Faith, Freedom, and Service at America 250
Strengthening America through service, religious liberty advocacy, and support for military families.
At MinistryWatch, our mission is to help Christians become more faithful, generous, and effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. That’s why we advocate for transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Christian ministries. Because of that commitment, we cover many stories we’d rather not have to — stories of waste, fraud, and abuse.
But that’s not the whole picture. This column exists to amplify ministries doing excellent work, to spotlight organizations making a difference in their communities and around the world.
With America’s 250th anniversary on the horizon, this week’s roundup highlights ministries serving the nation in different ways — through acts of kindness, defense of religious liberty, and care for military families. Each reflects a different expression of faith at work in American life.
Photo, Good Neighbor Day America/Facebook
Good Neighbor Day
To mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, Good Neighbor Day America launched a nationwide kindness-and-service campaign earlier this year in partnership with America250. The movement aims to inspire 250 million acts of kindness in 2026 by awakening the good neighbor in every American through love, kindness, and service. Good Neighbor Day America brings together major charities, faith-based organizations, churches, and businesses for a nationwide day of service.
Community service efforts across the country demonstrate the movement’s reach: In Miami, volunteers served 500 families and provided meal kits to more than 400 people. New Yorkers volunteered across all five boroughs, planting, painting, sorting, and supporting neighbors throughout the city. On the West Coast, the LA Dream Center celebrated Good Neighbor Day with food distribution, a gifts-in-kind shopping experience, family games, and created a space “where every person felt seen, valued, and loved.”
Good Neighbor Day America says thousands of organizations have joined the movement and plans to continue throughout the year, strengthening America’s culture of service, “cultivating ongoing collaboration that leads to meaningful outcomes in compassion, impactful partnerships, and lives changed.” Organizations may partner here.
Photo, adflegal.org
Alliance Defending Freedom
For Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), July 4 is not merely a look back at the nation’s founding ideals — it’s a reminder that we all must continue to protect and defend freedom. ADF’s mission centers on protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
Founded in 1994 by more than 30 Christian leaders who believed activists and government officials were pushing expressions of faith out of the public square, ADF was created to defend “God-given freedoms” in court and build a network of like-minded attorneys. The organization has won 18 Supreme Court cases since 2011 and maintains a network of more than 5,300 attorneys with an approximate 80% win rate.
ADF has a 2-Star Financial Efficiency Rating and an A Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 78 (Give with Confidence).
Photo, becketfund.org
Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
The Becket Fund is using the nation’s 250th anniversary to highlight the importance of preserving religious freedom for future generations. At its 2026 Canterbury Medal Gala earlier this month, the fund celebrated and reinforced its mission to protect religious liberty for all Americans.
Founded in 1994 by Kevin “Seamus” Hasson, Becket grew from a small Washington, D.C., law firm into a national and international legal advocate for religious liberty. Its work first centered on First Amendment litigation, defending people of faith and religion-friendly government actions when challenged in court. The organization expanded into international litigation in 2004 and launched the Becket Institute at Oxford in 1997 to support its academic work. Becket claims to be the only nonprofit public-interest legal and educational institute devoted to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions.
Becket claims that since its founding, it has maintained an average win rate of 85%. Becket has a 4-Star Financial Efficiency Rating and a C Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 68 (Give with Confidence).
Photo, CMF/Facebook
Christian Military Fellowship
Christian Military Fellowship (CMF) is a Christ-centered ministry serving service members, veterans, and their families through evangelism, discipleship, and spiritual support shaped to the realities of military life. Frequent moves, along with long separations, demanding schedules, and isolation, can make faith difficult to begin or sustain, it says.
CMF provides Bible study, prayer, mentoring, fellowship, and practical encouragement wherever military families are stationed. Its mission — “To Win. To Disciple. To Equip. To Send” — reflects the organization’s commitment to helping believers grow in obedience and maturity while equipping them to share Christ with others in the military community.
CMF has a 4-Star Financial Efficiency Rating and a C Transparency Grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a Donor Confidence Score of 98.
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