About Convoy of Hope
Faith-Based Humanitarian Organization
Founded in 1994, Convoy of Hope is a faith-based humanitarian organization created to serve people facing hunger, poverty, and crisis. From the beginning, its purpose has been to provide practical help while treating individuals and communities with dignity and respect. The organization carries out its work through disaster response, children’s feeding programs, community outreach, and partnerships with churches, businesses, civic organizations, and government agencies.
When natural or humanitarian disasters strike, the organization is prepared to respond quickly and responsibly. Disaster services focus on delivering essential items such as food, clean drinking water, hygiene supplies, and other necessities. These efforts are intended to meet urgent needs during times of disruption and loss. When conditions allow, support continues beyond the emergency phase to help families and communities recover and rebuild steadily and practically.
Reducing hunger is a central part of the organization’s work. Children’s feeding programs provide daily meals to students in vulnerable communities, helping support proper nutrition and consistent school attendance. These programs aim to create a stable environment where children can focus on learning while receiving dependable nourishment during the school day.
In addition to feeding initiatives, agricultural programs are designed to address hunger at its roots. Training is provided in responsible and sustainable farming practices that help individuals improve food production and manage resources more effectively. Participants gain practical skills that can strengthen household income and reduce long-term dependence on outside assistance, contributing to stronger local food systems.
Empowering women and girls is integral to strengthening families and communities. Through the Women’s Empowerment program, women are supported as they start or grow small businesses to help provide for their families. Training includes nutrition, health, hygiene, literacy, cooking, agriculture, and early childhood development, with additional guidance for expectant mothers. Alongside this effort, the Girls’ Empowerment program focuses on self-esteem, positive decision-making, nutrition, and physical and emotional health, helping girls prepare thoughtfully for their futures.
Convoy of Hope operates through the support of donated goods, financial contributions, and volunteer service. This approach allows resources to be managed carefully while serving people across diverse regions. Accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship guide how assistance is distributed and how partnerships are maintained.
Today, Convoy of Hope feeds more than 639,000 children worldwide every school day. It has supported over 252,000 women and girls and provided agricultural training to more than 140,000 individuals. Since its founding, the organization has responded to more than 850 disasters in the United States and internationally. Its commitment to efficiency and integrity has been recognized through a ranking of number 27 on Forbes’ list of America’s Top 100 Charities.
The organization was founded by Hal Donaldson, whose understanding of service was shaped early in life. After his father died in a car accident in 1969, the support his family received from neighbors left a lasting impression. Years later, inspired by a meeting with Mother Teresa and relationships with missionaries Mark and Huldah Buntain, Hal and a small group of friends and family launched the organization. Early outreach efforts, known as Care Days, marked the beginning of its work.
Over the years, expanded infrastructure and global partnerships have allowed the organization to grow steadily. Today, Convoy of Hope serves communities in more than 130 countries and has reached over 350 million people. Its work continues with a focus on humility, consistency, and meeting real needs through practical action.
