Charis
Charis is a 501(c)(3) Christian missionary nonprofit headquartered in Aurora, Illinois that delivers evangelism, education, medical care, church planting, and widow-discipleship programs in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, funded primarily through individual donations and U.S. church partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersAurora, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Charis does
Charis (legal entity CHARIS, INC; EIN 45-4363363) is a 501(c)(3) Christian missionary organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Aurora, Illinois. The organization delivers spiritual and physical aid in Haiti — and, since 2024, in the Dominican Republic — through an integrated portfolio of programs including evangelism (with a distinctive focus on reaching vodou priests and priestesses), church planting (11 churches supported in Haitian mountain communities), Christian education (5+ schools including Macary Community Christian School, Marigot Community Christian School for Orphans, Little Rabbits Christian Preschool, Bon Berger, Grand Riviye, Dupont, and the more recent Savann Lay and Berak schools), medical missions (clinics and periodic teams serving 1,000+ patients per visit), widow discipleship (140+ widows under Joy Henderson's teaching), and Bible distribution in printed and audio formats.
The organization is founder-led by Dr. Malcolm Henderson (MD), Executive Director, alongside co-founder Joy Henderson, with a board chaired by Kyle Ramsey, PhD, and supported by named missionaries (Jameson and Jordan Supan) and U.S.-based staff in creative direction, donor communications, and social media. Total headcount is approximately 21. Since March 2020, following COVID-19 border closures and subsequent gang-related security deterioration, the U.S.-based leadership has directed field operations remotely through local Haitian pastors, teachers, medical workers, and community leaders, with no on-the-ground expatriate presence.
Charis is funded almost entirely through charitable donations from individuals and U.S. church networks, supplemented by Amazon Smile referrals and online giving via Classy.org. The only disclosed pricing unit is a recurring $3/month child-sponsorship tier covering one year of schooling (uniforms, books, materials). Donor acquisition and retention rely on quarterly newsletters authored by Malcolm and Joy Henderson, U.S. church speaking tours, the organization's website/blog, and social media. Third-party credibility is supported by the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency and GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Nonprofit designation. No revenue, endowment, or grant figures are disclosed in the available data.
Charis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Charis
- Legal name
- CHARIS, INC
- Website
- https://charis4haiti.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Charis is a 501(c)(3) Christian missionary nonprofit headquartered in Aurora, Illinois that delivers evangelism, education, medical care, church planting, and widow-discipleship programs in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, funded primarily through individual donations and U.S. church partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Charis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Missionary & Humanitarian Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Educational Support Services (611710), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)
Keywords
Where Charis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aurora
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Charis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Charis receives donations from individual supporters who are kept informed through quarterly newsletters and direct appeals. Donors contribute to support schools, churches, medical clinics, and humanitarian aid in Haiti.
- Church Partnerships: The organization partners with churches in the United States through speaking engagements, mission trip coordination, and ongoing support relationships. Churches provide both financial support and mission team volunteers.
- Amazon Smile: Charis is registered with Amazon Smile, allowing shoppers to designate the organization as their charity of choice when making purchases on Amazon.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Child Education Sponsorship: $3/month |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Charis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Charis provides Christian missionary services in Haiti focused on spiritual liberation and community development through four primary project areas: Evangelism (reaching vodou priests and communities), Communities (deep relational engagement), Education (operating five Christian schools including Macary and Marigot Community Christian Schools), and Medical (clinics and mobile medical missions). Complementary services include church planting, vodou liberation rehabilitation, widow discipleship, and supporter communication via a quarterly newsletter.
Product overview
Charis operates as a Christian missionary organization in Haiti offering spiritual and physical help through multiple interconnected programs. The core ministry includes Evangelism (focused on reaching vodou priests and communities), Communities (building relationships for gospel penetration), Education (operating multiple Christian schools including Macary Community Christian School, Marigot Community Christian School for Orphans, Little Rabbits Christian Preschool, Bon Berger Christian School, and Grand Riviye Community Christian School), and Medical Ministry (including nursing support, medical clinics, mobile clinics, and medical mission teams). Additional services include Church Planting, Vodou Liberation Ministry (rehabilitation for former vodou practitioners), Widow Ministry, and a Quarterly Newsletter for supporters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Evangelism Ministry Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with Haitian communities, with specific focus on evangelizing vodou priests and priestesses in what the organization characterizes as a major demonic stronghold.
- Communities Ministry Building intimate community relationships to effectively penetrate Haitian communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ through relational engagement.
- Education Programs Free gospel-focused Christian K-12 education delivered through multiple schools including Macary Community Christian School, Marigot Community Christian School for Orphans, Little Rabbits Christian Preschool, Bon Berger Christian School, and Grand Riviye Community Christian School, with uniforms, books, and materials provided.
