Forgotten Children Worldwide 
The information on this page was last updated 3/21/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Making a difference by transforming the lives of forgotten children.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Forgotten Children Worldwide
650 N Main St
Bluffton, IN 46714
Website: forgottenchildren.org
Phone: 260-353-1580
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 260609769
CEO/President: Matt Hartsell
Chairman: Matt Bertsch
Board size: 8
Founder: Matt Hartsell
Ruling year: 2008
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2009
Purpose
To safeguard orphans and vulnerable, forgotten children from poverty, abandonment, and the evils of human trafficking, as clearly directed in the Bible. We believe that every child deserves to know their Heavenly Father is crazy about them.
Mission statement
To provide a loving and nurturing environment for orphans and vulnerable children by protecting them from becoming victims of extreme poverty and child trafficking so they can grow to fully understand the love of Jesus Christ. We strive to empower forgotten children.
Statement of faith
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 213 of 1077 | 33 of 144 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 352 of 1078 | 44 of 144 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 393 of 1078 | 46 of 144 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 263 of 1077 | 35 of 144 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 7% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 7% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 93% | 99% | 98% | 99% | 99% | 98% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 10% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 7% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 7% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 80% | 84% | 89% | 86% | 90% | 86% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 84% | 83% | 94% | 96% | 110% | 97% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 67% | 70% | 84% | 83% | 99% | 83% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 16% | 17% | 6% | 4% | -10% | 3% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 13% | 22% | 12% | 8% | -22% | 4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 8% | 5% | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.56 | 1.05 | 1.94 | 1.89 | 2.33 | 1.13 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.64 | 1.37 | 1.61 | 1.64 | 1.69 | 1.49 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.59 | 1.44 | 3.12 | 3.10 | 3.94 | 1.68 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 13.93 | 39.58 | 28.58 | 16.69 | 26.49 | 10.93 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.09 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.37 | 8.12 | 3.71 | 3.63 | 2.93 | 6.48 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 7% | 4% | 2% | 4% | 2% | 6% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 153% | 91% | 50% | 51% | 42% | 83% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Cash | $933,735 | $546,709 | $617,509 | $476,408 | $355,044 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $251,934 | $195,888 | $171,754 | $219,239 | $648,220 |
| Short-term investments | $214,099 | $162,265 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $1,399,768 | $904,862 | $789,263 | $695,647 | $1,003,264 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $513,853 | $546,110 | $501,675 | $475,439 | $491,336 |
| Other long-term assets | $2,888 | $3,369 | $3,850 | $4,331 | $4,812 |
| Total long-term assets | $516,741 | $549,479 | $505,525 | $479,770 | $496,148 |
| Total assets | $1,916,509 | $1,454,341 | $1,294,788 | $1,175,417 | $1,499,412 |
| Liabilities | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $35,369 | $31,662 | $47,276 | $26,265 | $91,825 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $35,369 | $31,662 | $47,276 | $26,265 | $91,825 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $46,800 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $46,800 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $82,169 | $31,662 | $47,276 | $26,265 | $91,825 |
| Net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Without donor restrictions | $1,224,495 | $1,061,520 | $1,012,907 | $1,016,243 | $1,265,653 |
| With donor restrictions | $609,845 | $361,159 | $234,605 | $132,909 | $141,934 |
| Net assets | $1,834,340 | $1,422,679 | $1,247,512 | $1,149,152 | $1,407,587 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $2,394,046 | $2,944,597 | $2,510,567 | $2,442,542 | $1,699,260 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $15,752 | $14,394 | $3,723 | $728 | $302 |
| Other revenue | $19,451 | $41,222 | $33,739 | $36,075 | $37,625 |
| Total other revenue | $35,203 | $55,616 | $37,462 | $36,803 | $37,927 |
| Total revenue | $2,429,249 | $3,000,213 | $2,548,029 | $2,479,345 | $1,737,187 |
| Expenses | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Program services | $1,690,284 | $2,509,026 | $2,108,833 | $2,456,906 | $1,444,655 |
| Management and general | $156,767 | $152,032 | $175,816 | $153,479 | $117,370 |
| Fundraising | $170,537 | $163,988 | $165,020 | $127,395 | $124,955 |
| Total expenses | $2,017,588 | $2,825,046 | $2,449,669 | $2,737,780 | $1,686,980 |
| Change in net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $411,661 | $175,167 | $98,360 | ($258,435) | $50,207 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $411,661 | $175,167 | $98,360 | ($258,435) | $50,207 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Matt Hartsell | CEO | $63,200 |
| Jeff Patterson | Director | $62,800 |
| Janee Nussbaum | Director | $36,915 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2019
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/21/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
A middle-of-the-night awakening for Matt Hartsell initiated the concept of an orphan care ministry while he and his wife Barb were adopting their daughter Allyson in Novorossiysk, Russia in June of 1999. The adoption of another daughter, Tiffani from China, and multiple missions trips to Romania to work with street children further enhanced the unquenchable yearning to assist those who were truly forgotten and marginalized by society.
While Matt & Barb were on a boat on the Moscow River, a stranger from Washington State initiated a casual conversation with the two of them. Matt shared his embryonic vision for assisting orphans with his new acquaintance, named Rodger Johnson. Rodger asked for Matt's address and six weeks later the Hartsells received the confirmation they needed: A $500 check in the mail as seed money for this ministry!
The ministry was initially named "God Will Make A Way Ministries" and consisted of sending multiple boxes of precious clothing to orphans in Russia. Packing originally took place in a 9 x 16-foot closet in the basement of Hope Missionary Church. In 2007 the ministry changed its name to Forgotten Children International and became an official interdenominational nonprofit organization that partners with individuals, organizations, businesses, and churches of all denominations. Further, in 2007 FCW became an official member of the Christian Alliance for Orphans and in 2009 became a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). . Further, in late 2011 FCW moved its official headquarters to 650 N. Main in Bluffton, Indiana as a result of answered prayer for a new headquarters. In 2012 the nonprofit trademarked its name as Forgotten Children Worldwide. The facility was 100% donated.
Today FCW's box truck is driven by faithful FCW volunteers on a weekly basis to multiple clothing collection sites around NE Indiana. Tens of thousands of pounds of clothing are collected, sorted and packed by volunteers. The boxes are then placed into a 40-foot container and shipped to assist street children, orphans and vulnerable children in India and the Ukraine. Over 40,000 children are assisted by this branch of the ministry alone.
A major focus for the ministry is prevention of child trafficking which is so prevalent in the world today.
Orphan home construction, via FCW, has benefited forgotten children on three continents in multiple countries: India, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Ukraine, Thailand, and South Africa.
Ongoing partnerships in Nepal, India, Malawi and Uganda are creating genuine hope for hundreds of children. FCW provides self-sustainability projects to help desperate families become self-supporting in such a way that they can, in turn, care for orphans in their homes.
Currently, well over 500 children are sponsored on a monthly basis by charitable American supporters who, by giving $38 per month, provide food, shelter, education and medical care. Caring house parents demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ for each child.
Program accomplishments
295,852 Number of children clothed through our clothing distribution program
46 Number trade and university scholarships provided this year
490 Number of children currently sponsored
11 Number of countries served