Meet the Founders – The heart and story behind the nonprofit

In 2013, Chad and Joni as 6 month newlyweds moved to China to pursue an opportunity to work with a small NGO overseas. As part of their time in China they volunteered during their non-working hours in a children’s home with special needs kids (right up Joni’s alley, a bit out of Chad’s comfort zone). However, Chad made a fun connection with a little 2 year old girl who couldn’t walk due to a degenerative disease in her spine. Her smile was contagious and she loved to play copy-cat type games with the 6 foot tall white guy.

While in China Chad and Joni happened to develop some close relationships with a few couples who were fostering children and some others who were pursuing adoptions. As any good friends would do, Chad and Joni volunteered to help their friends with a fundraiser here and a fundraiser there… mostly creating and running a few t-shirt campaigns.

Fast-forward a year, and the couple had come home from China and were living in Kansas. Joni’s sister announced they were planning to adopt a 7 year old boy from China, and Chad and Joni were all in on helping their siblings, Mark and Jeri Iwasaki, run their fundraising efforts to support the adoption. One night on a planning phone call between the couples, someone mentioned:

“$35,000 is a lot for 1 couple to raise, but it is not a lot for a community of 35,000 people willing to each give $1 each.”

And, with that the 35Kcampaign was born. Chad and Joni had already helped multiple couples complete their adoption funding. It wasn’t a tall task to wrap everything in a 501(c)3 and begin folding like-minded friends and family into the mission.

Today, the 35Kcampaign exists to help fund the adoptions of vulnerable children into Christian families. We specifically define vulnerable children as those who are older,  have special needs, or are part of a sibling group. Our mission is to empower the adopting family by alleviating the stress of fundraising and providing support for these children to be placed in Christian homes where they are assured to hear the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is fun to meet the founders, but this ministry would not be anything without the support of its donors and a small conversation with Mark and Jeri that changed the way we all look at the world. Mark and Jeri remain highly involved in the 35Kcampaign and help spearhead the direction and success of the mission. They were the first 35Kfamily and are the #1 cheerleaders for supporting orphans around the world. Thank you!

Feature Families

Meet Our Families

Ready to become part of the impact?

Join a community of supporters changing the lives of vulnerable children around the world! Every dollar you give goes directly to help bring children into the safety and love of a forever family. Together, we help cover the adoption costs for Christian families saying “yes” to children who are older, part of a sibling group, or have special needs. You can make a difference — will you join us today?

Learn more about how to support the 35K Family Adoptions. →

A Final Note

ONE LAST THOUGHT

Until next time,

Adoption.Family.Support.