Operation Blessing International now operates in more than 65 countries. Its founding moment caught everyone off guard, including its own staff.
A Live Television Announcement
On November 14, 1978, Pat Robertson surprised his team during a live broadcast of The 700 Club by announcing the creation of Operation Blessing. Citing Isaiah 58, a biblical passage about caring for the poor, hungry, and homeless, Robertson launched the organization on the spot. The original concept was straightforward: match the needs of struggling individuals and families with donations from viewers.
From Matching to Global Relief
What began as a donation-matching service grew into a major international humanitarian organization. Operation Blessing expanded into disaster relief, clean water projects, medical care, and child development programs.
Robertson, who passed away in 2023, built the organization into a significant force in disaster response. In 2024, Operation Blessing delivered relief to 18 countries, provided over 200 surgeries, and completed more than 190 clean water projects. In 2025, it impacted over 50,000 lives through child development programs and responded to 36 disaster events.
Learn more on our Operation Blessing page.
