Benchmark – Faith-Based Organization Case Study
A faith-based organization (FBO) is an organization that has a faith or religious
component as its foundation and motivation for its work. The purpose of this
assignment is to assess a faith-based organization and understand how it is unique.
Faith-based organizations play an important role in global health given their holistic
approach to serving the whole person and community, especially among vulnerable
groups. Identify an example of a faith-based global health organization or ministry.
Research the institution by reviewing annual reports, websites, papers, program
documents, or conducting in-person or phone interviews. The organization should be at
least 5 years old, work in multiple countries, and have an explicit faith-based
foundation. Write a 1,000-1,250-word case study on the selected organization in which
you assess the following aspects of the organization:
Mission
Assess how the mission of the organization aligns with its strategies and work.
How does the mission of the organization match its strategies and activities in
serving vulnerable or low-income populations?
How does the organization integrate faith into its public health activities and
programs? Comment on how the organization balances its mission to share its
faith with its goal to improve health.
Are the values of the organization unique compared to other global health
organizations?
Populations
Assess the populations served by the organization or ministry.
How does the organization or ministry identify a population or individuals to
serve?
Does the organization have specific eligibility criteria?
Funding Mechanism
Assess the funding mechanism of the organization.
What are the primary sources of support for the organization?
Do the local populations being served by the organization help support the
organization (time, talents, or treasure)?
Partnerships
Assess the partnerships of the organization within public health to develop innovative
and appropriate public health models.
How does the organization work or partner with other organizations, churches, or
groups in the communities where the organization works?
Does the organization partner with governmental public health agencies?
How could the organization improve the effectiveness of its “aid” and support in the
communities within which it works?
Faith-Based Organization Case Study
Samaritan’s Purse: Faith-Based Organization
Samaritan’s Purse is an evangelical Christian organization that is purely
nondenominational. It has been involved in the provision of physical and spiritual aid to
individuals globally since 1970. The founder of the Samaritan’s Purse is known as Bob
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Pierce, who was historically a famous evangelist and journalist. It was first founded with the
sole mission of assisting in meeting the urgent needs of the individuals who were in the areas
that were ridden with crisis (Samaritan’s Purse, n.d.). The individuals who were accorded
assistance by the organization include those who had been directly impacted by natural
disasters, disease epidemics, poverty, and famine.
Samaritan’s Purse provides physical and spiritual aid to the people who are needy and
hurting globally. The body incorporates religious teaching in the process of assisting people.
More specifically, the organization empowers the churches in several countries to help them
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the mission of the organization is to follow the
example of Jesus through helping those in need and subsequently proclaiming the hope that is
derived from the Gospel (Samaritan’s Purse, n.d.). To ensure that it meets its goal of
integrating faith in individuals, Samaritan’s Purse works with several churches globally to
ensure that in the process of getting the assistance they need, people are taught the Gospel of
Jesus Christ and invited to join the churches.
The values of the Samaritan’s Purse are unique compared to the other health
organizations in the world. First, it is essential to note that most health groups are primarily
focused on the provision of healthcare. However, Samaritan’s Purse organization is involved
in providing healthcare assistance to the needy and spiritual, food, and shelter, among others.
Second, most of the health organizations are based on a specific locality, while Samaritan’s
Purse is operating in several countries around the world. Finally, the institution receives
donations from the well-wishers of any kind since they help people with different problems
as opposed to the healthy bodies that accept only cash and health-related gifts such as
medical equipment and supplies (Samaritan’s Purse, n.d.).
There is no clear indication of the exact number of individuals getting assistance from
Samaritan’s Purse. Still, it is essential to note that the organization serves several people
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globally, with most of its aid directed to Africa. The group uses their local networks that
include their regional offices and churches around the world to identify the needy population
that should be accorded assistance by the Samaritan’s Purse. Furthermore, the organization
does not have specific eligibility criteria, but the community or persons being assisted must
be needy. Also, Samaritan’s Purse uses a different mechanism for funding that include cash,
gifts, and material aid. The primary sources of support it receives are grants and cash
contributions. In 2015, the organization received 63 percent of its revenue in the form of
grants and cash contributions. The remaining came in the form of non-cash gifts, such as toys
(Paddock, 2015). The local populations also help support the organization in several ways.
Some of the local individuals provide financial donations to implement what is provided by
the Samaritan’s Purse. Also, the local individuals provide human resources by volunteering
their time to assist in helping the needy identified by the organization. This has contributed
significantly to reducing the operating costs incurred by the organization.
The health sector is one aspect that is significant to the organization. Undeniably,
Samaritan’s Purse is a prominent international organization that has been taking part in
worldwide health relief provision in several countries around the world. In the year 2014,
through the initiative that was coordinated through the women’s program, the organization
was involved in the provision of relief assistance to Cambodia to help in the efforts directed
towards the reduction of the infant and maternal mortality rates. The international relief that
was given by the organization took place within the province of Kratie within Cambodia.
Kraite is an increasingly impoverished province that does not have adequate amenities and is
located several miles away from any of the nearest hospital facilities with enough quality care
facilities.
As a result of the inadequate healthcare facilities within the province, the health status
of the children and women was deteriorating drastically. Most of the children born within the
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province are reported not to have had minimum survival chance due to the lack of maternal
care provided to the mothers and subsequent inadequate pediatric and post-natal care. The
organization is involved in partnerships with other organizations, both-faith based and non-
faith based organizations (Merson et al., 2012). Through a collaboration with another
organization known as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that was already
operating in Cambodia, it stepped in to assist in building several maternity centers. Medical
professionals from the Samaritan’s Purse use the maternity centers to help in providing
maternal prenatal and post-natal care for the women (Samaritan’s Purse International Crisis
Response, 2014).
Additionally, the organization helped in the training of medical professionals in
various healthcare facilities and equipped them with equipment and materials. Further, the
organization made sure there was electricity, clean water, and food within the maternity
centers in Kratie. These items were initially limited.
Samaritan’s Purse partners with the other organizations within the public health sector
to develop appropriate and innovative public health models that will improve the safety and
quality of the services provided. More specifically, the organization partners with the
government and non-governmental organizations to provide funding for health research and
innovation. However, I believe that the organization should incorporate measures to help
improve the effectiveness of the aid and support it accords the affected communities. First,
the organization should use known groups with adequate local structures to ensure the
assistance reaches the intended needy persons. Secondly, it should incorporate professional
auditors to ensure that the funds are appropriately utilized through regulation evaluation of
the projects and the accounts’ auditing.
In conclusion, Samaritan’s Purse is a faith-based organization that is purely
nondenominational that has been involved in the provision of physical and spiritual assistance
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to a different category of individuals and organizations. It incorporates spiritual teaching in
the process of assisting people. It empowers the churches in several countries to help them
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The organization received donations from individuals and
organizations around the world. Most of the contributions that are received come in the form
of cash and grants. However, it receives non-cash donations, such as gifts. In a nutshell, the
organization receives donations from well-wishers and uses the same to help other needy
individuals globally.
References
Merson, M., Black, R.E., Mills, A.J. (2012). Global Health: Diseases, Programs, Systems,
and Policies. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Burlington, MA.
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Paddock, A. (2015). Where Does $100 to Samaritan’s Purse Go?