CHRISTOPHERS INC
5 HANOVER SQUARE 22ND FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10004 www.christophers.org

---

Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF THE CHRISTOPHERS IS TO EMPOWER PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO REALIZE THEY HAVE A GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE THAT BELONGS TO NO ONE ELSE BUT THEM. THE CHRISTOPHERS PUT HOPE INTO ACTION BY USING PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA TO REMIND EACH PERSON THAT THEY ARE AN IRREPLACEABLE CHILD OF GOD WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THAT CONSTRUCTIVE ACTION WORKS MIRACLES. EACH OF US HAS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER. EVERY ACT OF CARE AND CONCERN FOR OTHERS HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT, TOUCHING MANY LIVES. THE LOVE TO WHICH WE ARE CALLED BY THE GOSPEL EXTENDS NOT ONLY TO OUR NEIGHBORS BUT TO ALL WHO LIVE ON GOD'S GOOD EARTH. TO BE A CHRISTOPHER MEANS TO BE A CHRIST-BEARER - WHERE THERE IS HATE, TO BRING LOVE, AND WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, TO CARRY LIGHT.

GROUNDED IN JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES, THE CHRISTOPHERS' MISSION IS TO USE ALL FORMS OF MEDIA (RADIO, VIDEO, WEB, PRINT) ALONG WITH LEADERSHIP COURSES TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO PUT THEIR FAITH INTO ACTION, AND TO REMIND THEM OF THE GOSPEL-BASED MANDATE, "DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD." MOTIVATED BY A LOVE OF GOD AND HUMANITY, ALL PEOPLE CAN BE CHRISTOPHERS - OR CHRIST-BEARERS - IN THE COURSE OF THEIR DAILY LIVES BY SEEING PROBLEMS AND WORKING TO SOLVE THEM INSTEAD OF SIMPLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM. CHRISTOPHERS SEE THESE INSTANCES AS OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SOLUTION-ORIENTED ROLE MODELS, SERVING AS SOURCES OF DIVINE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF SOCIETAL ILLS AND PERSONAL CHALLENGES. IN FACT, THE CHRISTOPHER APPROACH IS BEST SUMMED UP IN OUR MOTTO, "IT'S BETTER TO LIGHT ONE CANDLE THAN TO CURSE THE DARKNESS." SINCE 1945, WE HAVE USED OUR LITERATURE, BROADCASTS, AWARDS, PRISON MINISTRY, AND YOUTH CONTESTS TO BRING POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE VALUES INTO THE MAINSTREAM O

