There is a rhythm and a flow to life, as ancient wisdom reminds us,
"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."
For CHOICE Humanitarian, that season has been an extraordinary journey across ten countries and 44 years.
Together, we have witnessed villages transformed through the determination and vision of local communities. We have celebrated families achieving greater self-reliance, children learning in new classrooms, women becoming leaders and entrepreneurs, farmers improving their harvests, and communities gaining access to clean water, education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
Together, because of people like you, we can be proud of what we have accomplished.
Today, with heavy hearts, we share difficult news.
Like many small, U.S.-based international non-governmental organizations, CHOICE has faced a dramatic change in the funding and economic landscape, with fewer dollars in philanthropy and a higher cost of doing business everywhere we work. Despite the incredible generosity of our supporters, careful evaluation and stewardship of resources, and intensive efforts to strengthen our financial position, we have reached the difficult, unavoidable decision to begin a thoughtful transition of CHOICE Humanitarian after 44 years of international service.
As part of this transition, CHOICE Humanitarian will cease its current U.S. operations effective immediately while we responsibly address our remaining commitments and explore opportunities for our country teams and mission to continue through local leadership, strategic partnerships, private philanthropy, and collaboration with like-minded organizations.
Through this next chapter, our commitment to integrity remains unchanged.
An ethical transition requires us to honor commitments to our employees, partners, and the communities we have served, while meeting the legal and administrative responsibilities of concluding our current operations. At the same time, we are actively exploring creative pathways that may enable our dedicated country teams to continue their important work in new and sustainable ways. We approach these responsibilities with a commitment to fairness, transparency, and hope. Although it is happening sooner and more abruptly than envisioned, in some ways this is the natural outcome of the CHOICE approach – for organizations, communities, families and individuals to become more self-sufficient.
Among our highest priorities is helping our dedicated in-country teams weather this change with dignity. These remarkable individuals have faithfully served their communities for many years, and many have worked for CHOICE for decades. They have earned our deepest gratitude. We are committed to supporting them through this transition by managing administrative responsibilities, providing severance benefits to the extent we are financially able, and, wherever possible, helping identify opportunities for them to continue serving their communities.
An Opportunity To Support Our Teams
If CHOICE has touched your life, if you have witnessed its impact, and you would like to support our remarkable organization as we navigate this transition with dignity and integrity, we invite you to consider making a donation through our website or by sending a check to CHOICE Humanitarian, 392 East 12300 South Suite J, Draper, Utah 84020. We will continue to accept donations through the end of September. Your support will help us address our remaining obligations with integrity, care for our dedicated country teams with dignity, and pursue opportunities that may allow this important work to continue in new and locally led ways in a manner worthy of our legacy.
As we reflect on these past four decades, our hearts are filled with pride and gratitude. Thank you to every donor, volunteer, expedition participant, board member, staff member, and community partner who made this work possible. We thank you for your trust, loyalty, and generosity over the years.
The work of reducing poverty does not end because one organization reaches the end of its season. The seeds planted over 44 years will continue to bear fruit for generations. We remain hopeful that the relationships, knowledge, and local leadership cultivated through CHOICE will inspire new ways for communities to continue building on the foundation we have created together.
Thank you for believing in CHOICE.
Thank you for believing in people.
And thank you for helping this journey move into its next chapter with integrity, compassion, and hope.
With heartfelt gratitude,
CHOICE Humanitarian Board
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