Unbound was founded by lay Catholics in 1981 in Kansas City, where our global headquarters remains today. The vision for Unbound began with co-founders Bob, Bud and Jim Hentzen, Nadine Hentzen Pearce and Jerry Tolle. Explore this timeline to learn more about where we’ve been and read our strategic plan to see where we’re going.

Unbound’s mission is to support families and communities worldwide on their self-directed paths out of poverty. We provide personal attention and direct benefits to children, youth, elders and their families, empowering them to become self-sufficient and achieve their inherent potential.

Our vision is to build a world free from poverty where all people have access to resources, community support and the ability to make decisions that improve their lives and uphold human dignity.

Unbound was founded by Catholic laypeople acting on Gospel values of love, compassion and justice, as well as principles of Catholic social teaching, including the dignity of the human person, solidarity, working for the common good and ensuring decisions are made by those most affected by them. These values and principles shape our programs and the way we work with families and our broader community. Unbound partners with all people of goodwill from all faith traditions and backgrounds to create a worldwide community of compassion and service.

Learn about the outreach opportunities that Unbound offers to Catholic parishes and to faith-based, public and charter schools across the U.S.

We work in three main regions around the world: Africa, Asia and Latin America. Political climate, exchange rates, poverty levels and economic activity are key factors that influence where we choose to focus our efforts. It’s our goal to provide support in areas where children, elders and families need it most and where your contributions can make the biggest impact.

We have many opportunities that do not require a monthly commitment. You can make a donation to Unbound to support aspiring students, families in times of crisis, community development initiatives and more.

Explore additional ways to get involved with Unbound, including volunteer opportunities and travel.