INSPIRATIONAL LITERATURE - THE CHRISTOPHERS WRITE AND PUBLISH A WIDE VARIETY OF INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL LITERATURE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT REFLECTS THE MOTTO CHOSEN BY OUR FOUNDER, FATHER JAMES KELLER: "IT'S BETTER TO LIGHT ONE CANDLE THAN TO CURSE THE DARKNESS." THIS LITERATURE CALLS ON ADULTS AND TEENS TO PUT THEIR FAITH INTO ACTION AND OFFERS ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRACTICAL TIPS TOWARD CREATING A BETTER SOCIETY AND HELPING PEOPLE TO LIVE POSITIVE, HEALTHY, AND PEACEFUL LIVES, EVEN IN THE FACE OF THE TREMENDOUS OBSTACLES THEY MAY FACE. OUR CHRISTOPHER NEWS NOTES ARE PUBLISHED 10 TIMES A YEAR AND ARE AVAILABLE FREE TO PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS. THEY SHARE A UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF GOD'S HOPE AND LOVE, WHILE ALSO OFFERING POSITIVE GUIDANCE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES TROUBLED WITH THE PRESSING SOCIAL ILLS OF OUR TIME, SUCH AS ADDICTION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, GRIEF, SUICIDE, MENTAL OR PHYSICAL ILLNESS, AGING, DIVORCE, ANGER, SELF-ESTEEM PROBLEMS, LACK OF COMMUNICATION, AND INTOLERANCE. WE PUBLISH OUR ANNUAL "THREE MINUTES A DAY" BOOK OF DAILY STORIES AND PRAYERFUL REFLECTIONS; AN ANNUAL CALENDAR WITH BIBLICAL AND INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES FOR EACH DAY OF THE YEAR; AND PRAYER CARDS THAT PROVIDE HOPE AND GUIDANCE TO ALL. OUR BOOKS AND NEWS NOTES ARE DONATED TO PRISON AND JAIL MINISTRIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HAVE PROVED TO BE POPULAR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION AND GUIDANCE WITH INMATES. AS ONE PRISONER IN CHICAGO STATED, "IF IT IS FROM THE CHRISTOPHERS, IT IS GOOD." DONATIONS GIVEN FOR CHRISTOPHER MATERIALS HELP FUND FURTHER CHRISTOPHER WORK. HOWEVER, MANY OF OUR MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED FREE TO THOSE IN NEED. OUR SYNDICATED WEEKLY "LIGHT ONE CANDLE" COLUMNS ARE DISTRIBUTED FREE-OF-CHARGE TO NEWSPAPERS AND WEBSITES WHO HAVE REQUESTED TO USE THEM. OUR WEBSITE OFFERS FREE MATERIAL SUCH AS PRAYERS, NEWS NOTES, AND "LIGHT ONE CANDLE" COLUMNS. IN ADDITION, THE CHRISTOPHERS' BLOG REACHES A WIDE-RANGING AUDIENCE WITH POSTS ABOUT POPULAR CULTURE, ORIGINAL INTERVIEWS, AND STORIES OF INSPIRATION. ALL OUR ONLINE ACTIVITIES ARE PROMOTED THROUGH FACEBOOK AND TWITTER LINKS. WE RECENTLY RECEIVED A BEAUTIFUL NOTE FROM A HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN WHO WORKS WITH PATIENTS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS. HE WROTE TO TELL US OF THE SUCCESS HE'S HAD INCORPORATING OUR THREE MINUTES A DAY READINGS INTO THE SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS HE LEADS ON THE VARIOUS WARDS. HE STARTED WITH THE TEENAGE WARD, WRITING, "IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT ADOLESCENTS CAN BE HARD TO REACH, BUT THE REAL-LIFE STORIES AND THE 'NON-PREACHINESS' OF THE STORIES HAVE WORKED VERY WELL." HE THEN EXPANDED THESE MEDITATIONS TO THE OTHER WARDS AND REPORTS THAT HE'S NOW REACHING HALF THE PATIENTS IN THE ENTIRE HOSPITAL WITH READINGS FROM THREE MINUTES A DAY. THE CHAPLAIN EXPRESSED HOW VITAL OUR THREE MINUTES A DAY BOOKS ARE TO HIS MINISTRY AND REQUESTED COPIES OF OUR 2020 BOOKS, AND WE WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND HIM A SHIPMENT SO THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL OUTREACH CAN CONTINUE IN THE COMING YEAR.SPANISH OUTREACH THE CHRISTOPHERS RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARING OUR MESSAGE WITH THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY, SO WE OFFER SPANISH TRANSLATIONS OF CERTAIN NEWS NOTES AND PRAYER CARDS IN ORDER TO MAKE A SELECTION OF OUR MATERIALS ACCESSIBLE TO THIS IMPORTANT DEMOGRAPHIC. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE CREATED A SPANISH TRANSLATION OF THE CHRISTOPHER LEADERSHIP COURSE. THIS OUTREACH WILL ENABLE MINISTERS AND OTHER DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BETTER SERVE SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE IN THEIR PARISHES, COMMUNITIES AND OUTREACH CENTERS, INCLUDING THOSE ON THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY.

