“Since Anne Irwin had a vision to start a Kingdom oriented giving group, I knew I wanted to be part of that calling,” Karen Loritts, OHS Founding Member, stated. She and Anne knew of each other through their careers with Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as Cru). Several OHS founding members were closely connected through their volunteer work for World Vision – Women of Vision for about seven years. “Several of us were at a season in life that our children were grown and we wanted to do more than write a check to support a good cause somewhere in the world. We were ready to broaden our sphere here at home in Atlanta, what I call our ‘Jerusalem’,” Karen said. “We also knew how much time, talent and energy was required to take on major projects like we did at Women of Vision. So the idea of a giving group and its simplicity was welcomed.”
Karen saw first-hand the impact grants when she was involved in the Fulton County Schools Foundation which awarded project funds for classroom activities and teacher requests. “With the 24/7 media we are all very aware of needs globally, but my attention has consistently been drawn to things happening in our own backyard. I knew One Hundred Shares was a divine God-calling opportunity to help ministries right here at home,” shared Karen.
Karen believes that when partners are invited to join OHS, it needs to be viewed and embraced as an appointment by God. “A woman joining OHS must experience a clear calling from God as a divine assignment. You don’t need to know everything, but you do need to know and listen to the voice of God. You must believe that God is doing great things – we get to support Him by listening to His voice with humble hearts and then applaud what other people are doing,” she explained.
As the current OHS Chairperson, Karen’s leadership is underscored by three words that embody the 2018 OHS Vision Statement:
- Commitment to God and what He’s doing through us.
- Compassion to have a heartbeat for others’ struggles and financially make an impact and additionally multiply the support further from church, neighborhoods and businesses.
- Community focus on Atlanta as “Our Jerusalem” which is similar to what Nehemiah encountered when he was called to rebuild the Holy City’s walls. He prayed for help, he was prepared to take action and he visited the project to gain perspective and knowledge.
Karen observes, “All Partners are invited to the ministry site visits and to volunteer to be used by Jesus. These devoted and committed women know God is sufficient to overcome any ‘holy handicap’ that may create a lopsided perspective of people in need and their circumstances.”
When asked what sets OHS apart from other giving groups, Karen said, “Our main distinction is our mission statement which is reinforced by our core values. Our purpose is a specific assignment: to do what has God called us to do.” She added, “There are a lot of needs in our city and there are many ministries and outreach organizations. The purpose of OHS is not to meet every single need. We must discern and decide on who receives the annual grants. We are focused on providing seed money to take an existing ministry program to a new level or to launch a new initiative to help Gospel preaching nonprofits. We truly believe this focus allows us the best impact of God’s will to transform lives.”