Help: Sponsoring a Child Information...

[OILFAN #81]

Hey everyone. I was looking to sponsor a child and was wondering if anyone had any familiarity with any organization (World Vision, etc). Any information on how much of the monthly fee goes to the child, etc or any information of any kind would be appreciated (which organization you dealt with and any positive or negative experiences). Thanks.

[Devils'Advocate]

I have sponsered two children via the Canadian Foster Parents Plan. They have all their financial statements on-line proving that 9% goes to staff, 11% goes to fundraising (those TV commercials) and 80% goes to programs.

I chose FPP because it completely secular. Some of the more radical groups with religious ties refuse help to those who refuse to convert. But even the moderate groups will include in their programs "purchasing of bibles for school children". I want no part of their crusade.

But I've been more than pleased with FPP because of all the information and services they provide. What I mean by that is that I get regular updates as to where my money is going, what progress is being made, how my particular foster child is doing (though, really, that is secondary since a large portion of the money goes to community projects such as helping dig new wells, building new schools, funding teacher training, etc). You can make of it what you will.... how much you get out of it depends on how much you put in. They have a translation service, so you can e-mail your letter to their service and they will translate and forward it onto your foster child. They again would reply via the translation service, so you can keep up-to-date on a more personal level. I'm much too busy to keep in touch with my foster child, but I have sent gifts over. I'm an absentee foster parent. But some people actually co-ordinate visits to their adopted village to see the changes. So it's up to you how involved or uninvolved you get.

My only negative is that once you start giving, you start getting phone calls asking for more. But that's the same with every charitable organization. They go after their own membership more than trying to add new people. I also fund Amnesty International and the David Suzuki Foundation and it was the same thing. Just ask to be put on their do-not-call list and that takes care of that.

BTW - their link is here if you want to read more: http://www.fosterparentsplan.ca/

[OILFAN #81]

Thanks for the response.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I like World Vision because you get letters from the child and reports that show their health/education progress. It costs about $40/month with options to give more for their birthday and holidays.

[Antithesis]

Hey Neil - considering this is indeed a very thoughtful thing but I thought I would post to let you know some of the things I have heard from family members about these agencies ...

I have unanimously been told by people that once you get started its really hard to stop due to feelings of guilt and such. Now, if that's not a big deal for you, that's cool.

There may be other alternatives to doing this kind of thing without the (supposed) guilt ... donations to UNICEF, or Free To Play or whatever its called.

Just thought I'd add that to the mix; its definitely a noble thing to consider doing but from what I understand it isn't exactly all warm-fuzzies.

[troutman]

We do World Vision. They kind of lied to me about not being "Christian" focused when I signed up. IMO, these kids need food, clothing, schooling and clean water, not bibles.

Nevertheless, I think most of the $ goes to good use, and they do good work. I think the web-site shows how much of your $ goes to what.

[Daradon]

Yeah, world vision is very Christian focused. Maybe you missed that little cross in their logo Troutman? Of course I think they only added that in the last two years or so, so if you were sponsoring before then...

I like the sound of that CFP/FFP program very much. I was thinking along the same lines but was doing some research and was getting dpressed with all the religious and political undertones was finding in some of these organizations, as well as some of the others that just took way to much in advertising and company programs.

[TimSJ]

we do http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ know a couple of doctors that do work with them and find it to be a great NGO to support

[OilersBaby]

Hey Oilfan,

That's awesome that you want to sponsor a child. Im just worried that a lot of the money goes to administrative costs and the poor child doesn't see any of the help...I know that when you donate to Unicef and the United Way, a very large percentage of your aid goes to administrative costs

I was talking to mom earlier and she said she wanted to sponsor a child too. Good stuff and let me know how it goes..

[Devils'Advocate]

That's what most people think. I know a lot of people that stopped giving money to all charities because "they are all run by crooks".

Unicef has a 10% admin budget and 90% programs. Now, some have questioned how wasteful their programs are but the examples I have seen bandied about have been two or three really bad projects cast as typical of the whole. Which really isn't the case.

Now, with CFP I've gotten updates directly from my foster child detailing the changes in the village. Maybe someone at their office is typing up fake letters and lying to me about the new classrooms in the school. But then why would they invite people to go visit the communities? I feel confident that a large portion of the money *IS* getting to the child/community.

But I think a lot of people lie to themselves about the "administrative costs" so they don't feel guilty about buying a big screen TV when the money could have provided vaccines for thousands of poor children.

-=-=-=-=-

TimSJ: Good call. Médecins Sans Frontières is a *WONDERFUL* organization. I have given lump-sum donations before but I really should add them to my payroll deduction program. BTW - the Canadian site is www.msf.ca .

[OilersBaby]

Wow awesome, thanks for the info!