Our History
In the summer of 2006, Scott Barbeau, Rich Johnson and Dan Marcus took a life-changing trip to Zambia. Upon their return, they founded Spark Ventures (in 2007) with a mission to strengthen and sustain grassroots NGOs helping children and their families living in extreme poverty.
We have grown exponentially since the initial launch of our organization. For a trip down memory lane, and to see the origin story of our work, check out our “From Africa to Chicago” video.
Growth: From Our 2007 Launch to Today
Partners:
– Zambia, 2007-present
– Nicaragua, 2012-present
– Mexico, 2017-present
– Chicago, 2020-present
Children served:
– from 60 to thousands
Individual Contributors:
– from 70 to over 700 supporters each year
Annual Revenue:
– from $75,000 to $600,000
Travelers:
– 700 participants & counting
