HOPEww Open Letter:  ICOC Commitment to Partnership

Dear brothers and sisters, disciples of Jesus, and friends and supporters of HOPE worldwide ,

We wish to thank all of our dedicated volunteers and supporters. Without your generosity, service, smiles and love for the Lord, HOPE worldwide would not be able to teach, heal and serve the million+ people we reach annually. Without your sacrifice and willingness to be Jesus’ hands and feet, HOPE worldwide could not spread Jesus’ compassionate ministry to the four corners of the globe. As you know, Robert Carrillo, CEO of HOPE worldwide , recently stepped down from his post to return to preaching and teaching. We wish him well and are very thankful for his four years of leadership at HOPE worldwide. During that time, HOPE worldwide accomplished so many great things, including:

● Providing inspiration to worldwide staff and over 40,000 volunteers who collectively serve over one million people a year.

● Raising our Charity Navigator rating from two stars to four stars, their highest rating.

● Increasing overall annual revenues from $12 million to $20 million.

● Launching various new programs, including partnerships with government agencies and the American Red Cross to expand programs such as SPARK academies that serve at-risk children.

Perhaps our most significant accomplishment was the rebuilding of the connection between HOPE worldwide and the International Churches of Christ (ICOC) from which HOPE worldwide was conceived. Robert spent much of his time visiting ICOC churches in the US and around the world, meeting with church leaders and program leaders, increasing worldwide communication, strengthening relationship bonds, rebuilding trust and forging a way forward for the ICOC and HOPE worldwide to join hands to advance the compassionate ministry of Jesus. The Board of Directors, leadership and staff of HOPE worldwide remain committed to strengthening these bonds. The tireless work toward this goal by our amazing and dedicated staff was a crucial turning point in both HOPE worldwide and the ICOC’s history. Now more than ever, HOPE worldwide is dedicated to partnering with ICOC church leaders and volunteers to collaborate to meet the greatest needs. Together, we will serve people around the world in meaningful and effective ways. We feel extremely faithful and privileged that, with your prayers and support, we will take this partnership even further as we expand programs, increase volunteer engagement and inspire the hearts of disciples and friends to generously support this great work of our Lord. As we search for someone full of vision and passion for helping people, we ask for your prayers. We believe God will provide the right person to champion the mission of HOPE worldwide, inspire us, challenge our hearts and call all of us to even greater heights in our discipleship and our service.