Our Chosen Charities
We love books. In part because they’re just awesome (you know it’s true), but also because we know that stories have the power to change hearts and minds. And we want to do God’s work in this world so desperate for Him.
Of course, books are just one of many ways to do good work. And our authors are passionate about other wonderful organizations too. WhiteFire has committed to tithing on all sales from the store. So we asked our authors where they’d like the proceeds from their sales to go.
When an author has designated a charity, that 10% will go to the one of their choosing. If they haven’t specified, then we’ll spread the love around to the charities chosen by the other authors in the family.
We’ll let our authors tell you a little bit about their choices:
LIFT THE LID. I’ve been giving the proceeds from I Always Cry at Weddings to the charity I started ten years ago, Lift the Lid. LTL encourages self-expression and confidence-building though creative writing, and raises money to improve underfunded schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and the Philippines. We also make visits to U.S. schools to talk about “taking control of your path in life” and to engage the students in writing workshops.
Lift the Lid sponsors three schools in rural Kenya, an orphanage in Nkoaranga, Tanzania, and a center for children living on the streets in metro Manila, the Philippines. Our involvement with the schools is long-term, so we see firsthand how the students are progressing with their writing, how they are defining and refining their unique voices, and how their confidence and self-awareness is evolving beyond the constraints of living in poverty.
Since we started, LTL has raised over $120,000, 100% of which funds scholarships and projects such as building classrooms, a library and a science lab, buying uniforms and shoes, implementing and sustaining a lunch program, providing learning tablets and menstrual cups, starting a band with free music lessons, and funding a summer school program. We are a Gold Participant on GuideStar Exchange.
Along with annual writing competitions, we make yearly book donations in an ongoing effort to build/expand the libraries of the schools we support. Finally, since we began, the students have written hundreds of essays and poems, and we’ve published 165 of them, which adds up to a lot of reflection, expression, and believing in oneself!
Portland Rescue Mission/ Shepherd’s door. They have outreach to the homeless in Portland and the surrounding area. They love people by giving them a place to stay and heal, then addiction counseling, mental health services, and job training. Along the way they share the healing love of Christ. Shepherd’s Door is the outreach to women in addiction and homelessness, and they help them get their kids back once they are safe. They also have a small housing compound where women can live safely with their kids, away from abusive partners.
Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. Their mission is, “Helping People Everywhere Live God’s Word.” How does the ministry accomplish this? “They partner with local churches in the USA and around the world to provide teaching, tools and training to pastors, leaders and all other believers with solid, biblical resources. They believe that making disciples is more than simply making converts; it’s helping people cultivate a dynamic, growing relationship with God. Igniting a passion for His Word is a vital part of that mission. Walk Thru the Bible encourages people to engage in the Scriptures and linger in the Bible – the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
My husband and I found that Walk Thru the Bible’s publication, The Daily Walk Bible (NIV, NLT and KJV) was incredibly valuable in helping people approach the Bible, “crack the cover,” and regularly read the Scriptures, which moved their understanding of the Bible from black and white to Technicolor. We worked with Walk Through the Bible Ministries for 10+ years and launched whole-church Bible reading programs in Colorado, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
Operation Blessing. It’s a very comprehensive and holistic humanitarian organization. We do clean water, hunger relief, medical care, disaster relief, and more worldwide. We also help refugees, persecuted Christians, human trafficking victims, and provide education and community development. OB is a major charity with very good charity ratings. We’re the humanitarian arm of the Christian Broadcast Network. I spend my days writing about the various stories of people we help, and they’re very inspiring.
Operation Underground Railroad. This group, made up of law enforcement and military (often retired) experts, dedicates their lives to freeing and rehabilitating children sold into the sex-slave trade around the world. Working with the local authorities, they plan and execute missions to shut down these dens, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators, and rescue the children…bringing them home and rehabilitating them over the course of the next few years so they can reenter normal life. These brave men and women are doing amazing work around the globe and giving these children a chance for a bright future.
Global Aid Network. This is the charity I support with proceeds from Finding Sarah, Finding Me. They mean so much to my relationship with my birth daughter, and to me. Global Aid Network helps to reveal hope and restore life through relief and development initiatives for people living in crisis and injustice. Their mission is to demonstrate the love of God, in word and deed. They are a registered non-profit organization and worldwide humanitarian relief and development organization, which has grown to become part of a diverse, global network with offices in Canada, United States, Germany, Australia, Austria, South Korea, Netherlands, Philippines, UK, Switzerland, and Spain. With distribution networks established throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, their compassionate reach is truly global in scale.
Pathways Pregnancy Care Center (PPCC) exists to support, educate, and equip people to make life-affirming choices related to pregnancy, parenting, relationships, and God. They offer an array of services which include Self-Administered Pregnancy Tests, Ultrasound Referrals, Options Counseling, Prenatal Development, Postnatal Education, Parenting Education, Life Skills, Mentoring, and Life Renewal Studies. They endeavor to care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the mother, father, and child.
Bear Valley Bible Institute. They have people from all over the world who come to school and need support.
Since 1965, Bear Valley has worked to accomplish the commission of 2 Timothy 2:2 – entrusting the pattern of sound teaching in the gospel to faithful men who will then in turn be equipped to teach others. While the scope of their work has expanded, they have never lost sight of that fundamental mission.
Bloom in the Dark. I am privileged to run this organization. We help those who are struggling with shame based brokenness, all types of abuse, sex trafficking, addiction, depression, and severe loss.
We raise awareness, offer hope through testimonies, and create tools to support healing (spirit, soul, and body).