Operation Blessing International
Encyclopedia
Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) non-profit humanitarian organization based in Virginia Beach, Virginia
, USA and has an operation named Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Inc. Since 1978, Operation Blessing International has provided hunger relief, disaster relief, medical aid and community development
to more than 192.8 million people in 96 countries and all 50 US states, providing goods and services valued at more than $1.2 billion. Operation Blessing is governed by a national board of directors that includes founder M. G. "Pat" Robertson
, his wife, and son Gordon.
, and philanthropist
Pat Robertson, Operation Blessing was originally set up to help struggling individuals and families by matching their needs for items such as clothing, appliances, and vehicles with donated items from viewers of The 700 Club
, Robertson's daily television program. Over the years, Operation Blessing connected with local churches and other organisations and was able to fund those families with little money.
, which included Hurricane Charley
, Hurricane Frances
, Hurricane Ivan
, and Hurricane Jeanne
. The organization was involved in relief work following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
in Indonesia
, Sri Lanka
, India
and Thailand
, as well as ongoing recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina
.
More recently, OBI has funded relief and recovery efforts in response to the Darfur conflict
; war-torn Somalia
, Israel
and Lebanon
; the 2005-2006 Niger food crisis; and flooding, mudslides and earthquakes in regions of Indonesia
, Mozambique
and the Philippines
.
medical crisis in New Orleans.
The organization recently launched a program called “Join the Net” to help combat the spread of malaria by mosquitoes in the developing world.
(FEMA) and the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID). OBI is also a national member of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
(NVOAD).
Operation Blessing has partnered with a number of private organizations, including professional sports teams the Kansas City Chiefs
and the Kansas City Royals
.
that Operation Blessing planes were diverted to support Pat Robertson
's diamond mining ventures instead of doing relief work in Zaire
. At the time, Robertson had become a close friend of Zaire's dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko
and had tried to lift the ban on Mobutu's visa
to the US.
An investigation by the Virginia Attorney General's office concluded that Operation Blessing "willfully induced contributions from the public through the use of misleading statements..." Robertson reimbursed US$400,000 to the charity and agreed to tighten its bookkeeping.
is a beneficiary of the organization.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
, USA and has an operation named Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Inc. Since 1978, Operation Blessing International has provided hunger relief, disaster relief, medical aid and community development
Community development
Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities....
to more than 192.8 million people in 96 countries and all 50 US states, providing goods and services valued at more than $1.2 billion. Operation Blessing is governed by a national board of directors that includes founder M. G. "Pat" Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, his wife, and son Gordon.
History
Founded on November 14, 1978 by businessman, televangelistTelevangelism
Televangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
, and philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
Pat Robertson, Operation Blessing was originally set up to help struggling individuals and families by matching their needs for items such as clothing, appliances, and vehicles with donated items from viewers of The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
, Robertson's daily television program. Over the years, Operation Blessing connected with local churches and other organisations and was able to fund those families with little money.
Activities
According to the organization's official website, Operation Blessing's mission statement is "...to demonstrate God's love by alleviating human need and suffering in the United States and around the world."Disaster relief
Specializing in disaster relief, Operation Blessing was a first responder during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
, which included Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the...
, Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto...
, Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
, and Hurricane Jeanne
Hurricane Jeanne
Hurricane Jeanne was the deadliest hurricane in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the tenth named storm, the seventh hurricane, and the fifth major hurricane of the season, as well as the third hurricane and fourth named storm of the season to make landfall in Florida...
. The organization was involved in relief work following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, as well as ongoing recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
More recently, OBI has funded relief and recovery efforts in response to the Darfur conflict
Darfur conflict
The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
; war-torn Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
; the 2005-2006 Niger food crisis; and flooding, mudslides and earthquakes in regions of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Medical services
OBI operates a variety of domestic and international medical programs, including a response to the post-Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
medical crisis in New Orleans.
The organization recently launched a program called “Join the Net” to help combat the spread of malaria by mosquitoes in the developing world.
Leadership
In 2007 The NonProfitTimes selected Operation Blessing President Bill Horan for inclusion on their annual list titled "Power & Influence Top 50."Affiliation
Operation Blessing is a member of the Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organizations (AERDO) and Christian Service Charities and is registered with the Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) and the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
(USAID). OBI is also a national member of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster is a coalition of the major national voluntary organizations in the United States that have made disaster-related work a priority...
(NVOAD).
Operation Blessing has partnered with a number of private organizations, including professional sports teams the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
and the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.
Criticism
Operation Blessing airplanes were reportedly being used for Pat Robertson's personal mining venture. In 1997, two of Operation Blessing's pilots, Robert Hinkle and Tahir Brohi, told the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot newspaperthat Operation Blessing planes were diverted to support Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
's diamond mining ventures instead of doing relief work in Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
. At the time, Robertson had become a close friend of Zaire's dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
and had tried to lift the ban on Mobutu's visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
to the US.
An investigation by the Virginia Attorney General's office concluded that Operation Blessing "willfully induced contributions from the public through the use of misleading statements..." Robertson reimbursed US$400,000 to the charity and agreed to tighten its bookkeeping.
Financial accountability
According to the organization, over 99.3% of OBI’s spending goes toward humanitarian programs. Robertson's Christian Broadcasting NetworkChristian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
is a beneficiary of the organization.