CHRISTOPHER AWARDS - THE CHRISTOPHER AWARDS WERE CREATED IN 1949 BY OUR FOUNDER, FATHER JAMES KELLER, M.M., BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE ARTS, MEDIA, AND POPULAR CULTURE HAD THE POWER TO INFLUENCE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. HE REALIZED THAT WHEN WE'RE EXPOSED TO STORIES THAT SHINE A LIGHT ON OUR STRUGGLES AS WELL AS VIRTUES, LIKE FAITH, COURAGE, HOPE, AND LOVE, WE CAN BECOME MOTIVATED TO BECOME BETTER, MORE SELFLESS PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THE CHRISTOPHER AWARDS HONOR BOOKS, FILMS AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS THAT AFFIRM THE HIGHEST VALUES OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. THE GOAL OF OUR AWARDS IS TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVE ARTISTS TO PURSUE EXCELLENCE IN ARENAS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE A MASS AUDIENCE IN A POSITIVE WAY AND TO ENCOURAGE READERS AND VIEWERS TO TAP INTO THE BETTER SIDE OF THEIR HUMAN NATURE BY SEEING POSITIVE EXAMPLES PRESENTED TO THEM IN ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING WAYS. THE ANNUAL CHRISTOPHER AWARDS CEREMONY IS A HIGH PROFILE MEDIA EVENT REGULARLY HOSTED BY A FAMOUS TV PERSONALITY. RECENT WINNERS INCLUDE ABC NEWS ANCHOR DAVID MUIR, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR DAVID MCCULLOUGH, ACTRESS/PRODUCER DOLLY PARTON, ACTOR/PRODUCER MICHAEL B. JORDAN, AND ACTOR/PRODUCER MARK WAHLBERG. DOLLY PARTON IS A THREE-TIME CHRISTOPHER AWARD WINNER FOR HER AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL TV MOVIES "DOLLY PARTON'S COAT OF MANY COLORS AND "CHRISTMAS OF MANY COLORS, AND FOR HER NETFLIX FILM "DOLLY PARTON'S HEARTSTRINGS: THESE OLD BONES." PARTON HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE AWARD: "I LOVE THE CHRISTOPHER AWARD SLOGAN, 'BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN TO CURSE THE DARKNESS.' I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL MY HEART. I THINK THE MOVIE, 'COAT OF MANY COLORS,' A TRUE STORY FROM MY CHILDHOOD, REALLY DOES THROW A LIGHT ON A LOT OF THINGS LIKE FAMILY, HOPE, LOVE, KINDNESS, UNDERSTANDING, AND ACCEPTANCE. IT REALLY SPOKE TO THE ISSUE OF BULLYING. I AM VERY PROUD AT HOW GOD WORKS THROUGH ME TO SHINE A LIGHT, AND TO HELP HEAL A LOT OF HURT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I AM VERY PROUD OF THIS AWARD. AND SEAN ANDERS, WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER OF THE 2019 FEATURE FILM WINNER "INSTANT FAMILY," SAID, "TO LIGHT A CANDLE IN THE DARKNESS WAS VERY MUCH OUR INTENTION WHEN MAKING 'INSTANT FAMILY.' KIDS AND FAMILIES IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM DON'T OFTEN GET TO TELL THEIR STORIES ON A WORLD STAGE. AND TOO OFTEN WHEN THESE STORIES ARE TOLD, THEY FOCUS ONLY ON THE DARKNESS. WE SET OUT TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE STRUGGLES AND PAIN BUT ALSO THE LOVE, LAUGHTER AND TRIUMPH OF FAMILIES THAT ARE BORN OUT OF TRAGEDY. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE HONOR OF BEING RECOGNIZED FOR A CHRISTOPHER AWARD AND WE HOPE THIS RECOGNITION WILL LEAD TO MORE FAMILIES SEEING THE FILM AND OPENING THEIR HEARTS, MINDS AND MAYBE EVEN THEIR HOMES TO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN OUR COUNTRY WHO NEED FAMILIES."

