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BORDER BUDDIES MINISTRIES INC
ELMIRA, NY · EIN 202597037 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE X20 · Religion-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · borderbuddies.org
revenue
$205K
expenses
$226K
net assets
$247K
employees
0
volunteers
24
program ratio
95%
mission · from form 990

TO PROMOTE THE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AMERICA THROUGH LIVING AND TEACHING THE GOSPEL

profile · synthesized from sources

Border Buddies Ministries Inc is a faith-based nonprofit founded in 2004 that serves disadvantaged children and young people in Honduras through spiritual development, education sponsorship, and community programs. The organization supports youth through Bible studies, funds school supplies and tuition, and organizes U.S. volunteer teams for construction and medical missions. It also promotes prison reentry support and vocational training to reduce recidivism.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $64K
    THE MINISTRY INVOLVES REGULAR WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH YOUTH FROM HONDURAS. MINIMALLY WEEKLY, BIBLE STUDIES AND VARIOUS ACTIVITIES ARE PERFORMED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL TO ENCOURAGE THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD'S WORD. ACTIVITIES ARE THOSE WHICH ARE NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS, INCLUDING SPECIAL OUTINGS, SPECIAL EVENTS (PAINTBASLL, MOVIES, BEACH VISITS) AND RENTALS OF SPORTS FACILITIES AS WELL AS USUAL WEEK TO WEEK ACTIVITIES. DONATIONS ARE MADE TO THE POOR AND NEEDY OF HONDURAS.
  2. #2 $42K
    TEAMS OF VOLUNTEERS FROM THE US WORK IN HONDURAS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, INCLUDING A LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION SERVICES. ANY EXPENSES IN EXCESS OF TEAM REVENUES ARE FUNDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Community Development Initiatives
Includes garden farming projects, home Bible studies, youth programs, and adult workshops in tailoring, baking, and family violence prevention
Construction and Medical Mission Teams
U.S. volunteer teams travel to Honduras to build and repair schools, provide medical care, and support community infrastructure projects
Prison Ministry and Reentry Support
Offers Bible studies and life skills training to incarcerated individuals and plans for a reentry farm to support former prisoners with housing, counseling, and vocational training
Student Sponsorship Program
Provides tuition, books, supplies, clothing, and footwear for students in Honduras; funded by individual sponsors committed to supporting children through their education
Youth Development Program
Weekly Bible studies and recreational activities for youth in Honduras, including outings and sports events to encourage spiritual and personal growth
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Individual Child Education Sponsorship 2 activities
    • Child sponsorship program covering education costs
      Provides individual sponsorships for children in Honduras, covering tuition, uniforms, books, supplies, clothing, and footwear. The program has operated for over 20 years and includes academic monitoring through semester grade reports and monthly check-ins with students and teachers.
    • Higher education support and degree completion
      Supports students in Honduras to complete associate degrees, with 584 graduates reported, all of whom pursued further education or employment. The program has operated since at least 2010.
  • Vocational Sewing and Tailoring Training 1 activity
    • Adult vocational and life skills training
      Offers training programs for adults in tailoring, sewing, cooking, baking, school maintenance, and family violence prevention. The sewing program lasts 1–2 years and leads to certification as a tailor, equipping participants with income-generating skills.
  • Christian Leadership & Discipleship Training 1 activity
    • Church and pastoral fellowship initiatives
      Conducts Bible studies including Purpose Driven Life and Home Bible Studies to promote spiritual growth and fellowship. Engages pastors across denominations in Honduras to foster unity among churches.
  • Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
    • Community and family outreach events
      Organizes picnics, birthday parties, Thanksgiving dinners, graduation celebrations, and holiday events such as Mother’s Day distributions of food and reusable containers. Includes provision of homemade banana bread on children's birthdays.
  • School Infrastructure Development 1 activity
    • Construction and infrastructure improvement of public schools in Honduras
      Upgrades and expands public schools in Tegucigalpa and other areas of Honduras, including building classrooms, cafeterias, computer labs, libraries, and play areas. Projects include Escuela de Venezuela and Instituto 21 de Octubre, with improvements made to at least nine schools since 2005.
  • Direct Clinical Care Delivery 1 activity
    • Deployment of U.S. volunteer teams for construction and medical missions
      Organizes and leads U.S. volunteer teams to conduct construction projects and deliver free medical care in Honduras. Five teams were deployed in 2019, with ongoing mission teams including construction, medical, and water ministry teams.
  • Clean Water Infrastructure and Access 1 activity
    • Distribution of water filtration systems in Honduras
      Distributes bucket-style water filtration systems to families in Tegucigalpa and remote mountain communities to reduce waterborne illness. Approximately 400 systems are distributed annually, with 473 kits distributed in one reported initiative.
  • Religious Support for Incarcerated Individuals 1 activity
    • Prison and reentry ministry
      Provides spiritual and practical support to individuals at risk of incarceration, those currently incarcerated, and formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrating into society. Includes Bible studies and plans for a vocational training farm for the formerly incarcerated.
  • Youth and Young Adult Spiritual Engagement 1 activity
    • Youth development and after-school programs
      Engages children and youth in structured activities including Bible studies, recreational outings, and special events to prevent crime and promote spiritual and personal development. Programs reach over 400 participants in Comayagua and Tegucigalpa, with activities such as ocean trips, theme parks, zip-lining, and sports.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$205K
Contributions & grants$113K55%
Program service revenue$92K45%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$226K
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$21K
Grants paid out$4K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$297K
Cash$133K
Investments$0
Liabilities$50K
Net assets$247K
Liquid reserves7.0 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -12.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 10
  • BRADFORD HINMAN — Vice President
  • BRUCE WILLIAMS — ACCOUNTANT
  • CLAIRE RICKETTS — MISSIONS DIR
  • GERRI SIAS-ROCHE — HELPING HANDS
  • GLENDA MILLER — BOARD MEMBER
  • LAURA CUMMINGS — Secretary
  • MARK ERWAY — WEBSITE ADMIN
  • MICHAEL J MILLER — President
  • PAUL WILLS — Treasurer
  • RANDY LAWRENCE — SPIRITUAL DIR
relationships · 24

