By: Diane Benjamin
This was brought to my attention by a reader.
I’m going to start this story by stating there is no proof the 2 businesses involved are anything but Christian organizations doing God’s work from these two buildings in Gridley, Il. The one on the left is Lifesong for Orphans, the right building is Gobena Coffee.
See their websites here:
https://missionfinder.org/organizations/lifesong-for-orphans/
.
The Gobena website states 100% of the profits support Lifesong for Orphans. Their website also states the business was given to Lifesong in 2014. The reader was wondering about Lifesong because of the huge amount of money their nonprofit tax returns show. They are NOT supported with any tax dollars.
Tax return filed in March of 2025 for the year ending 6/30/24: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/351902841/202520859349301502/full
This is the mission stated on the filing:
LIFESONGS MISSION IS TO BRING JOY AND PURPOSE TO ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN. WE DO THIS BY MOBILIZING THE CHURCH TO CARE FOR THE ORPHAN, WHERE EACH MEMBER CAN PROVIDE A UNIQUE AND SPECIAL SERVICE: SOME TO ADOPT, SOME TO CARE, SOME TO GIVE.
Total revenue shows: $42,820,792
The return shows zero employees and 150 volunteers.
The tax return does show 2 officers who are paid:
.
The only conflicting data I see is salaries. The return states zero employees but the Salaries and Wages line item states $4,432,573.
Administrative costs are funded through another non-profit – TMG Foundation: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/10750822/202411379349300826/full
I don’t see anything suspicious with them. Kory Kaeb is listed has an unpaid Vice president. TMG Foundation shows -0- salaries or wages and no paid officers or directors.
It appears Lifesong for Orphans operates in many states and internationally. It’s just fascinating so much money flows through this charity in Gridley Il.
If you know more about this organization, please comment.
Those last names are both prominent Apostolic Christian church families.
Knapp Builders also built the two buildings in that photo, possibly last year.
Knapp is another prominent AC church family.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPaPdxViEtP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Gobena coffee is good. I’ve purchased it several times via various youth fundraisers
Thank you for highlighting Lifesong for Orphans! Yes, this is an amazing Christian organization tucked away in Gridley, IL.
They have assisted in the adoption of many children locally and globally. They provide orphan care, job training and faith building around the globe.
As you point out, God has blessed them with an outpouring of support to carry on their mission. I encourage all to go to their website and learn more!
This is a highly respectable organization. They are operated by good people with a solid mission of serving ophans and families. I have known them for decades. As you identify, they operate heavily on volunteers.
I know the Kaebs. They are a very respectable family. These organizations do good work!
What an amazing Charity project that I didn’t know existed.
Those that care for the children will be duly rewarded in Heaven.
For the opposite of those that cause His children suffering. Just as in, Matthew 18:6 Jesus states: “but whoever causes one of these little ones, who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Thank you for checking into this, Diane, and for asking about them. We love Lifesong. While we have not used them for adoption, we have met with them and have close friends who have toured their facility. As a highly suspicious person (not born this way/the world made me this way), these folks seem to be the real thing.
how come you never see this charity profiled on WGLT ? … oh wait..
I found this all quite interesting and I’m glad one of your readers sent you the question and, that you did good research on them and have shared it. But as a suspicious person, I’ve wondered about some things myself. You’ve basically answered them. However, for some reason I’ve thought they were Mennonite and not AC.
I now live out-of-state but lived in Woodford Co. for years and since leaving I started purchased their Gobena coffees (suggested by my Woodford Co. daughter) and find them very flavorful.
The two officers sure pay themselves well for a small non-profit.
$42 million revenue isn’t small
Only two full time employees is small.
Tons of volunteers
And what do those volunteers do? Are these two directly managing them?
Volunteers don’t manage themselves
That doesn’t answer my question. Volunteers might be managing the other volunteers.
Go visit the place yourself if this matters. I bet you don’t
I’m sure if I visited I’d get a completely unbiased explanation of why they think they should pay themselves $200k.
Okay, don’t try 😂