As we celebrate 36 journeys, one mission, we rejoice in how God has led volunteers to become CHF staff, uniting their hearts around Christ-centered service to children in need and faithful donor care worldwide. Each story—from Poverty Encounter facilitators to ministry development directors and operations coordinators—shows how a simple step of volunteering at Children’s Hunger Fund has grown into a long-term ministry calling, as volunteers-turned-staff now help local churches deliver hope to suffering children through practical mercy and the message of the gospel.

Apostol's story from one of Albania's forgotten neighborhoods shows the kind of joy that refuses to fade when God's people bring hope to families in deep poverty. In a small shack on the outskirts of Korce, where rain seeps through walls and work is scarce, our local church partner began visiting Apostol's family, bringing Food Paks, sharing the gospel, and praying with them. Through this ongoing mercy ministry, Apostol has gone from isolation and discrimination to serving as one of the church’s top volunteers, spreading the same joy and hope in Jesus that now fills his own soul, even in the midst of many difficulties.

Since 2008, Children’s Hunger Fund has partnered with local churches throughout Nepal, a country often considered among the poorest in the world. Nepal’s communities face serious challenges, including widespread poverty and frequent devastation caused by earthquakes. To address these needs, Children’s Hunger Fund provides local churches with food and essential aid, enabling them to support the most vulnerable families in their areas.

Across the United States, poverty remains a daily reality for countless children and families. Nearly 1 in 6 children experience food insecurity, underscoring the urgent need for action. In response, Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF) began preparing in 2023 to launch a domestic expansion initiative, which will equip churches in communities beyond CHF’s existing Volunteer Centers...

A commitment to integrity requires guarding that which we know to be true, regardless of the consequences. This commitment to truth produces lives that are open to being used for God’s purposes and to His glory. I am so humbled that God would choose unworthy vessels like me and you, like Joseph, to multiply His blessing. And like Joseph showing generosity to his family that had turned their back on him, I know that our hearts will be softened to be generous toward others.

Generosity is often thought of as giving—offering our time, money, or resources to meet a need. But true, Christ-centered generosity reaches beyond the gift itself; it reaches toward people. It’s not just about what we give, but how and why we give.