CHRISTOPHER MEDIA: RADIO/PODCAST - "CHRISTOPHER CLOSEUP" HIGHLIGHTS INDIVIDUALS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF FIELDS WHO ACT AS POSITIVE INFLUENCES ON PEOPLE AROUND THEM IN SMALL AND EXTRAORDINARY WAYS. SUBJECTS COVERED INCLUDE SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS TO EVERYDAY PROBLEMS, MAINTAINING HOPE IN THE FACE OF HARDSHIP, AND CARE FOR THE POOR. *RECENT "CHRISTOPHER CLOSEUP" GUESTS INCLUDE ACTORS AND HUMANITARIANS GARY SINISE AND PATRICIA HEATON; ABC NEWS JOURNALISTS PAULA FARIS AND LINSEY DAVIS; CBS NEWS' JOHN DICKERSON; ACTRESS/HUMANITARIAN BONNIE HUNT; AUTHOR AND FORGIVENESS ADVOCATE KATHERINE SCHWARZENEGGER PRATT; STAR WARS VOICE ACTRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE ASHLEY ECKSTEIN; CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR AND INSIDE EDITION CORRESPONDENT MEGAN ALEXANDER; HALLMARK CHANNEL ACTRESS AND ADOPTION ADVOCATE JEN LILLEY; HALLMARK CHANNEL ACTRESS AND ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION SPOKESPERSON NIKKI DELOACH; COMEDY WRITER AND BRAIN TUMOR SURVIVOR JEANNIE GAFFIGAN; OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS SIMONE BILES, GABRIELLE DOUGLAS AND SHAWN JOHNSON; AUTHOR DEAN KOONTZ; AND SINGERS JENNIFER NETTLES, MATT MAHER AND GRAMMY WINNER MANDISA. EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE ARE ALSO FEATURED ON THE PROGRAM. RECENT EXAMPLES INCLUDE ANTOINETTE TUFF, WHO CONVINCED A MENTALLY ILL GUNMAN WHO HAD TAKEN A SCHOOL HOSTAGE TO SURRENDER TO POLICE WITHOUT HURTING ANYONE; CHICAGO DEACON DON GROSSNICKLE, WHO CREATED A MICROFINANCE PROGRAM TO FIGHT POVERTY AND DISEASE IN UGANDA; KATHY IZARD, WHO INSTITUTED A PROGRAM TO HOUSE THE HOMELESS IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA; INDIANA DOCTOR CHUCK DIETZEN, WHOSE MINISTRY TO DISABLED CHILDREN IS PROVIDING HOPE AND HEALING AROUND THE WORLD; JIM ZIOLKOWSKI, FOUNDER OF THE NONPROFIT "BUILD ON," WHICH INVITES INNER CITY KIDS TO BUILD SCHOOLS IN POVERTY-STRICKEN AREAS AROUND THE WORLD; AND NASHVILLE NATIVE KATIE DAVIS MAJORS, WHO MOVED TO UGANDA AND BECAME THE ADOPTIVE MOTHER OF 13 ORPHANS. THE WEEKLY PROGRAM AIRS ON SIRIUS-XM AND NUMEROUS OTHER STATIONS. THE PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS A FREE PODCAST THROUGH THE CHRISTOPHERS' BLOG AND WEBSITE. THE MODERN INCARNATION OF "CHRISTOPHER CLOSEUP" CONTINUES A TRADITION STARTED IN 1952 BY OUR FOUNDER, FATHER JAMES KELLER, WHEN HE BEGAN THE TELEVISION VERSION OF THE SHOW FEATURING SUCH GUESTS AS BOB HOPE, JACK BENNY, BING CROSBY, MARIO LANZA, ART LINKLETTER, AND MORE."CHRISTOPHER MINUTES" ARE ONE-MINUTE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS SENT TO 200 RADIO STATIONS NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING SIRIUS-XM'S THE CATHOLIC CHANNEL. THEY PROVIDE LISTENERS WITH INSPIRATIONAL STORIES AND PRACTICAL ADVICE ABOUT STAYING POSITIVE IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY. "CHRISTOPHER MINUTES" ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.TELEVISION SEVERAL CLASSIC CHRISTOPHER FILMS FROM THE 1950'S AIR PERIODICALLY ON EWTN. AND EACH YEAR DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON NUMEROUS TV STATIONS AIR CHRISTOPHER SPONSORED CLAY-ANIMATIONS FOR KIDS CONSISTING OF "THE FIRST CHRISTMAS," "THE CHIMES," "MICHAEL THE VISITOR, AND "MARTIN THE COBBLER."ALL OUR ONLINE ACTIVITIES ARE PROMOTED THROUGH FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

---

---

Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202003219349318555_public.xml