Summary
endPoverty.org: Formerly Enterprise Development International, demonstrates God's love by enabling the poor to free themselves from poverty. They do this by (1) offering business training to low-income persons who have the potential and the desire to become self-supporting; (2) providing small loans to poor entrepreneurs who have viable business ideas but need capital; and (3) serving as mentors to clients through personal and professional encouragement.
Contact Information: [ Back to top ]
| Mailing Address: | 7910 Woodmont Ave
Bethesda, MD
20814-0814 |
| Website: | www.endpoverty.org |
| Phone: | (240) 396-1146 |
| Email: | You need to enable javascript to see the email |
Organization Details [ Back to top ]
EIN: 541371549
| CEO/President: |
Mr. Kenneth W. Wesche |
Tax Deductible: |
Yes |
| Chairman: |
Mr. Larry Roadman |
Fiscal Year End: |
December 31 |
| Board Size: |
22 |
Financial info from: |
990 |
| Founder: |
|
Member of ECFA: |
Yes |
| Year Founded: |
1985 |
Member of ECFA since: |
1987 |
endPoverty.org: Formerly Enterprise Development International, is a micro-enterprise relief organization, which enables the poor to free themselves from poverty through small loans, business training, and technical assistance. endPoverty.org provides services to those with the ability and the desire to start or expand small income-producing businesses.
The micro-enterprise strategy and approach aims to eliminate poverty by breaking the cycle of relief and dependence. Recipients of support gain hope and dignity by providing for their own families, supporting their communities, and giving back to the local church. In addition to providing overseas support, endPoverty.org, through the Washington DC Project, offers training and assistance to entrepreneurs in centers around the United States.
endPoverty.org is an intermediary service providing training and financing for partner agencies and income-generating enterprises. endPoverty.org creates, expands, and equips partner-implementing agencies to provide management services and credit for life-sustaining, income-generating enterprises. endPoverty.org's program functions include training, institution building, technology exchange, model project development, resource mobilization, program support services, monitoring, evaluation, extension, and replication of small enterprises and micro-enterprise programs. Program designs include lending combined with business management and technical skill training, in-kind loan models, savings clubs, group lending and cooperatives, and minimalist credit lending programs. endPoverty.org designs its micro-enterprise programs to sustain themselves through revenue generated from interest and/or service fees and training on how to raise additional capital.
More than 150 well-known individuals in business, government, law, and church leadership serve with endPoverty.org. Governed by an active Board of Directors, Enterprise draws on the expertise of members of its International Council and Advisory Board. Top management represents 190 years of collective experience in international development. endPoverty.org conducts and encourages project visits and coordinates appropriate arrangements. 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).
endPoverty.org expresses its purpose as follows:
endPoverty.org enables the poor to free themselves from poverty. This is accomplished by offering business training to low income individuals, providing small loans to poor entrepreneurs, and by mentoring participants with ongoing encouragement.
Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]
Through income-generating enterprises and its network of partner agencies, endPoverty.org has helped create more than 250,000 jobs since its inception, and has directly benefited over 880,000 people. The actual cumulative resources mobilized since endPoverty.org's first full year of operation in 1987 totals more than $20 million. To date endPoverty.org has provided technical and financial services to over 35 agencies in 48 countries.
Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]
endPoverty.org subscribes to the Statement of Faith established by the National Association of Evangelicals, which states:
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in his miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The heart of Enterprise Development International is to reach out to the very poor in a way that demonstrates God’s love while empowering the needy to free themselves from poverty. The biblical basis for such work is strong and pervasive in Scripture. Selected passages follow, presenting principles calling God’s people to care for the poor.
Love
When Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment, his response was clear:
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
The apostle John elaborated on what it means to love your neighbor:
- This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-19 NIV
Faith
If we think of faith in Christ as an intellectual assent or a set of beliefs held only in the mind, James, the brother of Jesus, summarily dispossesses us of that idea. He emphasizes the active nature of faith in a passage that is strikingly parallel to the 1 John 3 passage cited above. Faith, like love, compels us to respond to human need:
- What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 3:14-17 NIV
Honor to God
Service to the poor is not only of benefit to those being served (and to those who are serving), but it brings honor to God.
- He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Proverbs 14:31 NIV
- In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV
Jesus Christ’s Association with the Poor
Jesus spent much of his life on earth seeking out the poor, the needy and the outcasts of society. He so closely associated with the destitute that he told his disciples that the way they relate to the hungry, the poor and even prisoners is the way he considers them to be relating to him.