Who they work with

  • Board Members of BBM Partner — Group of board members who support and send reminders on behalf of Border Buddies Ministries.
  • Churches Partner — Churches in the US support the ministry’s work in Honduras through prayer and financial backing.
  • Escuela Arturo Quesada Partner — Partner school in Tegucigalpa where construction was nearly complete as of 2025.
  • Escuela Fuerzas Armadas Partner — Partner school upgraded from junior-only to include senior-level education.
  • Escuela Roberto Sosa Partner — Partner school in Tegucigalpa that received facility upgrades.
  • Escuela San Miguel Heredia Partner — Partner school in Tegucigalpa that received facility upgrades.
  • Escuela Santa Margarita Partner — Partner school in Tegucigalpa that received facility upgrades.
  • Escuela de Venezuela Partner — Partner school in Barrio Rincon, Tegucigalpa, where full construction and facility upgrades were completed.
  • Fair Haven Community Church Partner — Church where Randall Lawrence and his wife serve and from which they support Border Buddies Ministries mission teams.
  • First Presbyterian Church of Elmira Partner — Church where Laura Cummings attends and supports volunteer activities connected to Border Buddies Ministries.
  • Gerris Sias-Roche Partner — Coordinator of the Helping Hands volunteer program within Border Buddies Ministries.
  • Honduras Government — Conducts ministry and service programs in Honduras, including education, construction, and youth outreach.
  • Horseheads First United Methodist Church Partner — Home church of Michael and Glenda Miller and Paul Wills; origin point for staff involvement in Border Buddies Ministries.
  • Instituto 21 de Octubre Partner — Partner school serving 1,100 students in Tegucigalpa that received construction upgrades.
  • Mark Erway Partner — Point of contact for stock donation inquiries
  • Michael Miller Partner — Point of contact for stock donation inquiries
  • Michael and Glenda Partner — Field partners ministering weekly in Comayagua, Honduras, supported by Border Buddies Ministries to deliver goods, services, and spiritual teaching.
  • Michael and Glenda Partner — Key personnel who vet sponsored children and provide ongoing support through evaluations and coordination with parents and educators.
  • Michael and Glenda Partner — Longtime leaders of youth groups since 2005, serving multiple generations in Honduras.
  • Mike and Glenda Miller Partner — Local partners in Honduras who lead water filter distribution, Bible study, prayer, and community support in mountain communities and Comayagua.
  • UNICEF Partner — Cited source for data on violence against women and children in Honduras.
  • Victory Highway Wesleyan Church Partner — Church where Brad Hinman and his wife Janet worship and support Border Buddies Ministries.
  • Westside United Methodist Church Partner — Church where Bruce Williams and his wife Gail serve and support Border Buddies Ministries.
  • theological community of all the pastors of Honduras Partner — Engages with Honduran pastors across denominations to promote church unity and support incarcerated individuals.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Child Sponsorship with Holistic Academic Support
    methodology: holistic_academic_support
    By pairing individual child sponsorship with structured academic monitoring and collaboration among parents, teachers, and staff, the organization increases the likelihood of sustained educational success, because consistent oversight and multi-stakeholder engagement address both material and relational barriers to learning.
  • Faith-Integrated Development Model
    methodology: faith-integrated_development
    By combining gospel-centered teaching, prayer, and spiritual formation with material assistance such as education support, water filtration, and infrastructure improvement, the organization advances holistic well-being, because spiritual and physical needs are interdependent and addressed simultaneously to produce deeper, lasting transformation.
  • Incremental, Community-Led Development for Self-Sufficiency
    methodology: incremental_community_development
    By focusing on one school or community at a time and partnering with local educators and families, the organization builds local ownership and capacity, because targeted, relationship-driven efforts reduce dependency and promote long-term sustainability.
  • Opportunity Expansion to Prevent Incarceration and Gang Involvement
    methodology: opportunity-expansion_for_recidivism_prevention
    By expanding access to education, literacy, and spiritual development, the organization reduces youth vulnerability to gangs and incarceration, because meaningful engagement in school and community provides alternatives to destructive pathways and fosters personal agency.
  • Physical Environment Rehabilitation for Educational and Community Outcomes
    methodology: facility-rehabilitation-for-educational-outcomes
    By improving school infrastructure through short-term mission teams and community partnerships, the organization enhances student attendance, teacher morale, and learning outcomes, because safe and dignified physical environments create conditions conducive to education and hope.