Mission Statement
The Jenika Francois Foundation is dedicated to saving and restoring, abused, abandon, enslaved, sick and dying children around the world.
Our Story
On a missions trip to Haiti in February 2013, Shawn and Stephanie met a young girl named Jenika while serving in a home for sick and dying children. God used the dire situation Jenika was in, to break their hearts and open their eyes to the depravity of so many children in Haiti and around the world. After returning to the U.S. and through many conversations and prayers, they reached out to some incredible people who shared their vision, and the Jenika Francois Foundation was formed.
The Board
Shawn Smith: Executive Director
Shawn currently owns and operates a successful small business. It was on his first trip to Haiti in February 2013, that he and his wife Stephanie met Jenika, and felt a calling and a newfound passion to help Jenika and children in dire situations like hers have a better life.
Stephanie Smith: Director of Communications
With a background in childcare, Stephanie has worked with people of all ages. She is passionate about seeing the Jenika Francois Foundation help children in the worst of situations overcome, and live a John 10:10 life. Along with children, she also has a passion for animals and enjoys fostering puppies in her spare time. She and Shawn currently reside in Minnesota with their 4 beautiful children.
Cory Svihla: Director of Fundraising, Events, Outreach
Cory Svihla is a director and co-founder of Intellex Forensics, a fraud investigation and forensic accounting firm based in Minneapolis, MN. He serves on the boards of the Life Time Foundation and the Board of the Turnaround Management Association, he has served on the associate board of Folds of Honor Minnesota, and he holds many other leadership roles and positions. Cory graduated from Bethel University in 2011 where he studied education, played football, and had the opportunity to spend time furthering his football career post-college. He has a passion for utilizing the knowledge gained from his experiences to bring his knowledge of business strategy, fund raising, and marketing to the vision of the The Jenika Francois foundation. In his free time, Cory enjoys CrossFit, spending time on the water, and enjoying the outdoors with his wife, Kristi, and their daughters Story and Everly.
Carolyn Patten
Official Jenika Francois Board Member since January 2022
While I am currently retired, I have a background in the management of consumer affairs and customer concerns. In addition, I have acted as a loaned executive for United Way’s fundraising initiatives and as a speaker for Feed My Starving Children events. I also continue to volunteer both for my church and for various nonprofit events, and for as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about helping others personally, professionally, and in my in walk in faith.
In 2013, God nudged me (in truth a number of times) to go on a mission trip to Haiti in conjunction with my church. Up to that point, I thought I understood what people’s lives were like in third world countries, but this trip made me realize that I really had no clue!
My eyes and heart were opened in amazement to what life was like outside of my “little world” in the United States. Child slavery, no clothes for children, old rusted cars to play on, dirt floors that are swept and slept on, children eating Styrofoam to fill their stomachs, children left outside or on the road because their families couldn’t take care of them, and so much more! It was heart wrenching!
HOWEVER, even though my heart was hurting for what I saw during the day at night you would hear people singing and praising God, and my passion to help them grew tremendously!
Since 2013 I have been part of Shawn and Stephanie Smith’s endeavors, which began with helping Jenika get healthy and become established in a good, safe home; next, help the relatives where she was taken to live; and then to start a foundation to help as many Haitians as possible move from poverty to success. I am so blessed to be a part of this foundation, which ensures that all donations are going to specific organizations with sound foundations that actively live their mission and vision statements to help the Haitian people become successful!