- “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
“Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:35-40 NIV
Righteous Living
As a part of doing what is right, God’s people are called to care for the poor.
- The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern. Proverbs 29:7 NIV
- "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8,9 NIV
Blessing for Those Who Care for the Poor
- A generous man will himself be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9 NIV
- He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. Proverbs 28:27 NIV
Conclusion
God’s call to care for the poor and the oppressed is clear in Scripture. The staff of Enterprise Development International starts each day with a time of prayer, asking God that we will be usable tools in His hands, cooperating with the work of His Spirit in ministering to the needy. We seek to incorporate God’s call to serve the poor in all we do.
endPoverty.org was founded in 1985 to enable the unemployed and underemployed poor in developing countries and the United States to become productive, self-supporting citizens. Cumulative resources mobilized since endPoverty.org's first full year of operation in 1987 totals more than $20 million. In addition to overseas projects, endPoverty.org also works through various agencies in the US. Currently, endPoverty.org is partnering with local organizations in Orange County, CA, Boston, Washington DC, Denver, and Bowling Green, KY to help them create, implement, and manage micro-enterprise programs.
This organization has not offered MinistryWatch.com with specific needs to be posted on the profile. At such a time that MinistryWatch.com receives a response from the ministry, it will be posted immediately.
Research Analysis
Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]
| Transparency Grade of : A |
| Criteria category | Grade | Other Comments |
| Timeliness: | 100 | |
| Financial Information: | 100 | |
| Foundational Clarity: | 100 | 5/13/2009 3:26:26 PM: Descriptive information was abundant and thorough. |
| Level of Cooperation: | 100 | 5/13/2009 3:26:14 PM: Answers to questions were thorough. |
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MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]
| Ranking Category | Rating | Overall Rank | Relief and Development Sector |
|---|
| Overall Efficiency Rating |  | 275 of 353 | 51 of 54 |
| Fund Acquisition Decision |  | 294 of 353 | 50 of 54 |
| Resource Allocation Decision | | 285 of 353 | 52 of 54 |
| Asset Utilization Decision | | 154 of 353 | 33 of 54 |
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2009 MinistryWatch.com Shining Light top ministry list2008 MinistryWatch.com Shining Light top ministry list
endPoverty.org listed by MinistryWatch.com as a 2008 Shining Light ‘Top 30’ Exemplary Ministry.
MinistryWatch.com desires to see overall giving to Biblical Christian values increase and as such we developed this format to highlight those ministries which are exemplary.
This ministry is one of the “best ministries” and outstanding examples when we consider Philippians 4:8 and weigh and take account of those ministries that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Identifying a diversity of the best ministries is challenging given the selfless work that so many do for the cause of Christ. No one is able to give to every ministry that one values as we are not possessed of unlimited resources. It is best to make an assessment of our options and make discerning decisions. MinistryWatch.com’s assessment looked at the following seven areas when considering those to make the list:
- Transparency
- Truth Claims
- Values/ Worldview
- Sectors/Functions
- Resourcefulness
- Red Flag Issues
- Consultation
A fuller explanation of our evaluation criteria is on the front page of MinistryWatch.com. A foundational premise was to shine a figurative light on those ministries that were "Christian" more than in name only. Ministries were chosen that were not just marketing to Christians as a market segment for "Christian donor money", but ministries that had theological underpinnings and Biblical values that determined their actions. Organizations that relied more on a secular motivation and means were excluded as well as those “ministries” that seem to view the organization as their own vehicle as a business to make money rather than a love to maximize ministry to others and to let their light shine for the glory of God.
Inclusion on this Shining Light list does not mean this ministry or other listed ministries are perfect. No ministry is perfect and any that look long and hard enough may find areas for improvement; as no doubt most legitimate ministries are aware of areas to improve and have their own to-do list. Only you can decide for yourself with confidence if a ministry shares your values and with your giving plan. As far as MinistryWatch.com’s assessment, given the criteria that we followed, this ministry rose to the top.
This is just another step in our mission of encouraging Christians to give more of their talents and resources to Kingdom-building efforts. In short, we wish to help spread the Gospel of Christ by helping Christians give more and more effectively to the works of the Lord. If the Lord uses our list as part of that process, we will have been a blessing to both those ministries who have been ‘good and faithful servants’ with the Lord’s resources and to Christian donors who are seeking to be good stewards of their giving.