Christian Relief Fund 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/8/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
Christian Relief Fund ("CRF") is a nondenominational child sponsorship, relief, and aid agency. Baxter Loe founded CRF in 1974 in memory of John Abraham, a man who gave his life serving others. CRF receives and disburses funds for various mission and benevolent works. At present, the majority of its funds are expended in India, Africa, Central America, and Eastern Europe. CRF provides orphans and vulnerable children with food, clean water, medical care, education, and Bible study for $35 per month. Besides ongoing and emergency medical help as part of its other programs, CRF operates medical clinics in some of the neediest slums on Earth. CRF provides food, medical, and spiritual aid to victims of war or disaster. This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Contact information
Mailing address:
Christian Relief Fund
PO Box 19670
Amarillo, TX 79114-1670
Website: www.christianrelieffund.org
Phone: (806) 352-5030
Email: crfinfo@christianrelieffund.org
Organization details
EIN: 510183054
CEO/President: Dr. Milton Jones
Chairman: Dr. Milton Jones
Board size: 11
Founder: Mr. Baxter Loe
Year founded: 1976
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 09/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1982
Purpose
Christian Relief Fund ("CRF") is a nondenominational child sponsorship, relief, and aid agency. Baxter Loe founded CRF in 1974 in memory of John Abraham, a man who gave his life serving others. CRF receives and disburses funds for various mission and benevolent works. At present, the majority of its funds are expended in India, Africa, Central America, and Eastern Europe. CRF provides orphans and vulnerable children with food, clean water, medical care, education, and Bible study for $35 per month.
Sponsors receive the history, photos, letters, and a loving relationship with their sponsored child. Besides ongoing and emergency medical help as part of its other programs, CRF operates medical clinics in some of the neediest slums on Earth. CRF provides food, medical, and spiritual aid to victims of war or disaster and has helped tens of thousands in Northern Kenya gain access to clean water. This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Mission statement
Christian Relief Fund communicates its purpose in the following way:
Christian Relief Fund rescues orphans and vulnerable children from poverty. Our child sponsorship programs are dedicated to providing food, clean water, education, spiritual training, healthcare and disaster relief to the glory of God worldwide.
OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE. Christian Relief Fund is dedicated to holistic growth for children in poverty: intellectually, physically, spiritually and socially.
Statement of faith
Christian Relief Fund communicates its statement of belief in the following way:
CRF believes in the Christian ethic of helping our neighbor without regard to sex, race, or creed. The CRF board is composed of men and women who have a sincere interest in mission work and benevolence and a deep love for mankind. The children and families helped by CRF programs are selected on the basis of need only. Spiritual guidance and counseling are provided and attendance of local church services is encouraged.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Relief and Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 252 of 817 | 24 of 69 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 189 of 817 | 19 of 69 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 218 of 817 | 21 of 69 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 552 of 817 | 48 of 69 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 99% | 97% | 97% | 98% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 86% | 91% | 92% | 90% | 91% | 91% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 92% | 90% | 87% | 94% | 87% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 84% | 84% | 83% | 79% | 85% | 79% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | 8% | 10% | 13% | 6% | 13% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 5% | 9% | 11% | 15% | 8% | 21% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 6% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.86 | 0.95 | 1.02 | 1.01 | 1.18 | 1.32 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.37 | 1.03 | 1.03 | 1.52 | 1.53 | 1.59 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.93 | 0.98 | 1.05 | 1.54 | 1.79 | 2.09 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.46 | 55.70 | 60.25 | 31.02 | 22.83 | 22.12 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.11 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.07 | 12.07 | 11.23 | 7.55 | 6.40 | 5.47 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 12% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 42% | 103% | 96% | 97% | 83% | 74% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $4,151,381 | $5,474,050 | $4,781,438 | $4,054,574 | $3,487,232 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $0 | $2,575 | $0 | $13,001 | $1,090 |
| Short-term investments | $4,562,572 | $2,468,969 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $8,713,953 | $7,945,594 | $4,781,438 | $4,067,575 | $3,488,322 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $2,260,974 | $1,904,904 | $1,804,257 |
| Fixed assets | $223,199 | $206,653 | $223,668 | $230,742 | $243,767 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $223,199 | $206,653 | $2,484,642 | $2,135,646 | $2,048,024 |
| Total assets | $8,937,152 | $8,152,247 | $7,266,080 | $6,203,221 | $5,536,346 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $108,955 | $90,374 | $55,545 | $58,466 | $34,122 |
| Other current liabilities | $47,478 | $41,511 | $98,620 | $119,719 | $123,593 |
| Total current liabilities | $156,433 | $131,885 | $154,165 | $178,185 | $157,715 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $156,433 | $131,885 | $154,165 | $178,185 | $157,715 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Unrestricted | $5,008,170 | $2,718,461 | $2,350,125 | $2,161,000 | $2,350,988 |
| Temporarily restricted | $3,747,529 | $5,276,881 | $4,736,770 | $3,839,016 | $3,002,623 |
| Permanently restricted | $25,020 | $25,020 | $25,020 | $25,020 | $25,020 |
| Net assets | $8,780,719 | $8,020,362 | $7,111,915 | $6,025,036 | $5,378,631 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $9,132,196 | $8,955,820 | $8,153,722 | $7,648,911 | $8,447,117 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $148,943 | $253,548 | $288,525 | $132,232 | $10,908 |
| Other revenue | ($12,501) | $46,332 | $4,082 | ($14,305) | ($18,447) |
| Total other revenue | $136,442 | $299,880 | $292,607 | $117,927 | ($7,539) |
| Total revenue | $9,268,638 | $9,255,700 | $8,446,329 | $7,766,838 | $8,439,578 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $7,760,153 | $7,662,781 | $6,637,005 | $6,611,031 | $6,636,129 |
| Management and general | $436,999 | $428,550 | $446,241 | $422,500 | $382,732 |
| Fundraising | $311,129 | $255,922 | $276,204 | $262,449 | $283,641 |
| Total expenses | $8,508,281 | $8,347,253 | $7,359,450 | $7,295,980 | $7,302,502 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $760,357 | $908,447 | $1,086,879 | $470,858 | $1,137,076 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $760,357 | $908,447 | $1,086,879 | $470,858 | $1,137,076 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Milton Jones | President/Ce | $112,668 |
| Kevin Wasner | Executive Di | $88,949 |
Compensation data as of: 9/30/2019
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 3/8/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
Baxter Loe, founder of Christian Relief Fund, met John Abraham, a Christian minister who had given up his government job to preach, in May 1971 during a famine in India. John Abraham asked Baxter for assistance. But Baxter thought he could not afford to help. Months later, Baxter learned that John Abraham died of starvation. This horrible tragedy and the desperate needs Baxter saw in India gave him the conviction to follow Christ's example of feeding the hungry, preaching the gospel to the poor, and healing their diseases and heartbreak.
CRF began by helping the three surviving children of John Abraham in 1971 and was incorporated February 15, 1974.
Since that time, CRF has grown to have programs in more than 20 countries and supports thousands of children and families for the glory of God.
Program accomplishments
Needs
Through the Christian Relief Fund you can provide food, clothing, medical care, schooling, and loving Christian care to a child in need for $35 a month.