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Our Vision

is to see people around the world overcome spiritual and material poverty through Jesus Christ.

Our Mission

is to transform the lives of children trapped in poverty through Christ-centered, holistic care.

OUR PROGRAMS ARE

CHRIST CENTERED

The Gospel is both word and action. Declaring and demonstrating the Good News of Jesus Christ has always been – and will always be – at the heart of everything we do. We work with a variety of denominations and cultures, but the Gospel is what connects us all and leads us forward in unity and purpose.

CHILD FOCUSED

More than 70% of people who come to faith in Christ do so before the age of 15. Childhood is the most receptive season in life, which is why Jesus said we must have faith like a child. Our programs equip and empower children to be Gospel-centered agents of change in their communities for generations to come.

HOLISTIC

Jesus demonstrated the Gospel by making people whole – mind, body and soul. Our programs are holistic, empowering children to thrive physically, spiritually, emotionally, and economically. Often times, meeting physical needs opens the door for the rest.

LOCALLY LED

All our international relief and development programs are envisioned, initiated and led by local Christian leaders held to high levels of trust and stewardship. Our aim is to equip and support the local church as they spread the Gospel and meet needs in ways effective for their unique cultural environment.

PARTNERSHIP DRIVEN

Our God is relational. He loves to accomplish His work through meaningful relationships within His Global Church. That’s why we believe partnering our church communities in the field with churches and schools in the U.S. accomplishes the greatest long-term, holistic impact for all involved.

EQUIPPING & EMPOWERING

Every person was created on purpose and for a purpose. No one else can live their purpose for them. We want to equip and empower every person we encounter – from the children in our programs to the volunteers on our mission teams – to live out their unique, God-given purpose.

CHANGING LIVES
CUBA

Help feed children in need, both physically and spiritually.

GHANA

Northern Ghana is predominantly Muslim and is in desperate need of the Gospel. Forward Edge’s new children's program, Create Hope Ghana is bringing the Gospel to 75 children in 73 families in desperate need.

HAITI

Over 2.5 million people are living in extreme poverty in Haiti. Provide hope and help to vulnerable children, some of whom are trapped in a form of domestic slavery called restavek. 

KENYA

Children in this rural community are especially vulnerable to being orphaned and suffering from severe poverty and malnutrition.

KOSOVO

Providing the rock of Jesus to those rebuilding from war.

MEXICO

Trigo y Miel is a community center and church serving  extremely poor families in Olimpo on the outskirts of Oaxaca, Mexico.

NICARAGUA

Help provide vital resources as we reach the next generation of boys and girls with the love of Christ.

UGANDA

Give children in the slums of Uganda, many of whom are orphans, the tools they need to build brighter futures through our Light a Candle program.

CUBA
GHANA
HAITI
KENYA
KOSOVO
MEXICO
NICARAGUA
UGANDA
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1) Listening 

We listen to God because we want to join His plans, not ask Him to join ours. We also listen to others (especially those we’re serving) because wisdom is found in humility and diverse counsel. Humble prayer is at the heart of every task, every meeting, every workday, and every decision.   

Proverbs 3:6, John 5:19  

2) Faith in Action 

The gospel is both word and action. You cannot have one without the other. Declaring and demonstrating the good news of Jesus Christ has always been – and will always be – at the heart of everything we do.  

James 2:14-18, Romans 10:14-15  

3) Children 

It all starts with children. They are the present and the future. Our programs equip and empower children to flourish and become gospel-centered agents of change in their families and communities for generations to come. 

Matthew 19:14, Proverbs 22:6  

4) Empowerment 

We do things with people instead of for them. We fuel the vision and dreams of local leaders who know best how to empower their own. Our aim is to help every person pursue the good works God prepared uniquely for them.  

Ephesians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7  

5) Trusted Relationships 

Our God is relational and loves to advance His work through meaningful relationships. We serve one another, care for one another, work with one another, and dream with one another. We always prioritize people over projects because nothing else in this world will continue into eternity. 

John 13:35, Colossians 3:1-2, 12-14 

1. We believe in God the Father, who through Christ created the heavens and earth, who is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power.

2. We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, fully God and fully man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, sinless in this life, making atonement for the sins of the world by His death on the cross.

3. We believe in His resurrection, His ascension into heaven, and His high-priestly intercession for His people that they may experience full salvation and His indwelling presence.

4. We believe in His personal, visible return to earth according to His promise.

5. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead, sent to convict the world of sin, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower those who believe in Jesus Christ.

6. We believe that all people by nature and by choice are sinners, but that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

7. We believe that those who put their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior will rejoice in God’s presence for eternity, but those who refuse to put their trust in Him will be forever separated from Him.

8. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, divinely and uniquely inspired, absolutely trustworthy, and having supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

9. We believe in the Church, the body of Christ, of which Christ Himself is the Head, and of which all regenerated people are members.

10. We believe that Christ commissioned the Church to proclaim the gospel in word and deed throughout the world, to encourage believers in the faith, and to teach and train believers in the principles of godly, fruitful living.

