Keith and Karen Jaspers of Springfield, Missouri founded Rainbow Network in 1995 out of a belief that people who are able to respond to the needs of the world’s poorest people have an obligation to do so.

Keith drew from experience while building the framework of Rainbow, combining the business knowledge he built as a hotel owner with what he learned about international non-profit operations as one of the earliest board members of Habitat for Humanity.

Their vision has helped Rainbow Network to establish a full-time presence in seven regions in rural Nicaragua, delivering sustainable programs in healthcare, education, economic development, and housing. This holistic model, combined with the extraordinary dedication of the Nicaraguan people and the generosity of donors, has allowed the work of Rainbow to expand from the original 4 communities to 102 today.