Grace International Childrens Foundation USA, Inc.

aka GICF, Lulwanda Children's Home   |   Richmond, TX   |  www.ugandaorphans.org

Mission

GICF will establish sustainable, loving homes for orphans in East Africa that develop children to reach their full potential.

"Rescued, Loved, Changed. Giving hope to orphans in Uganda, East Africa."

Notes from the nonprofit

GICF Vision Statement

Through God's grace, GICF will abide by Christian principles of unwavering integrity and commitment in all that we do. Our vision is captured in the following six themes.

Stewardship: We are committed to stewardship of finances and transparent accountability to our donors and supporters. Our vision is to instill these values in the children under our care.

Care of the Children: Our vision for Lulwanda Children's Home (LCH) is to provide a safe, loving home environment for the children God has entrusted to us, including nutritious meals, creative playtime activities, superior education and complete medical care.

Education: Our vision is to build and operate a complete Primary School where English, math, science, computer and life skills will be taught. We will care for the children until their ability-appropriate level of education (secondary school, trade school, university) is complete, then provide one year of living expenses. These endeavors will prepare the children to enter the Ugandan workforce as self-sustaining productive citizens.

Community Outreach: Our vision is to seek ways to demonstrate God's love for others in East Africa, thereby extending the impact of GICF. This includes admitting children from the local area into Lulwanda schools, the Good Neighbour Program, and numerous humanitarian efforts

Medical Care: Our vision is to provide health care and education through the Hesed Health Centre located at LCH, which will serve the LCH children and staff. We will seek ways to provide health education programs to the surrounding community.

Additional Children's Homes or Programs: Our vision is to continue developing LCH with a longer-term view of establishing additional homes as we are blessed with provision and funding. Although a different living arrangement model may be adopted, Lulwanda Children's Home is the base from which future child care will be administered and training provided for future staff.

Ruling year info

2003

Chairman

Mr. Larry Hoelscher

President

John Waggoner

Main address

5121 FM 359

Richmond, TX 77406 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

94-3418677

NTEE code info

Youth Centers, Clubs, (includes Boys/Girls Clubs)- Multipurpose (O20)

Elementary, Secondary Ed (B20)

Health Treatment Facilities (Primarily Outpatient) (E30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Dire. The problems that create orphans in Uganda are long-standing and persistent, resulting in 2.5 million orphans, 1.2 million of whom were orphaned because of AIDS, according to UNICEF in 2014. This is a tremendous number of children who, through no act of their own, are in a desperate situation. We are working to help just a small fraction of these, but with the hope that generations to come will make the institutional changes needed to control and minimize the problems that create orphans in such great numbers.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Operation of Lulwanda Children's Home

In 2004 we built and opened Lulwanda Children's Home near Mbale, Uganda to care for some of Uganda's 2 million orphans. Most are orphans due to their parents dying of AIDS. We currently care for 120 children at Lulwanda between the ages of 3 and 12. We provide for all the needs of these children: medical care, food, shelter and schooling.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Economically disadvantaged people

GICF operates an accredited primary school on the site of the Children's Home. In addition to the orphans of Lulwanda, approximately an equal number of children attend from the surrounding community.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

The two building Lulwanda Tendo is located in nearby Mbale town and houses 10 of the older Lulwanda children. Tendo offers these older children the ability to learn life skills such as shopping for food and clothing, using local transportation, banking and learning how to budget and run a household.

Population(s) Served
Adolescents

Where we work

Accreditations

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2011

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2012

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2013

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2014

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2015

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2016

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2017

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2018

Videos

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Grace International Children's Foundation aims to establish sustainable loving homes in East Africa for orphans or children who are without adults willing or able to care for them. The goal of these homes is to develop children to reach their full potential and become productive citizens of Uganda.

A key strategy to help the children under our care reach their full potential is providing a good education. Grace International Children's Foundation is committed to educating or training each child to the highest level he or she is capable of achieving. GICF also provides quality living arrangements to physically, spiritually and emotionally nurture the children under our care.

Grace International Children's Foundation USA, a nonprofit registered in Texas, raises the funding necessary for GICF projects and operations in Uganda. The Board of Directors of GICF USA provides long-term strategic direction to the organization, and identifies, prepares and sends missionary staff to assist with operations in Uganda.

Grace International Foundation, a Ugandan registered NGO, was created to operate the orphan care facilities day to day. We currently employ about 45 national staff who run the Children's Home itself as well as Lulwanda Primary School. The teenage children are placed in secondary boarding schools in keeping with Ugandan practice. Three missionary families introduce and train the national staff in Western practices such as financial accountability, and provide specific skills such as medical care.

Grace International Children's Foundation (GICF) has continued to grow the number of orphans under our care since the start of operations in 2004. The children continue to thrive and see Lulwanda Children's Home as their home and family. Lulwanda Primary School continues to be ranked in the top 10% of schools in Uganda. The recent opening of Lulwanda Tendo in nearby Mbale offers next step housing for the older children, and opened space at the original facility to accept 12 more young orphans.

In 2018, GICF undertook a building program to transition from dormatory-style housing to a village of homes model. Each of the 8 new homes will house 10 children and a house mother, or mother and father when possible. By the end of the first year, 4 of the 8 homes were completed, and contributions have been strong enough build several more in the second year. Originally estimated to be a 3 year building program, all of our children will be in these small homes within the next year or two.

Financials

Grace International Childrens Foundation USA, Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Grace International Childrens Foundation USA, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 7/26/2021
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Larry Hoelscher

None

Robert Marshall

GICF USA Inc.

Phil Norby

GICF USA Inc.

Pastor Morris Ogenga

GICF USA Inc.

Larry Hoelscher

GICF USA Inc.

John Waggoner

GICF USA Inc.

Keith Nalley

GICF USA Inc.

Karla Bogard

GICF USA, Inc.

John Palmer

GICF USA, Inc.

Mike Thrasher

GICF USA, Inc.

Michael Kenison

GICF USA, Inc.

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 7/26/2021,

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

No data

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

No data

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data