History
In the summer of 1997, while living in Quito, Ecuador, Extreme Response founders Jerry and Dawn Carnill felt compassion to help the children of parents living and working in the city’s garbage dump. They knew if those kids were given an opportunity and the right tools, they would have a much brighter future. Together with friends, they began reaching out to the dump families through kids’ clubs.
During the next five years, support for this work grew, cumulating with Extreme Response launching as a 501(c)(3) international humanitarian organization serving in Ecuador. Today, we also operate programs in South Africa and the Philippines.
March 1997
Jerry & team from Grace Fellowship Church, Lilburn GA stop to take a look at the people working and living in the Quito Dump in Zambiza
June 1997
The first team (At Any Cost from Sacramento, CA) and the Carnill family enter the dump and pass out fruit and bread
Nov. 1997
First Kids’ Club in Dump – Carnills, Beth Kinzel and high schoolers from Alliance Academy
Christmas 1997
First Annual Christmas Party at the Dump – 500 attend – put on by the Carnills, Clines, HCJB and Alliance volunteers
Christmas 1999
1,200 attend the Christmas party – blankets were handed out as gifts
2001
ER is registered as a 501(c)(3) in the State of Georgia, USA
Sept. 2001
First team to Living Hope to work on the clinic in Masi (Mike Carnill, Dale Meier & Jim Witt)
Dec. 2002
Original Zambiza dump is closed – people scattered
Christmas 2003
More than 3,550 people attend Christmas parties at the Dump, Argelia Alta and with Living Hope in South Africa
Christmas 2004
Ron & Barb Cline lead the first ER Christmas team to South Africa. 6,100 people attend in Quito & Cape Town
2006
ER buys building in North Quito – renovates for offices and work team space
2006
Leader Mundial is formed by Russ Cline
April 2006
Dump Daycare Center opens – one child (Veronica) first day – many to follow
2006
ER Canada is established by Paul & Linda Cripps
Dec. 2006
Medical Clinic opens at Dump location
Christmas 2008
Christmas celebrations for 14,800 in Ecuador, SA, Philippines, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nepal
May 2010
U.S. office opened in Snellville, GA
2013
Quito Women’s Resource Center opens (now known as Quito Family Resource Center)
June 2013
Asia Region Office opens in Manila, Philippines
Christmas 2013
Over 12,450 attend Christmas celebrations in Ecuador, Nepal, South Africa and Philippines
Jan. 2014
Manila Children’s Home opens
Jan. 2015
Africa Region Office opens in Fish Hoek, South Africa
Jan. 2016
Dream Center opens in South Africa
Dec. 2016
20th Anniversary of the Quito Dump Christmas party
2018
Pathway For Hope program launched near Manila
July 2019
2nd Dream Center campus opens in South Africa
May 2020
New logo launched with “Building Pathways of Hope” theme integrated into design
2020
ER responds to COVID pandemic with computer labs & feeding programs
Feb. 2021
Brad McKenna joins ER as President & CEO