Steven Curtis Chapman's 'Change For Orphans' continues to make a difference

|PIC1|Following a 31-city fall swing, Steven Curtis Chapman will head back out on the road with his spring "Live In This Moment Tour an Evening with Steven Curtis Chapman".

This tour will be an intimate evening with Chapman and his fans where he will play all the favorites in addition to new tunes from the highly acclaimed new release This Moment.

In addition, Chapman's sons Caleb and Will join him on stage, backing him up as part of his band, and for the first time ever, Chapman will be taking song requests from the audience via his website StevenCurtisChapman.com and do a unique set in each city.

Steven Curtis Chapman and Shaohannah's Hope will continue to spread the message on the tour, "Giving a little changes a lot. Give change now," with the "Change for Orphans" campaign, which officially kicked off this fall.

Throughout the fall tour, Chapman and Shaohannah's Hope raised more than $188,000 for families adopting. At each tour stop, a local family was given a grant from funds donated to Shaohannah's Hope that evening, with the result of bringing 31 families one step closer to being a forever family for an orphan.

In support of the Show Hope movement, the change campaign will continue to raise funds for families to change the life of an orphan. Chapman will be spreading the word to his concertgoers to "give change now" by collecting loose change and bringing it to the concert in their respective areas (ideally in check form or converted to bills).

"The need of orphans is so great," explains Chapman, "that we too often believe the lie that one person can't do anything significant.

"But this is a unique opportunity to make a difference just by collecting your loose change and gathering a couple friends to do it with you, by donating that pile of coins you have lying around, or by giving up a cup of coffee each week and bringing in that money.

"Small things add up, and together we can change the life of an orphan."

Chapman's tour is in support of his recent studio release, "This Moment," which was released in October, co-produced by Chapman and Matt Bronleewe, and marked his sweet sixteenth studio release with Sparrow Records.

For more than five years, Steven Curtis Chapman and the Foundation he and wife Mary Beth founded, Shaohannah's Hope, highlighted the needs of orphans through his nationwide tours by raising awareness and collecting funds each night resulting in record breaking numbers.

With the "All Things New" tour, Shaohannah's Hope raised over 2.1 million dollars, and over 1,700 couples expressed interest in adoption. During the "All I Really Want" Christmas tour, tens of thousands of dollars were raised through the sale of Christmas ornaments, and over one thousand responded to the need of orphans and kids waiting in foster care.

"God is continually awakening His people to a faith that is more than just words, an authentic faith that evidences the hope we have in Christ," describes Scott Hasenbalg, Director of Shaohannah's Hope.

"With this upcoming tour we are inviting people to join us by showing hope and changing their world for orphans. Through big and small ways, we can each follow in the footsteps of Jesus and care for the needy and the orphan, whether it be through mobilising our community, giving generously, or going out to love waiting children.

"We can take advantage of right now to show hope to an orphan, and it can start with just a little change."

In a response to the miracle they saw in their own family through adoption and with a desire to help eliminate the obstacle of finances for families they knew, Chapman and his family established Shaohannah's Hope Foundation in 2000.

Then in 2002, as opportunities to financially assist families ready to adopt far outpaced the Chapman's personal abilities to fund; the foundation began accepting donations to raise further financial grants for willing families. In 2003, Shaohannah's Hope became an official 501c3 non-profit organisation.

Arriving at a milestone in October 2006, Chapman and Shaohannah's Hope were thrilled to announce the 1,000th grant awarded.

Shaohannah's Hope has now launched the Show Hope project campaign to engage individuals and communities to evidence the hope they have in Christ by speaking up for orphans and caring for them in their distress.

Centred on the belief that an authentic faith connected with action will bring life to a skeptical and hurting world and glorify the God of love, Show Hope encourages every person to change their world for orphans.

Shaohannah's Hope receives approximately 125 adoption assistance applications a month, and with current funding capacity awards 30-40 grants each month with an average amount of $3,000. Chapman has become a voice for this cause, with fans, and strangers, and has mobilised hundreds of donors giving to the foundation, with a great need for thousands more. His message has impacted others, and a web of influence has been created through the foundation.

For updated tour dates go to: www.stevencurtischapman.com and more information about adoption and "Change for Orphans" go to: www.shaohannahshope.org



About Steven Curtis Chapman:
In his iconic musical career, Chapman has won five GRAMMY? Awards, most recently at 2005 awards for his release All Things New. Steven Curtis Chapman has sold over ten million records including two RIAA certified platinum albums and seven RIAA certified gold albums. Along with his Dove and GRAMMY ? awards, Chapman has won an American Music Award, has recorded 44 No. 1 US radio hits as well as receiving numerous other honors. Chapman has also been awarded 51 Dove Awards, more than any other artist to date. Since his recording career began in 1987, Chapman has recorded sixteen projects with Sparrow Records. He has performed at the White House and has appeared on: CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, CMT, FOX News, Hallmark, E! as well as the CBS Sunday Morning, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, among many others.