ERDO (Emergency Relief and Development Overseas) is the humanitarian agency of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC), committed to expressing the love of Christ by serving the most vulnerable around the world. Inspired by a deep biblical call to “do good,” we work to meet people’s urgent needs and build lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities.
Who We Are
“Do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Plead for the Widow – Isaiah 1:17 ”
ERDO was born out of crisis and compassion. In 1983, a devastating famine struck Ethiopia, claiming over one million lives. This tragedy stirred leaders within the PAOC to take action—and from that urgency, ERDO was founded. What began as an emergency response has grown into an impactful organization that empowers the global church to reach their local communities in practical ways.
For more than 40 years, ERDO has been recklessly loving the poor, the vulnerable and the hungry. Through faithful partnerships with churches and communities, we bring practical help and spiritual hope to 40 countries every year.
Impact at a Glance
110 Projects
39 Countries
305,002 People Impacted
$11.1 in Project Funding Delivered
What We Do
We work with communities and churches, partnering to build something that lasts.
In everything, we take our direction from the community itself. We seek to always partner with the local church, as we’ve found they deeply understand the needs of their community. The church is known to their community and helps give direction as we find solutions to poverty together.
ERDO works for the holistic well-being of families and communities. We know, it’s an easy thing to say, but much harder to make a reality. Through our three programs: child sponsorship, community development and crisis response, we have seen how bringing several solutions to a community creates lasting change.
When we provide parents with job opportunities, help them send their children to school, bring the family extra food and provide clean water to the community, their lives change!
And in 2024, ERDO was recognized by Charity Intelligence as being one of the top 100 charities in Canada. We are grateful when others recognize the impact of the work we do, validating what we’re able to accomplish together.
Our Programs
Community Development
We work with communities to create long-lasting change through food assistance, clean water, microfinance and small business, and agricultural projects.Crisis Response
When a natural disaster strikes, innocent children and their families have urgent needs. We respond as soon as possible with emergency food, water, sanitation, shelter and supplies.Child Sponsorship
ChildCARE Plus, our sponsorship program, helps children access education, nutrition and medical care while introducing them to the love of Christ.Community Development
When we work together to develop communities, we can end poverty! We bring transformation to a community through empowering each generation. ERDO’s community development program projects include:
- Food assistance for those facing hunger and malnutrition
- Clean water initiatives that bring safe drinking water to entire villages
- Microfinance and small business support to help families become self-sufficient
- Agricultural programs that improve farming techniques and increase food security
Learn more about our current and ongoing Community Development projects.
Crisis Response
We know the poor are extremely vulnerable and are the hardest hit when disaster, conflict or drought strikes. We respond quickly in times of emergency with basic necessities including food, water and shelter. However, we also want to help communities rebuild and become more resilient in case of future emergencies. Time and time again, we respond to conflict alongside our partners, but that’s not where it ends. Together, we work to build peace.
We see our crisis response programs shift from delivering aid for immediate needs to helping communities heal from trauma and supporting them towards resiliency.
Learn more about our current and ongoing Crisis Response projects.
Child Sponsorship — ChildCARE Plus
ChildCARE Plus helps children access education, nutrition and medical care while introducing them to the love of Jesus. For 40 years, ERDO has been working to impact the next generation! Together, we are giving children an education and caring for their basic needs. The big plus of ChildCARE Plus is how our local church partners and global workers share the love of Jesus with each child and their family.
Sponsor a child and change the life of a family today.
ERDO stands for Emergency Relief and Development Overseas. Our name declares who we are and what we stand for. ERDO bring emergency relief in times of extreme crisis and we focus on community development overseas.
At any one time, ERDO is working in over 30 countries around the world. We bring emergency relief during times of natural disaster and conflict, while continuing to help families overcome challenges of poverty to build stronger futures.
Our child sponsorship program is currently running in 27 countries, and we have programs operating in other parts of the world through various ministry partners. When crises occur, these global partnerships allow us to extend our reach and respond to urgent needs, wherever they happen.
Yes, ERDO is a registered charity. Our charitable registration number issued by the Canadian government is 87591 2701 RR0001. Our charity rating is listed on the Government of Canada website.
In giving to ERDO, you are supporting a charity that is responsible in finances and management.
ERDO is one of the 15 member agencies that make up Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a Christian collective dedicated to ending world hunger. As a member of Foodgrains Bank, ERDO is able to access matched funding from Government Affairs Canada (GAC) and participates in Humanitarian Coalition emergency responses.
ERDO’s other memberships and partnerships include:
- Micah Global
- Humanitarian Response Network of Canada
- The Pentecostal World Fellowship
Your donations to ERDO’s general fund help support important projects and activities that may need additional support. General funding donations are vital to our work. They ensure all our relief and development projects receive the donations they need to meet the needs of the people who are caught in desperate circumstances.
Single gifts: When you donate a single gift online, you will receive an instant e-receipt. We typically issue one receipt for each gift you donate to ERDO.
Monthly donors: if you donate to ERDO on a monthly basis, we will issue one receipt in February of the following calendar year. This receipt will include all other single gifts given throughout the year by mail or phone.
Thank you so much for your support for families through ERDO. You can cancel a recurring gift at any time. Contact ERDO staff to cancel by calling us toll free at 1-800-779-7262, or by email at info@erdo.ca.