Children To Love International

What Children To Love International does

Children To Love International (CTL) is a Christ-centered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 in response to the Romanian orphan crisis and headquartered at P.O. Box 9575, Bakersfield, California. The organization serves orphaned, abandoned, and at-risk children through child sponsorships, family-style residential homes, education, healthcare, and discipleship across five countries: Romania, India, Uganda, Ukraine, and Thailand. CTL's core service is its recurring child sponsorship program, complemented by a Teams & Interns program that sends church mission teams to serve alongside local partner staff, a planned giving program that accepts donor-advised funds, IRA QCDs, stock, in-kind, and estate gifts, and the Home of Hope Apartment Project capital campaign in Bucharest, Romania.

CTL operates a partner-led delivery model rather than direct field operations: locally-led ministry partners include CTL Romania, Mercy Childcare Ministry in Uganda, Future for Children in Ukraine, a children's home in India led by Pastor K, and a Thailand ministry partner. Together these partners run family-style children's homes, a medical clinic in Uganda, a recently opened Christ-centered high school in Kayunga, Uganda, after-school programs in Lviv, and family-restoration services that have reunited children with biological parents.

The technology footprint is limited to a website-based donation platform built on Wix and integrated with the GivingFuel online giving portal, supplemented by email newsletter infrastructure and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, LinkedIn). Revenue is generated entirely through donations, with no disclosed pricing: recurring child sponsorships, general one-time and recurring donations, capital campaign contributions, and planned/legacy gifts. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by President John Penrose with a U.S. staff headcount of 1–10; field operations are staffed by the local partner organizations. ECFA membership and 501(c)(3) status provide external accountability and unlock tax-advantaged giving channels.

Name

Children To Love International

Legal name

Children To Love International

Website

https://childrentolove.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children To Love International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that supports orphaned, abandoned, and at-risk children through recurring child sponsorships, family-style homes, education, healthcare, and Christ-centered care across Romania, India, Uganda, Ukraine, and Thailand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Child Sponsorship and Orphan Care

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child Care Services (62441), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG), Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Child sponsorship
• Orphan care
• International missions
• Humanitarian aid
• Christian ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Bakersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Child Sponsorship Program: Individuals sponsor children in CTL partner countries, providing ongoing financial support for their care, education, and discipleship.
2. General Donations: One-time or recurring donations from individuals, churches, and organizations to support CTL's overall ministry operations and specific projects.
3. Planned Giving: Non-cash and planned giving options including Donor-Advised Funds (DAF), IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD), in-kind property donations, stock donations, and estate planning through wills or trusts.
4. Campaign Donations: Specific campaign fundraising such as the Home of Hope Apartment Project to purchase and secure property for children's homes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Children To Love International is a 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit organization that provides care, education, and sponsorship services to orphaned and abandoned children in Romania, India, Uganda, Ukraine, and Thailand. The organization enables individual donors to sponsor specific children, supports residential care homes, and sends volunteer teams and interns to its mission locations. Its operations are funded primarily through charitable donations processed through its website and the GivingFuel online giving platform.

Product overview

Children To Love International offers a single unified charitable ministry focused on caring for orphaned, abandoned, and at-risk children. The core offerings include the Sponsor a Child Program for ongoing child support, the Home of Hope Apartment Project for housing in Romania, and a Teams & Interns Program for volunteer engagement. Additional services include Planned Giving for legacy donations and a Blog for sharing ministry stories and updates across their five partner countries: Romania, India, Uganda, Ukraine, and Thailand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sponsor a Child

Quantifiable outcome

• Children served across 5 countries through locally-led ministry partners
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Future for Children (FFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Future for Children is CTL's primary ministry partner in Ukraine, based in Lviv. The organization provides Christ-centered programs for children and families including teachers, psychologists, and social workers. FFC serves children from large families in difficult circumstances, offering after-school programs, summer camps, humanitarian aid, and spiritual support. FFC staff continued serving throughout the Russia-Ukraine war, providing shelter, food, and emotional support to children and families in Lviv.
• Mercy Childcare Ministry (MCCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy Childcare Ministry is CTL's partner in Uganda, led by Executive Director Wilfred Blair Rugumba. The ministry operates a children's village, medical clinic, and recently opened a Christ-centered high school in Kayunga. MCCM provides rescue, care, family restoration, education, and healthcare for orphaned and abandoned children, including working to reunite children with biological families.
• CTL RomaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTL Romania is a Christ-centered local ministry partner serving vulnerable children and families in Bucharest. The team works within Romania's child protection system, sharing the Gospel and providing emotional, spiritual, and practical support. They serve children in government care, low-income families, Roma communities, children with special needs, and pediatric oncology patients. Operates the Homes of Hope family-style apartments for orphaned and abandoned children.
• Children's Home in IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTL partners with a children's home in India led by Pastor K that provides care for orphaned and abandoned children. The ministry offers education, spiritual discipleship, and life skills training. Alumni of the program have gone on to pursue higher education including degrees in India and abroad, with some returning to serve in ministry leadership positions.
• Thailand Ministry PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTL partners with a local ministry in Thailand serving at-risk children. Pastor Eric Van Scharrel of St. John's Lutheran Church visited this partnership alongside CTL President John Penrose, providing mission team opportunities for supporters.
• Donor-Advised Fund ProviderssupportingOthersCTL accepts Donor-Advised Fund grants from DAF sponsors as part of planned giving options, enabling donors to recommend grants to support ongoing ministry work.
• ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)supportingOthersChildren to Love International is a registered member of ECFA, demonstrating commitment to financial accountability and ethical standards for Christian nonprofits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Vision: Large international humanitarian organization operating child sponsorship, emergency relief, and community development programs worldwide. Overlaps with CTL on child welfare and donor-funded international aid.
• Food for the Hungry: Christian humanitarian organization working in poverty alleviation through child sponsorship and community development. Comparable Christ-centered, donor-funded international model.

Direct peers

• Compassion International: One of the largest Christian child-sponsorship organizations, sponsoring children in dozens of developing countries. Same child-sponsorship, Christ-centered model and donor base as CTL.
• Holt International: Faith-based child welfare organization providing family-based care, adoption, and post-adoption services internationally. Comparable Christ-centered approach to vulnerable children.
• Show Hope: Christian nonprofit focused on care for orphans through adoption aid and medical care grants. Comparable faith-based mission serving vulnerable children.
• ChildFund International: Child-focused international development organization using child sponsorship and community programs in multiple countries. Directly comparable business model to CTL.
• Lifesong for Orphans: Christian nonprofit supporting adoptions and ongoing care for orphans through sponsorship and grants. Similar Christ-centered, donor-funded model with similar scale.
• SOS Children's Villages: Operates family-style homes for orphaned and abandoned children in 130+ countries. Closely aligned with CTL's family-style Homes of Hope model.
• Bethany Christian Services: Faith-based child welfare organization providing foster care, adoption, and refugee services. Comparable Christ-centered child protection and family services.

Emerging players

• Every Child Ministries: Christian nonprofit focused on at-risk children in Africa and other regions through child care and education. Comparable Christ-centered, smaller-scope child welfare operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/childrentolove
• Facebookfacebook.com/childrentolove
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children-to-love-intl/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/childrentolove

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Children To Love International