The founders of Child Shelter International, Roberta Raab and Suzy Grossman, are sisters-in-law who have worked and traveled throughout the developing world. Roberta was trained in sociology, Suzy in special education. Sue Baum is a specialist in early childhood education.

After seeing the plight of children and, in particular, of orphans in Africa and Southeast Asia, they decided to form an organization that could do more than they could do as individuals.

The advisory board consists of educators, speech and language specialists and people with business and managerial expertise.