Orphan World Relief | Non-Profits of Columbus, Ohio
What We Do
At Orphan World Relief, we build strong partnerships with churches, businesses, other nonprofit organizations, and people just like you to help:
- Children in Crisis including those living as orphans and refugees Learn More
- Kids entering foster care for the first time through our My Comfy Kits program Learn More
- Older children in our program Foster to Adult that provides support for kids aging out of the foster care system Learn More
Together we can make a difference
Our Story
Orphan World Relief was founded in 2008 after President, Doug Riggle, experienced first-hand the needs of homeless and orphaned children in Ukraine. Upon returning to the states, further research shed light on the global crisis and the millions of orphaned and at-risk children around the world.
What started as an organization designed to help well-run programs in other countries financially has since blossomed into an organization that understands the needs of children in the U.S and around the globe while helping educate people on the needs these kids are dealing with everyday. #hopechangeseverything
Orphan World Relief | Columbus, Ohio Charities
Our Programs
Foster to Adult
My Comfy Kits
Entering foster care is a scary experience for children regardless of their age. We provide backpacks filled with age-appropriate items for children from 9 months of age to 16 to help ease the pain of transition. Children don’t choose to be in foster care. We seek to help them find hope in and through it.
Children in Crisis
In addition to providing financial support, we work with international programs supporting orphans and refugees to help them with the basic needs of good food, a safe place to live, life skills, and an education. No matter where a child is from, they have intrinsic value and worth.
Meet The OWR Team
Kim | Executive Director
As the Executive Director, Kim provides oversight for the administrative operation for Orphan World Relief. She works with the board of directors to ensure we’re well-equipped to meet the organization’s goals. Kim is an mother of 3 with a background in creative solutions and digital renovation for companies with a mission for child advocacy.
Mary Jo | Foster to Adult Director
As the Director of Foster to Adult, Mary Jo provides connection and administrative oversight for foster care support services to teens and young adult aging out of foster care in Ohio. Mary Jo is a licensed foster parent and mother of five children. She is a strong advocate for children and families impacted by foster care and adoption.
Lindsay | Relations/Project Director
As Relations/Project Director, Lindsay works with our team to assist with events and major projects. In addition, she will be working directly with our donors, to help you stay connected to the impact your partnership is making around the world in bringing hope. Lindsay is helping our OWR Ambassadors make the world a better place for kids in hard places.
Jonica | My Comfy Kits Director
As the Director of My Comfy Kits, Joni provides administrative oversight for the My Comfy Kits volunteers and ensures the warehouse has proper supplies to complete kits for all the ages we deliver kits to. We are currently serving 17 foster care agencies across the state. Joni is passionate about advocating for children entering the scary and uncertain world of foster care
Karen | Office Manager
As the Office Manager, Karen is the Office Manager and helps keeps the office running at OWR. She has a degree in Library Science
from Kent State and a background in community health education. She has a passion for connecting people
with the resources, information and services to meet the need of the moment.
How to Help Kids in Foster Care
My Comfy Kits
Help us provide backpacks for kids entering foster care.
There are approximately 415,000 children in the foster system across the United States on any given day. More than 12,500 of those children are in Ohio.
Entering foster care is a scary experience for children regardless of their age.
We provide foster and adoption support services by strengthening children’s connections to family and community resources.
- Orphan World Relief sees this as an opportunity to provide comfort, dignity and love to these kids. With your support, we provide backpacks – My Comfy Kits – filled with age-appropriate items to help ease the pain of transition.
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- In 2016: 133 kits made
- In 2017: 593 kits made
- In 2018: 884 kits made
- In 2019: 1,080 kits made
- In 2020: 462 kits made
- In 2021: 281 kits made
- In 2022: 180 kits made
- In 2016: 133 kits made
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How Can You Get Involved
- Pray – for the children receiving these Comfy Kits that they may feel loved and cared for.
- Advocate – tell your friends, family and other organizations about the mission of My Comfy Kits and host a donation drive for needed items, or volunteer to help stuff Comfy Kits.
- Give – drop off needed items (see our list below) or make a financial donation.
If you have any questions or want to get involved, please contact Jonica Graves, the My Comfy Kits Program Director, at joni@orphanworldrelief.org.
My Comfy Kits currently operates in three areas. For more information, contact the program volunteer nearest to you:
Fayette County, Ohio – Melinda Underwood
Franklin County, Ohio – Jonica Graves
(also Program Manager for the My Comfy Kits Program in the United States)
Stark County, Ohio – Amy Reveal
Aging Out of Foster Care
Foster to Adult
Through no fault of their own, every year more than 20,000 young men and women turn 18 and age out of the foster care system.
Their prospects for a good life are slim. Look at some of the statistics:
- Less than half were employed at age 23
- More than two-thirds of the young women have children.
- Nearly 60 percent of the males have been convicted of a crime.
- Almost a quarter were homeless at some point after leaving foster care.
At Orphan World Relief we’re working to create a holistic program to help these young men and women have a better chance for success in life including:
- Career Support – with career counselors, help former foster kids learn how to apply for jobs, write resumes, keep a job and learn to grown into a career. We’re partnering with local businesses willing to take a chance on hiring them while also creating opportunities – our hope is to open a coffee shop staffed by young men and women from the foster care system.
- Life Skills – to help them succeed as adults, life skills, including: budgeting, banking, shopping, cooking…etc. are essential for a successful life as an adult.
- Family Mentoring – by partnering with families in local churches, we hope to find some special families to help teach these young men and women what a family is supposed to be – while not perfect – will help them stop the cycle that put them into the system.
To learn more about the program’s progress, contact Mary Jo, Director of Foster Support Services
Helping Children Around the Globe
Children in Crisis
The majority of our effort is dedicated to providing financial support to orphans and at-risk children around the globe. Our current reach allows us to help children from five different countries and three continents.
Casa Hogar Vida | Honduras
The Harbor | Russia
Montaña de Luz | Honduras
Relief Efforts for Refugees
Jeremiah's Hope | Ukraine
Children's Development Center | Honduras
Our Trusted Partners
Nationwide Children’s
Linworth Road Church
Immortal Martial Arts
Immortal Coffee
Alicia’s Closet
Ambersand Essentials
Mill Tech LLC
Seeds of Caring
Orphan World Relief
Make their needs your inspiration to make a difference…
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Wherever you may be on your philanthropic journey, our passion is to empower you to leave a global giving lecacy that impacts at minimum – 1,000 children’s lives in crisis. The world may not care about the lives of orphans, but we know You + OWR = the power to change their future. Start the journey today.
Nominated for best non-profit service activity in Ohio on “Best of the Bus” 2022
