Legacy Circle Testimonials

We share Outreach's vision of a world without poverty. Naming Outreach in our will furthers our desire to make that vision a reality for children and their families—not just for today or tomorrow, but for generations to come.

— Gary & Debbie Woods

My journey with Outreach International began with an invitation to a site visit in the Philippines. Personnel from International Institute for Rural Reconstruction, including Dennis and Lorna Labayen, introduced us to a process of empowerment and self-help rather than emergency aid.

We saw evidence of success as communities worked together. Years later, Carolyn and I spent a week with Outreach in Nicaragua, where we again experienced the success of community empowerment as we met the people and visited several villages as well as the Unity Bridge.

There are many non-profit organizations that work to assist the poor. We choose to support Outreach International because we are witnesses to the dedication of the field workers and we have seen the success that this process produces.

— Dick & Carolyn Otis

I have supported Outreach International for decades now. I can still remember the presentation on a Sunday morning by a regional Volunteer Advisor and how I was inspired to get involved with this wonderful organization.

I am all about helping others help themselves. I went on an Outreach site visit to Nicaragua years ago and saw firsthand how the program works. One little girl from the village followed us from a distance as we toured the village, and I’ll never forget her. I was, and am still, very impressed, happy and grateful to all those helping make Outreach International successful.

— (Bill &) Bert Schinzing

Outreach International is an outstanding organization that deserves endowment for perpetual stability. We joined the Legacy Circle by transferring a portion of our estate's cash assets into perpetual corpus assets of Outreach International. The organization is able to more easily attract donors for current operating costs of OI rather than establishing an endowment in perpetuity, with annual investment earnings going to the current operating budget needs. Our specific goal is to help OI with this long-term financial stability.

Secondly, we strongly support the World's Indigenous Peoples to move out of existing poverty into sustainable projects which OI supports. Many Indigenous Peoples have been economically disadvantaged by ongoing consequences of colonization. The goals of Peace and Justice direct us to legacy giving.

— Dan & Beth Whittemore

Years ago I told my three children that I would like any money they might spend on my birthday or Christmas be given for an Outreach donation. I was inspired by how Outreach works with the community to discover their most important need. People learn to work together and how to contact the government for themselves. I also volunteered in the home office and I opened the mail with the donations. It was humbling to see who and what was donated and to witness the long term positive results of the donations.

— Peggy Eslinger

It's important for us to know where our assets will go if something happens to us — it's a good philosophy to make sure you have a will. The people at Outreach International are efficient at making their dollars go as far as possible.

— Steve Ross & Shelley Scherer

It is difficult to express my gratitude to all those who work sacrificially to find sustainable solutions to extreme poverty. I believe in Outreach International, and I want to help the work continue well into the future.

— Ron Demute

We wanted to make sure that our lives' most important values were reflected by the disposition of our estate. Outreach International best represents our view that we are all brothers and sisters.

— (Rick &) Sherry Lindgren

Having seen first hand several of the programs that Outreach International has supported over the years, we have become passionate about the approach and wonderful staff that make it all possible. By giving now and for the future, we hope that the world will find fewer in poverty and more helping themselves to improve their lives.

— John & Marlene Krueger

We have supported Outreach International since 1984. An African Proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Outreach empowers villages to work together and go far! We were blessed with the opportunity to witness some of the results firsthand in Malawi, Africa & in Nepal. We were blown away by the empowerment and the level of change that we saw in people’s lives. Women who were 2nd class citizens before, were now leading committees. Children who had no schools could now go to school every day. Families that had little income were able to grow vegetables for their own use & to sell for a profit. Villages without clean water or sanitation systems could now drink the water without fear of disease and now had dignity because of enclosed toilets. The changes in people’s lives was simply amazing! And this is all done without handouts. Villages apply for loans that are then paid back so that another village can experience change.

— Rollie & Beth Marolf