A Benevolence Highlight
Did you know there are nearly 500,000 children in the U.S. foster care system? And, that over 100,000 of those children are considered available for adoption? (i.e., orphaned or with no parents/legal guardians left in their life [1]). According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, adopting a child can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $40,000. The road to adoption is often difficult, both for the child and the adoptive parents. Lifesong for Orphans seeks to support and encourage those walking the adoptive journey.
The Beginning
Gary & Marla Ringger started Ringger Foods with a mindset of “get rich, retire early, and live the American dream.” Simple, right? Wrong. They started losing money, and Gary began waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares and dark thoughts about accidentally poisoning someone with their products. How would they make ends meet? Depression and sleep deprivation came next, and at that point, he just wanted to quit. But God didn’t give Gary peace about quitting. Instead, He convicted him to start thinking differently about business.
This change culminated with Gary signing a contract. It stated that if Ringger Foods ever became successful and sold, they would pay themselves the original amount they had invested, and anything else would go to ministry. Gary’s broken yet life-changing experience ultimately led to Lifesong For Orphans when he sold Ringger Foods in 2002. As he put it, “God’s plan was so much better than my American dream.” [2]
Lifesong for Orphans
When Lifesong opened its doors, it began a mission of bringing joy and purpose to orphans. They seek to mobilize the Church to care for the orphans, and they believe everyone can play a role, whether through adoption, care or simply by giving. Every child served will:
- Be taught the Gospel and how to live as a follower of Jesus Christ.
- Receive a quality education to provide a foundation for their future.
- Not want for food, clothing, medical care, or shelter.
- Experience continued love and support while transitioning into adult living.
Because of Lifesong, 10,185 children have been welcomed into families as sons and daughters through adoption; 10,190 children and individuals in vulnerable families were reached with Gospel-centered care; and 548 churches have partnered to help families and orphans globally. [2]
Sources
[1] adoption.com
[2] lifesong.org
About The Benevolence Committee
The Benevolence Committee exists to amplify and uphold our “Benevolence” core value and serve as a bridge between employee-owners and the charities we regularly support. Lifesong For Orphans is one such organization. Look for upcoming events on the Dashboard and contact the committee with any questions or comments via benevolencecommittee@nussbaum.com.
