In this quarterly update we share how God is working to impact lives. Enjoy!
Welcome To The Good News
Choosing To Give____Freely
Check out how YOU filled in the blank!
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MEALS PACKED
This Quarter
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PLAYGROUNDS BUILT
This Quarter
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KIDS IN STORYCLUBS
This Quarter
THE GIFT OF GIVING FREELY IN 2025
As we reflect on the final quarter of 2025, we celebrate the remarkable way friends and partners rallied one last time to Give Freely. Give Boldly. Give HOPE Freely. Inspired by Matthew 10:8, this theme guided us throughout the year. Together, we set an ambitious goal to expand Hope Zones by the end of 2025, moving us closer to our vision of 165 thriving communities. By God’s grace—and through your generosity—we joyfully celebrate that milestone. Thank you for helping us close out 2025 on a powerful note, rejoicing in all God has done to bring transformative hope to children around the world.
FOOD
GIVING PRAISE FOR YOUR PACKING & POURING 🍽️❤️
This past quarter, over 10,000 partners from coast to coast joined together in powerful ways—packing over TWO MILLION meals. From businesses and churches to clubs and families, the season was a beautiful picture of generosity and love in action.
OCTOBER kicked off strong…
- Our friends at Schiel Wealth Management and Kirchoff Automotive packed over 65,000 meals collectively proving once again that business can be a force for good.
- Christ Wesleyan Church stepped up in a powerful way—hosting a 100,000 meal packing event with joy and purpose. For the third year in a row, Cub Scout Pack #3600 faithfully joined in, as neighbors across the community rallied together to serve.
NOVEMBER kept up momentum and milestones…
- Legacy Church packed 75,000 meals — fueled by faithful service.
- Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church made a massive impact, packing an incredible 270,864 meals!
- Summit Church poured 100,000 meals with hearts united around a mission.
- Santa Fe Christian witnessed 200,000 meals packed with combined effort from students, staff, and community members serving together with purpose.
DECEMBER closed with generosity…
- LT Foods America, continuing a culture of giving, packed 30,000 meals that will serve refugee children.
- The Kemerer Family gathered friends and family to pack an incredible 150,000 meals—their annual event that displays how generosity starts at home.
- Capistrano Valley School had over 300 volunteers gather for their 10th annual packing event to box up over 28,000 meals – achieving 215,000 meals packed overall!
We wish we could list every group, every volunteer, and every story. Please know this: we are deeply grateful. Because of you hope is rising, and lives are being changed—one packed box at a time.
PLAY
“STARK REMINDERS” IN LIFE
In Ukraine, we partnered with ReLoad Love and Open Door Foundation to build three playgrounds—visible signs of hope amid ongoing conflict. The builds took place at Word of Life Camp near Kyiv, in Poltava with Bread of Life Church, and in Odessa with New Life Mission Church and Rescue Mission. Fittingly, each partner carries “life” in its name—a powerful contrast to the devastation surrounding them.
One unforgettable moment came during the Word of Life Camp build near Brovary, where a massive eight-pole roof was lifted into place using a modified 30-foot boom—a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the Ukrainian crew. As one team member shared, “I’ll never forget seeing a machine-gun-mounted pickup truck in the background—a stark reminder of a country at war.”
These playgrounds are more than play spaces. They are places of hope and healing where children experience joy, restoration, and God’s love for years to come.
“WORKING HARD”
A team of 37 Little Tikes Commercial (LTC) representatives joined us in Panama this past November to build three playgrounds—bringing the joy of PLAY to three separate communities. What made this experience especially meaningful was the way LTC blended business partnership with personal commitment, as many volunteers brought their own family members to serve together.
This spirit of shared service left a lasting impact. As one LTC participant reflected, “Watching kids experience a playground for the very first time—the laughter, the joy, the pure excitement—is something we’ll never forget.” Another shared, “This trip created hope and enjoyment not only for the children and parents, but for me as well. Seeing the happiness on these kids’ faces was truly beautiful.”
A young local boy watched nearby as a team member worked tirelessly and remarked, “She is working hard!” Inspired, he eagerly asked if he could take over shoveling to “help her out”—his simple way of saying thank you for the care being poured into his community.
Together with LTC, we witnessed how shared service builds more than playgrounds—it builds connection, dignity, and hope.
STORY
MAKING GOD’S WORD COME ALIVE
High in the hills of western Nepal—where roads are rare and journeys are measured in hours on foot—children are encountering God’s Word in new, life-giving ways.
Sunimaya, a children’s ministry leader from a remote village church, had long dreamed of strengthening her church’s children’s ministry, but distance, cost, and lack of training stood in the way—until a form of KIDSTORY training via Awana, reached nearby.
Despite rain, landslides, and a four-hour walk beginning at 4 a.m., Sunimaya pressed on. What she found was more than instruction—it was transformation. Through KIDSTORY, she learned how Bible stories, games, and intentional relationships could bring Scripture to life. For the first time, Sunimaya saw how children’s ministry could be structured, engaging, and deeply impactful.
“Before,” she said, “we taught without structure. Now I see the value of children in God’s eyes.” Across the globe, local leaders like Sunimaya —many serving in challenging and under-resourced contexts—are learning how to make Scripture accessible, joyful, and memorable—helping children not just hear God’s Word, but experience it.
GLOBAL COMMUNITIES
PANAMA: From Planting Seeds to Growing HOPE
October’s Vision Trip Team witnessed powerful growth unfolding in Panama—made possible through the generosity of our partners who boldly said “yes” to advancing God’s Kingdom through FOOD, PLAY, STORY.
Because of their faithfulness, a new playground was built in a local community, creating a safe place where children can experience the joy of simply being kids—even amid challenging living conditions. Working side by side with local pastors and families, our team saw firsthand how God uses something as simple as a playground to open doors for connection, healing, and God’s hope to be shared.
The impact didn’t stop there. Thanks to our incredible food-packing partners across the US, we witnessed the tangible, life-changing power of FOOD in Panama’s Tatare region.
One unforgettable moment came when a pregnant mother shared how she faithfully consumed OneMeal throughout her pregnancy. With gratitude and joy, she credited the nutrients and vitamins in each meal pack as a key factor in the healthy birth of her baby – reminding us that a simple meal can bring strength, dignity, and renewed hope.
Every meal packed, every hand extended, and every playground built in this 2025 launched region is more than an act of service—it’s an eternal investment in lives.