- Medical Ministry Healthcare services including nursing support, medical clinics, mobile clinics for mountain communities, and short-term medical mission teams providing dental, medical, pediatric, and surgical care to underserved Haitian populations.
- Church Planting Establishing new churches in unreached Haitian communities, including support, training, and resourcing for pastors and church leaders across the 11 supported churches in Haitian mountains.
- Vodou Liberation Ministry Recovery and rehabilitation support for former vodou priests and priestesses who have converted to Christianity, including physical assistance and ongoing spiritual discipleship.
- Widow Ministry Support, teaching, and discipleship program for widows in Haiti, serving over 140 widows through prayer, community, and biblical instruction.
- Quarterly Newsletter Quarterly email and PDF newsletter authored by missionaries Malcolm and Joy Henderson, providing field updates, prayer requests, and ministry news to supporters and donors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 people converted from a single vodou camp
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Charis
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Charis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Charis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- GuideStarminorCharis is registered with GuideStar (EIN: 45-4363363), which provides charity rating and transparency verification services for nonprofits.
- Amazon SmileminorCharis is registered with Amazon Smile, allowing Amazon shoppers to designate the organization as their charity of choice when making purchases, with Amazon donating a portion of qualifying purchases to the organization.
- GreatNonprofitsminorCharis is listed on GreatNonprofits platform, enabling donors to find and review the organization and view its Top Rated Nonprofit badge.
- International AidminorPartner organization shown in Charis affiliates logo section. Nature of partnership appears to relate to international humanitarian aid and development work.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Charis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Real Hope for Haiti: Christian nonprofit focused on rural Haitian communities providing medical care, child sponsorship, and Christian education — overlapping Charis' school, clinic, and community ministry model.
- Haiti Bible Mission: US-based evangelical mission organization focused on church planting, theological education, and Bible distribution in Haiti — directly comparable to Charis' evangelism and church-planting core.
- Heartline Ministries: Christian nonprofit operating maternal health, education, and discipleship programs in Haiti; comparable holistic ministry model and small-to-mid size organization footprint.
- Children's Hope International: Faith-based child sponsorship and Haiti-focused ministry operating schools and aid programs; comparable sponsorship economics and Haitian operating footprint to Charis.
- Haiti Outreach Ministries: Small evangelical mission sending missionaries to Haiti for church planting and community development; comparable in scale, evangelical focus, and US church-network fundraising model.
- Mission of Hope Haiti: Faith-based nonprofit operating schools, churches, and medical programs across Haiti with US fundraising infrastructure; closely comparable to Charis in service mix (education + medical + evangelism) and donor base.
- Live Beyond: Christian nonprofit operating in Haiti with a holistic model spanning nutrition, healthcare, education, and economic development — analogous integrated ministry approach to Charis.
Broad incumbents
- Samaritan's Purse: Large evangelical relief and development organization active in Haiti through disaster response, medical missions, and child sponsorship — operates at vastly larger scale but in the same faith-based Haiti service space.
- World Vision Haiti: Global Christian humanitarian organization with a major Haiti country program covering education, health, child sponsorship, and disaster response — represents the scaled incumbent Charis' model could aspire toward.
Emerging players
- Bethesda Medical Mission: Faith-based medical missions organization focused on Haiti and the Caribbean delivering mobile clinics and surgical care — overlapping Charis' medical mission vertical specifically.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Charis social profiles
Digital presenceCharis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Charis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Charis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Charis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Charis
What does Charis do?
Charis provides Christian missionary services in Haiti focused on spiritual liberation and community development through four primary project areas: Evangelism (reaching vodou priests and communities), Communities (deep relational engagement), Education (operating five Christian schools including Macary and Marigot Community Christian Schools), and Medical (clinics and mobile medical missions). Complementary services include church planting, vodou liberation rehabilitation, widow discipleship, and supporter communication via a quarterly newsletter.
Is Charis a public or private company?
Charis is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Charis founded?
Charis was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Charis based?
Charis is headquartered in Aurora, United States, in the North America region.
How does Charis make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are church Partnerships and amazon Smile.
Who are Charis's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Real Hope for Haiti, Haiti Bible Mission, Heartline Ministries, Children's Hope International, Haiti Outreach Ministries, Mission of Hope Haiti and Live Beyond. Broad incumbents are Samaritan's Purse and World Vision Haiti. Bethesda Medical Mission is listed as an emerging player.
Does Charis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Charis.
What industry is Charis in?
Charis's product category is Missionary & Humanitarian Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAE, Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAF, Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries. Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8300.