Most giving advice tells you to check ratings and ratios. That helps, but it rarely shows what a gift becomes. The FTC advises donors to ask how much of a donation goes to the program they want to support.
Champion Factory Ministry treats every gift as a trust to be handled openly, so givers can see it. It measures faithfulness by whether it keeps showing up for the same communities long after the first delivery. Here is what your gift funds, why, and how to follow it.
What Does a Donation Fund at the Tijuana School?
A donation to the school funds three open projects. The classroom cause has a $45,000 goal to convert two 40 foot steel shipping containers into classrooms for 48 students, plus a kitchen so every student gets breakfast every school day. The computer lab cause has a $15,000 goal. The van cause has a $25,000 goal for a used 15 passenger van for students facing long, unsafe walks to school.
The school has no computers today, so the lab adds 10 new desktops plus battery backups, because power fluctuations are common in the area.
Where the Classroom Build Stands Today
As of September 2026, both containers were cut, framed, sealed, primed, and painted, one green and one blue. They had left the fabrication yard on flatbed trucks, and the crew had poured the hillside foundations with rebar tied by hand. Next come insulation, wiring, lighting, desks, and the kitchen.
"A donor should see what is finished, what is not, and what comes next." Todd Medina, President & Founder
Why the Cheapest Option Is Not Always the Right One
The team has built foam panel and wood frame homes in hillside neighborhoods around Tijuana for years. Then a neighbor's home in the same neighborhood burned. That has happened more than once, in more than one neighborhood. So the school is being built in steel.
The van plan calls for a used model. A clean used 2019 to 2021 Ford Transit 350 XLT typically runs $22,000 to $25,000, compared with more than $60,000 new.
What Do Outreach Gifts Pay For?
You might picture a gift as a jacket or a meal. Those items still need a way to reach people. Each street outreach run requires donated goods, fuel, coordination, and team members in the field. Funding is what keeps the vehicles moving.
How a Street Outreach Run Comes Together
- A long time ministry partner gathers donated clothing from multiple locations.
- The team sorts, bags, and loads it, often adding pastries, small meals, and snacks.
- The team drives through neighborhoods on street outreach runs and stops when they see a need.
A Partnership That Began With Food
Several years ago, the ministry began delivering food to one of the larger children's homes in Mexico. It has since delivered thousands of meals, plus diapers and nutritional supplements. Some children who grew up there now serve on staff.
Why Does the Ministry Show Its Work?
In 2 Corinthians 8:20-21, Paul describes handling a gift for believers in Jerusalem so no one could fault it. Doing right with a gift includes doing it where people can see. That is why each school project lists its goal and what the money covers.
"For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man." (2 Corinthians 8:21, NIV)
"The public record and the work on the ground should tell the same story." Art Montgomery, Global Evangelism Strategy Architect & Board Visionary Luminary
How to Follow a Project After You Give
- Check the causes page for each project's goal and status.
- Review how the ministry spends every dollar for financial records.
Where Your Gift Can Go Next
A gift to the Mexico work goes toward specific projects: steel classrooms, a breakfast kitchen, a computer lab, a school van, and street outreach. Pray for the students, families, and partners involved. Then pick a project on the causes page, give through the donate page, or explore partnering as a church or business.
FAQ
Is There Still Real Need in Tijuana?
Yes. INEGI data shows Baja California had Mexico's lowest multidimensional poverty rate in 2024, at 9.9 percent, compared with 29.6 percent nationally. Statewide averages can still hide need in specific neighborhoods.
Does the Ministry Run Recovery Programs in Mexico?
No. Partners operate the programs. The ministry funds placements for men who need them, walks with them, and is honest that setbacks happen. If you or someone you love needs help with addiction, contact a doctor or licensed treatment provider.
