September 18-20, 2026
Dear Friends,
It is our joy and honor to welcome you to the 2026 Children’s Hunger Fund President’s Retreat.
We look forward to spending time together at the beautiful Montage Laguna Beach as we reflect on God’s faithfulness to the Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF) ministry and look ahead with hope to all He will continue to do.
This year, as we consider The Power of One, we are reminded that God uses individual lives, acts of faith, and moments of obedience to bring lasting gospel impact to children and families worldwide.
Our prayer is that this time together would encourage and refresh you and that you would be open to how God may use you to bring the hope of the gospel to children and families in need.
We are deeply grateful for this opportunity to grow in fellowship with you and for your generosity toward children in need.
For the children we serve,
Event Schedule
4:00 p.m.
Guest Check-In | Montage Laguna Beach
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception | Gallery Ballroom Foyer
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Dinner | Seaview Lawn
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
General Session | Gallery Ballroom
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Dessert Social | Gallery Ballroom Foyer
7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast | Gallery Ballroom & Foyer
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
General Session | Gallery Ballroom
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Break | Gallery Ballroom Foyer
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
General Session | Gallery Ballroom
12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Free time for guests
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Dinner | Gallery Ballroom & Foyer
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
General Session | Gallery Ballroom
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Dessert Social | Gallery Ballroom Foyer
7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast | Gallery Ballroom & Foyer
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
General Session | Gallery Ballroom
12:00 p.m.
Guest Check-Out | Montage Laguna Beach
Your Time to Refresh
One of the unique aspects of President’s Retreat is the opportunity to slow down, enjoy the beauty of Laguna Beach, and spend unhurried time in fellowship. During Saturday’s free afternoon, you are welcome to relax at the resort, explore the local area, or simply enjoy a peaceful afternoon by the coast. The Montage concierge team is available to assist with reservations and recommendations throughout your stay.
Spa Montage
Pool & oceanfront terraces
Beach access
Heisler Park
Laguna Art Museum
Downtown galleries and boutiques
Crystal Cove State Park
Dana Point Harbor
Whale watching excursions
About CHF
At Children’s Hunger Fund, our mission is to deliver hope to suffering children by equipping local churches for gospel-centered mercy ministry.
Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF) delivers hope to children in need by equipping local churches for gospel-centered mercy ministry. We distribute aid through three Volunteer Centers in the US—Dallas, San Antonio, and our Los Angeles headquarters—and through more than a thousand local church partners in 34 developing countries worldwide. We also work with like-minded partners across the US to resource more than 3,500 additional local churches with donated food and goods. Every resource we provide creates a new touchpoint for these churches to share the gospel with children in need.
Because of friends like you, CHF has helped local churches share the hope of the gospel with children and families in need for 35 years. Since 1991, 96% of total contributions have supported programs serving suffering children and families—over 1 billion meals have been distributed.
Musical Guest
Aaron Pelsue is a singer-songwriter, recording artist, and worship leader based in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2000, he and his wife, Emily, founded the Aaron Pelsue Band and have spent decades traveling, leading worship, and creating music that encourages and inspires. After 21 years in full-time church ministry, they began serving as “musicianaries,” combining music and ministry to reach people across the country. Together, they have released more than a dozen worship albums and continue to write, record, and lead worship today.
Speakers and Event Hosts
As a young man, the devastating poverty Dave witnessed at a children’s hospital in Honduras changed him forever. With a united passion to impact the next generation and help local churches build relationships with poor children in their communities, Dave and his wife, Lynn, founded Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF).
For over twenty-five years, Michael has served at Children’s Hunger Fund in a myriad of ways, from overseeing volunteer operations and international logistics to opening the San Antonio and Dallas offices. As Senior Vice President, he is focusing on cultivating relationships with supporters, stewardship, the ambassador program, executive leadership, and the growth of the Children’s Hunger Fund Legacy Foundation.
Mario was born in El Salvador and moved to the US in 1998. His greatest desire is to see impoverished communities treasure Jesus as the only one who could satisfy the deepest need of their hearts. The Lord directed Mario’s vocational efforts to join the ministry of CHF in 2012. Combining his business training with his passion for the gospel, God has allowed Mario to equip churches worldwide toward a gospel-centered mercy ministry.
With experience working for a number of different non-profit organizations, Savannah joined the Children’s Hunger Fund team in 2018. After relocating to California from Oregon, Savannah was drawn to the mission and vision of CHF. She served as the executive assistant for the Office of the President for several years before stepping into her current role on the executive team.
Justin was first exposed to global poverty on a mission trip to El Salvador at an early age. Ever since, God has deepened his passion for the suffering and has opened his eyes to the beauty of the local church. With a background in supply chain and project management, Justin counts it a joy to resource churches worldwide for the proclamation of the gospel to the glory of God.
Pastor Léonce B. Crump Jr. is an international speaker, former NFL athlete, author, and leadership strategist. He is the author of Renovate and co-author of The Resilience Factor, and has written extensively on leadership, culture, and public life. Through his speaking, writing, and board service, Léonce equips leaders to pursue human flourishing and meaningful cultural impact. Known for his thoughtful perspective on faith, leadership, and society, he is a leading voice encouraging people to live with purpose and influence the world around them for good.
Qusai Mahmud is a Chicago-based ministry leader passionate about discipleship, church planting, and developing future pastors and ministry leaders. Since coming to faith in his late twenties, he has helped plant three churches in Chicago and has supported the planting of dozens more across the city. Known for his deep love for Chicago and its people, Qusai is committed to seeing lives transformed by the gospel. In 2024, he joined the Send Relief team, where he strengthens partnerships and equips believers to serve their communities for the glory of God.
Baolerhu Lidgen is an entrepreneur, leadership coach, and ecosystem builder dedicated to equipping Christian leaders and entrepreneurs for lasting kingdom impact. Among the first Mongolian believers in the early 1990s, he helped launch a college student house church movement that led hundreds to faith and planted dozens of churches. He later served as project manager for the Mongolian Jesus Film and has since focused on developing gospel-centered leadership and entrepreneurial infrastructure across Asia. Based in California, Baolerhu connects North America and Asia while investing in Mongolia’s next generation of Christian leaders.
Carlos Pimentel joined Empowering Action in March 2014. He brings to EA a passion for the Lord, a heart for his country and an intense love for the church. Carlos’ experience and expertise includes over 20 years of involvement in the field of community development for various organizations including: World Vision, Food for the Hungry, CARE International, most recently serving as President of Esperanza International in the DR for the past 16 years.
Tony Amaradio is the Founder and Chief Strategist of Select Portfolio Management, Inc., known for pioneering one of the first comprehensive, integrated wealth management models for high-net-worth clients. He built a multidisciplinary team to implement advanced financial, tax, and asset protection strategies and is nationally recognized as a speaker and longtime host of the radio show Market Talk. More recently, Tony has dedicated significant time to philanthropy, helping nonprofit donors grow as more effective, impactful givers.
