International orphan relief organization bucks non-profit trend with largest fundraising year ever

Contact: Christian Pinkston, 202-423-6611, pinkston@pinkstongroup.com

HAMPTON ROADS, VA, Sept. 25 /Christian Newswire/ -- Orphan Helpers, a Virginia organization working internationally with orphaned, abused, and incarcerated children, will receive a $100,000 gift from Paramount Builders tomorrow evening at the organization's annual Harvest of Hope dinner in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The gift will be the largest single donation in Orphan Helpers' history and will be used primarily to expand the organization's work with thousands of desperate children in Central America.

"There are almost 150 million orphans worldwide and only a tiny fraction will ever be adopted. Ed Augustine and Paramount Builders have made a heroic commitment to partner with Orphan Helpers in providing care, hope and potential to the remaining children living in institutions across the globe," said Orphan Helpers founder Greg Garrett. "This donation demonstrates that even in a down economy, people will open their pocketbooks for causes that have a true lasting impact on lives that hang in the balance."

Paramount CEO, Ed Augustine said, "The moment I saw firsthand the work that Orphan Helpers is doing in Central America, I was reminded of New Testament admonition to look after the orphans and widows. I knew we had to be a part of this work. Our company has been blessed even in this tough economy and we want to do everything we can to extend that blessing to the least fortunate among us."

Paramount Builders' engagement doesn't end with this donation. Augustine and the 260 employees of Paramount Builders have made Orphan Helpers their main charitable cause. The company is putting together the first employee trip to Honduras which is anticipated in 2010, and plans to fill a plane with employees and cargo for a week of meeting the Orphan Helper staff and the nearly 800 children of the Honduran government orphanages and detention centers in which the organization works.

Orphan Helpers also announced, as it ended its fiscal year, the organization's highest level of annual contributions in its nine year history. The announcement is in contrast to the prevailing trend among non-profits and charities in the economic downturn. According to the Annual Report on Philanthropy for 2008, charitable contributions declined last year for the first time since 1987.

Orphan Helpers is a multi-denominational Christian ministry dedicated to serving and ministering to the spiritual, emotional, educational, and physical needs of orphaned, abused, and incarcerated children. We are the preferred partner in government-run orphanages and detention centers in El Salvador, and Honduras.

Paramount Builders, Inc. is a nationally recognized residential remodeling company located in Virginia. Since opening in 1991, Paramount has successfully grown to become the largest exterior remodeler in Virginia, currently ranked 41st among the top 500 remodeling companies in the nation. As a company, their goal is to establish the highest standard of excellence and integrity in the industry, in its market and beyond. The mission of Paramount Builders is to improve the community...one home at a time.