11. We believe God created human beings male and female in His image, and designed sexual relations to be experienced only in the context of marriage between one biological man and one biological woman. These parameters were created to help us reflect His unique characteristics and understand Christ’s devoted relationship to His Church. Only when we embrace them can we flourish under His created order (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:24; Matt. 19:1-11; 1 Cor. 6:9; Eph. 5:22-33; Heb. 13:4). This position also aligns with the cultural perspectives in our program locations, increasing unity as we serve together.

history

joe bio 4

Forward Edge was founded by Joseph Anfuso in 1983 when he was convicted and inspired by Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Joseph’s passion was to help each Christ-follower hear and respond to God’s call.  

For the first 22 years of our history, we were primarily a short-term missions agency engaged in a wide range of ministry activities. In 2005, following Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast, Forward Edge transitioned into a full-fledged relief and development organization with ongoing field programs directed by local leaders in some of the world’s poorest countries. The majority of our short-term missionaries now serve in locations where we have ongoing children’s programs, including Cuba, Haiti, Ghana, Kenya, Kosovo, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Uganda. 

This unique history has positioned us to not only understand what it takes to engage in effective, cross-cultural development, but also provide meaningful mission opportunities that strategically support ongoing programs in the field and contribute towards lasting change. We invite you to be part of God’s unique work through Forward Edge! 

Joseph Anfuso is also the author of several books.Message in a Bodyis a riveting memoir on Joseph’s early life, travels and adventures, and his discovery of the Gospel and God’s purpose for his life. Joseph’s book  The Best Story of Your Lifeexplores many of the driving principles of Joe’s personal walk with God and the ministry of Forward Edge with application for your life. His e-course, Living on Purpose, is a 7-module course to help you discover and pursue God’s purpose for your life by understanding your unique experiences, passions and spiritual gifts.  

Slide 1
1983

Our first mission team served in Prato, Italy where they ministered to recovering drug addicts and shared the Gospel in the local piazzas. 

Slide 2
1980s

Teams helped construct children’s homes in Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Slide 3
1980s-1990s

Evangelism teams served in the UK, China, Cuba, Russia, Romania, numerous Summer Olympic Games, and among unreached people groups in Nepal and Tibet.

Slide 4
1985

Dental teams provided care in the remote highlands of Guatemala.

Slide 5
1986

Our first medical team served in Nicaragua.

Slide 6
1990s

Teams served on several Native American reservations, including the Crow (Montana), Navajo (New Mexico), and White Mountain Apache (Arizona).

Slide 7
1992

Our first disaster-recovery team served in Florida following Hurricane Andrew.

Slide 8
1999

After the 1999 Balkan War, teams came to the aid of widows and orphans in Kosovo.

Slide 9
2001

Following 9/11, teams served at ground zero in NYC, preparing meals for workers, and manning “prayer stations” nearby.

Slide 10
2000s

Teams served the materially poor in Oaxaca, Mexico by pouring concrete floors and performing cataract-removal surgeries that restored sight to the blind.

Slide 11
2006

Our partnership with Mama Beth Children’s Program in Kijabe, Kenya began.

Slide 12
2005

More than 3,000 team members were sent to the Gulf Coast to help Katrina survivors rebuild.

Slide 13
2008

A safe-water project was initiated on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, drilling wells and providing safe drinking water to thousands.

Slide 14
2008

Villa Esperanza (Hope Village) opened its doors as a home for girls rescued from Nicaragua’s largest open-air garbage dump.

Slide 15
2010

More than 1,000 team members were sent to Haiti after the earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people.

Slide 16
2010

Trigo y Miel (Wheat and Honey), our program for at-risk children in Oaxaca, Mexico was launched.

Slide 17
2016

Our children’s program in Cuba was launched, and a partnership was formed with The Transformation Center which serves the homeless and vulnerable in Baltimore, MD.

Slide 18
2017

Our children’s program in Les Cayes, Haiti was launched, serving children at risk of entering a form of domestic slavery called restavek.

Slide 19
2018

A partnership was formed with Light a Candle Uganda, a program for at-risk children in the slums of Kampala, Uganda.

Slide 20
2010-2020

Domestic disaster-recovery teams served fire, flood, tornado, and hurricane survivors in Alabama, Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and Florida. International disaster-recovery teams also served in the Philippines, Mexico, Haiti, and Nepal.

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financials

We are committed to transparency and to responsibly managing the support entrusted to us. Through extensive program evaluation, strategic planning, and board governance, we leverage contributions for maximum impact.

Annual Tax Form 990

2022 | 20212020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

Audited Financials

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

Past Reports

You can trust that you're making a real and lasting impact.

85% TO PROGRAMS

Only 15% of your gift to our programs will be set aside for administration and fundraising costs.

FINANCIALS >>

REAL TRANSFORMATION

Our children’s programs have proven effective towards long-term, holistic transformation.

STORIES >>

CREDIBLE LOCAL LEADERS

Your investment empowers credible nationals caring for their own people & community.

PEARL PARTNERS >>