Kanakuk Haiti is a program of Kanakuk Ministries that was established by Joe White in partnership with Cross International. Cross International has received scrutiny regarding a lack of transparency on its relationship with affiliated organization Cross Catholic Outreach.

Cross International is not independent from Kanakuk Ministries.  Joe White both founded the organization and has served on its board of directors since its founding in 2001. White and Rev. Jimmy Dodd have served on the Cross International board for 20 years. Dodd specializes in providing crisis assistance to pastors and their churches. Commonly accepted best practices for nonprofit boards of directors indicate that boards should have term limits, most commonly two three-year terms (or a total of six years).

The Kanakuk Haiti website claims that “Joe White’s Kanakuk Ministries is the primary source for funding (including operational costs and food for school lunches) for 13 Divine Shelter Schools (DSS) in Haiti, partnering with Cross International. Kanakuk Ministries also shares in funding an orphanage, New Life Center, in Haiti as well.” The website claims to have impacted over 4,200 students and 200 teachers and directors.

Kanakuk Ministries tax filings show that they used to make grants to Cross International for Kanakuk Haiti, but as of 2011, have made grants directly to Haiti. The Kanakuk Haiti website advertises a budget of $637,023 for 2021. The average grant size made to Central America and the Caribbean from Kanakuk Ministries over the last three years of tax filing (2017-2019) was $382,858.

Kanakuk also claims to have worked with children in over 50 countries internationally including  Lebanon, China, Egypt and Rwanda. Kids Across Africa Foundation was incorporated as a separate Kanakuk-affiliated nonprofit 501(c)3 in 2008 (which was administratively dissolved in 2011 due to failing to file a correct and current annual report to the State of Missouri). Many Kanakuk entities also lead international mission trips (Kanakuk Institute, for example, has led trips to 16 different countries). Child sexual abuse has occurred on Kanakuk international mission trips.