Find Your People: Why the True Charity Summit Is the Ultimate Event To Ignite Effective Compassion

COLE EDMONSON
Marketing Specialist

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Gather with Like-minded Charity Practitioners

When you’re facing a problem as big as poverty and hold to the minority belief that handouts are not the way to go, the day-to-day of effective compassion can get a bit lonely. 

The good news is you don’t have to go it alone. 

There’s no better way to discover that than to gather each spring with hundreds of church and nonprofit leaders, volunteers, and policy thinkers from across the United States for the True Charity Summit.

The Summit is not just another conference. It’s specifically designed as a place where people who care deeply about practical, relational ways to end poverty “find their people.” So whether you feel isolated in your efforts or you’re searching for fresh ideas that actually work, the Summit offers a powerful community and practical takeaways that will help energize your mission.

“The Summit is a place where you find like-minded people in one place who are doing your work. And it’s not about just dumping information. It’s a network of people who connect. … So you get inspired and go home, still connected because if you join the network, connection is what members do regularly. So come and attend the conference. It’s worth it!”

Lyndon Azcuna
Executive Director of LifePlan
Niles, MI

“The highlight for me … is the relationships that you form, the access to people, to professionals, and to people who have experience … and then being able to continue those relationships after the Summit.”

Nancy Eckhardt
Executive Director of Christian Job Corps of Madison County
Huntsville, AL

“The Summit has been for us just like a shot in the arm, a rejuvenation of energy of new ideas, of new connections, of new relationships that we can call on in a week or a month, of different organizations around the country who have been doing it longer than us and that we can learn from.”

John Ramthun
Executive Director of 6:8
Sauk City, WI

Looking Back: Huntsville in 2025

Last April’s Summit in Huntsville, Alabama drew attendees from 31 states for three days of connection and equipping. All the participants I interviewed described a variety of inspiring general sessions, thought-provoking breakout workshops, and meaningful networking — the kind that doesn’t just inform, but equips you to do charity better. Speakers included Brian Fikkert (co-author of When Helping Hurts), Megan Rose (CEO of Better Together), and James Whitford, co-founder and CEO of True Charity.

Attendees shared time with like-minded peers, exchanging stories of success and struggle that made them feel part of something bigger than their individual ministries. In addition, session content on everything from outcomes measurement to relational case management left them with new tools, fresh perspectives, and a renewed passion for their work.

Looking Ahead: Jacksonville Beach in 2026

That unabated momentum propels us toward this year’s Summit, scheduled for April 22–24, at Beach Church in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The theme, “By Design: The Image of God Upheld in Effective Compassion,” will guide you toward dignity-centered, relational approaches to solving poverty.

Hosted on the sun-soaked Florida coast, this year’s lineup features a trio of keynote voices who are shaping both thought and practice in the effective charity world:

• Michael Matheson Miller, Senior Research Fellow and Chief of Strategic Initiatives at the Acton Institute, whose work amplifies human agency in flourishing communities.
• Rachel Ferguson, Director of the Free Enterprise Center at Concordia University, Chicago and community practitioner who is advancing locally rooted, relational solutions in community development.
• James Whitford, co-founder and CEO of True Charity, who brings over 25 years of hands-on experience in designing charity that truly restores dignity.
  

Beyond mainstage sessions, it will also feature breakout workshops, panel discussions, and case studies designed to help leaders move beyond temporary relief to strategies that emphasize work, accountability, human dignity, and sustainable transformation.

Why It Matters for You

Whether you lead a church ministry, nonprofit organization, or policy initiative, the True Charity Summit offers something uniquely valuable: a combination of community, practical strategy, and inspiration that will equip you to serve with greater confidence and clarity. Leaders return home not only encouraged but equipped with tools and connections that help them implement new approaches with measurable results. Attendees often describe the experience as a turning point where isolation turned into connection and uncertainty, leading to actionable, long-lasting direction.

If you’ve been at it alone, are ready to turn the corner, and want to learn proven models for effective charity, join us in Jacksonville Beach, April 22–24, 2026. We can’t wait to see you there!

Already planning to attend? Share this with someone who needs to join you this year. And remind them they don’t need to wait until April to get connected — they can join the True Charity Network today!