tell you the world s foundation is moldy and rotten The people of Kijabe understood that we must first find our joy in the Lord and in turn He will provide for us 14 54 Church School and Business Partners 215 Short Term Missionaries In closing Nico left his peers with a challenge As we venture into the world let us strive to build lives centered around Christ In doing so we will discover a peace that defies understanding hope that overflows and unwavering joy independent of circumstances Remember happiness may be fleeting but joy endures Choose joy Seek joy And find that joy in the God of joy Nico s story is one example of many we ve seen over the years of the transformative power of mission trips Our hope for every person involved with Forward Edge is that they would step into new and uncharted territories with Christ just as Nico and his team members did in order to experience the exceeding love joy and grace that He offers to those who follow Him in obedience It is especially wonderful to witness teens and young adults embarking on the mission field and seeing how God uses that experience to change the trajectory of their entire lives 33 844 CHILD SPONSORSHIPS IN 2022 Known and Loved Child Sponsorship s Lasting Impact We all remember the thrill of hearing our name called to join a team or the disappointment of being reluctantly chosen last Our hearts yearn to feel chosen cared for and valued For the children in our programs having a sponsor shows them that they have been selected prayed for and personally known Child sponsorship is a wonderful way for the global church to become a family Sponsors are invited into a child s life as they grow and develop just like Melanie was on her mission trip to Oaxaca Mexico Melanie s journey with Forward Edge was unlike any she had experienced with other organizations Accompanied by her husband and two daughters she anticipated the emotional response she would typically feel on such trips However she shared with us that this time was different When Melanie and her family met their sponsored children the morning after arriving instead of tears Melanie was overwhelmed with joy One of their sponsored children Kevin ran up to their family with open arms and a contagious smile brightening the room Melanie shared that she could tell right from the get go that these children felt chosen loved and valued Melanie also discovered that Forward Edge s program provided a different kind of support than others she had experienced She watched as our Program Director Victor displayed a personal connection with each child going beyond simply leading a program She could tell the children were not just participants they were truly loved seen and cared for Victor and his wife Lety who have dedicated 16 years to leading our Mexico program serve as constant sources of care and reliability acting as surrogate grandparents for the children And we re thankful that this level of care is consistent among our children s program directors around the world As the time to say goodbye approached Melanie shared with us that she experienced a tinge of sadness not out of worry for the children s future but out of the love she had developed for them during their time together She found solace in knowing that these children would continue to be noticed advocated for and personally checked on Melanie s journey exemplifies a beautiful phenomenon we ve seen time and time again As sponsors choose to invest in a child s life through love encouragement prayers and even visits they are able to witness the transformative power of providing emotional physical and spiritual support This support enables children living in poverty to overcome the odds and build a brighter future Child sponsors truly have the opportunity to transform lives and create lasting connections that transcend borders and make an impact for generations 15

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3 359 055 RAISED BY SELL A HOME SAVE A CHILD SINCE 2016 SELL A HOME SAVE A CHILD In 2022 Sell a Home Save a Child members and donors raised over half a million dollars in one year They provided vital support to Forward Edge s six vulnerable children s programs in some of the world s poorest communities The Sell a Home Save a Child community went above and beyond last year supporting a program fighting child slavery in Haiti expanding a school in Mexico building kitchens to better serve children in Haiti and Uganda providing school fees to keep children in school and providing necessary equipment for Forward Edge s homebuilding ministry Major donations came from members associated with eXp Keller Williams and REAL proving that when it comes to helping children we are all on the same team Nick Shivers Co founder of Sell a Home Save a Child We also had the opportunity to share our mission with thousands of people at four different real estate conferences We re grateful for the incredible support from our community and we ll continue to work towards improving the lives of vulnerable children and their communities Together we can make a difference THANK YOU TO OUR TOP SELL A HOME SAVE A CHILD DONORS IN 2022 Nick Shivers Keller Williams Portland Central Erik Hatch Hatch Realty powered by REAL Brent and Kathy Gove eXp Gary Keller Keller Williams Gene and Susan Frederik eXp Cliff and Karen Freeman MegaXpansion eXp Lawyers Title Oregon Leanne Harris Keller Williams Portland Central Jeff Knipe Knipe Realty ERA Powered Jeff Edmondson 24 7 Properties Adrienne Lally Team Lally Keller Williams Andrew Duncan The Duncan Duo Team Remax Chuck and Angela Fazio eXp Cindi Richardson Richardson Group KW Cleveland David Karkanen Finance of America Derek Kemper Modest Homes Dianna Caldwell NKY Homes LLC 16 Jay Niblick WizeHire Jim Black Jim Black Group powered by REAL John Tiller Mission Realty eXp Jon Dean The Dean Team Kevin Yoder Yoder Real Estate eXp Kim Fraser The Kim Fraser Team eXp Landro Fox Cities Realty Lars Hendenborg Real Estate B School eXp Merilee Cornia Ticor Title Portland Michael and Robyn Zingg Michele Mangold eXp Misty Soldwisch Home Selling Team Rachel Vann The Powerhouse Team at REAL Randy Roesch Roesch Luxury Group eXp Rob Kittle Kittle Real Estate Sarah Kalivoda Tony Alfano The Alfano Group WORTH PURPOSE BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN Every year we eagerly anticipate our Worth Purpose Benefit for Children held in the fall This event allows us to gather with the entire Forward Edge Family from around the world regardless of their location whether virtually or in person all with one common purpose to help more children Our 2022 benefit exceeded all expectations With the help of our generous donors and sponsors we were able to raise a record amount to assist more children while enjoying an evening of establishing new friendships and deepening existing ones It was a truly inspirational evening as Tim Ainley shared stories of transformation and hope We are grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support we received and excited to witness how God will use these funds to further His mission through our programs LEAVING A LEGACY Like any good family the Forward Edge Family works today and plans for the future We are grateful to the five families who added Forward Edge to their estate plans this year to ensure that the ministry continues in the future If you are interested in biblical stewardship in estate planning we would be happy to provide you with a free knowledgeable resource Please call or email Nancy Hellmann at nancyhellmann forwardedge org or 360558 5894 who can provide you with their information 17

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2 18 2022 FINANCIALS TOTAL REVENUE 3 1M IN 2022 WE INVESTED 2 3M into our programs 5M into our operations NET WORTH 1 8M ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES Programs 82 Admin 15 Fundraising 3 BREAKDOWN OF INVESTMENT BY PROGRAM 106k 197k 285k 579k 756k 239k 185k Cuba Haiti Kenya Mexico Nicaragua Uganda Disaster Recovery These are pre audited numbers For access to our balance sheet and more detailed financials feel free to reach out to giving forwardedge org WE CARE ABOUT CREDIBILITY OUR PROMISES 85 to Programs 85 cents of every dollar you give to one of our programs goes directly toward empowering children and families in need 15 cents to administration and fundraising Real Transformation All your gifts to help vulnerable children go toward effective programs dedicated to long term holistic transformation Disaster Recovery Your donations to help disaster survivors are used to help the most vulnerable return to their homes widows low income families single moms etc Credible Local Leaders Your investment empowers credible local leaders caring for their own people Undesignated gifts go to operational costs at a higher percentage typically bringing our overall expenditures on programs to 80 85 of total donations received very high for the industry OUR BOARD David Andersen Joseph Anfuso Karen Anfuso Jessica Cardwell Lisa DaSilva Brad Fenison Secretary John Greholver Treasurer Kay Moore Wendell Robinson Greg Seifert Chairman Johna Shivers Gabe Winslow 19

2022 Annual Report

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