Sponsor a child

[Neeper]

I've been thinking I want to help sponsor a child like those TV ads you see. Do any of you guys do this? Can anyone suggest a good charity to do this with? How much of the money donated actually goes to the specific child?

[Circa89]

Funny enough I just had a guy come to the door last week with World Vision and I finally did what I said I was always going to do and put up the money and sponsor a child.
Obviously I can't say I have good or bad thoughts on the experience itself just yet, they did answer a few important questions for me which may help your decision making process.

Firstly, they let you choose where and who to sponsor. You can choose a boy or girl and they give you a plethora of locations where there is the greatest need.

I asked how much money actually goes to the child, instead of lining the pockets of some exec in Toronto. They claim 85% goes to the child which is the highest of any foundation out there. I pay $35 per month with a minimum of a one year guarantee and they would like to see a long term commitment of 10-15 years or until the Child is self sustainable.

Lastly I asked if they were a Christian organization. His reply was that there were a lot of Christians in the organization however they are primarily non-demoniational. This is important to me as I do not have any issues per se with Christian values but I do not want to be promoting a missionary organization. I am not into the business of having children convert religions because they need the money. If they are muslim or jewish or some kind of obscure frog worshipping society I don't want to give my money to a society that is intent on changing their belief system.

I hope this helps you. I will keep you updated if I get any info packages in the mail. As much as I would like to think this is an altruistic act on my part it is really a guilt relieving mechanism and a way to make me feel better about my over indulgent western life style, but I hope it truly helps out in some way.

[burn_this_city]

My family has sponsored a few children since I was a kid, and we've had nothing but good things to say about sponsoring a child. We just recently received a middle school graduation photo from a young lad in Ghana, and he appears to be doing quite well. Although you never get the full picture from what we can tell our money is going to good use. The children often send drawings and letters to the sponsor family and in the past we have responded to them. It makes you feel better knowing that atleast they are given a chance at life instead of living in despair or worse.

[prarieboy]

My mother supports several children through Worldvision and has so for quite a few years now. She gets great satisfaction in seeing their pictures from year to year as they get older.

Very kind gesture on your part.

[stuckinchuck]

I went for a job interview a few years ago, they were very vague with the details. Turns out some of those door knockers for world vision aren't volunteers, and get a $50 per child they sign up, or something around that range. Struck me as pretty strange.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by Circa89

Lastly I asked if they were a Christian organization. His reply was that there were a lot of Christians in the organization however they are primarily non-demoniational. This is important to me as I do not have any issues per se with Christian values but I do not want to be promoting a missionary organization. I am not into the business of having children convert religions because they need the money.

That being the case you may want change organizations. "World Vision" is all about "delivering the word of God".

http://www.scribd.com/doc/42576/Avoi...m-and-Citibank

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I have sponsered a child via "Canada Foster Parents Plan" for 4 years now. You really get out of it what you put into it. For me, I'm really too busy to write my foster child, but I still get drawings and updates. CFPP is trailing World Vision slightly in % of money that goes into development (82% vs aforementioned 85%). Now, the money for CFPP doesn't go to the child him/herself. It really is split between the child and the village. For example, my money has gone towards food, clothing, books, etc. But it's also gone towards building a school and digging a well closer to my foster child's home so they don't have to walk two hours away for clean water.

[prarieboy]

[quote=Devils'Advocate;988060]That being the case you may want change organizations. "World Vision" is all about "delivering the word of God".


My Mom would welcome this news

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

My family has sponsored a few children since I was a kid, and we've had nothing but good things to say about sponsoring a child. We just recently received a middle school graduation photo from a young lad in Ghana, and he appears to be doing quite well. Although you never get the full picture from what we can tell our money is going to good use. The children often send drawings and letters to the sponsor family and in the past we have responded to them. It makes you feel better knowing that atleast they are given a chance at life instead of living in despair or worse.

So long as your organization isn't religion based would you be ok with sharing who you go through? PM it to me if you like.

[Neeper]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

My family has sponsored a few children since I was a kid, and we've had nothing but good things to say about sponsoring a child. We just recently received a middle school graduation photo from a young lad in Ghana, and he appears to be doing quite well. Although you never get the full picture from what we can tell our money is going to good use. The children often send drawings and letters to the sponsor family and in the past we have responded to them. It makes you feel better knowing that atleast they are given a chance at life instead of living in despair or worse.

Which organization are they going through?

[burn_this_city]

The agency we went through first was Foster Parent Plan. Recently we've gone through a Christian Foster agency that my parents heard about through their Catholic church. From what we understand the Ghanan (sp?)child's family is already Christian and theres no indoctrination or anything. Personally I think it would be a shame if someone decided not to sponsor a child due to a religious aversion. Theres a need out there and your money makes a very real difference in someone's life.

[gordo67]

http://www.nikkisplace.org/about.htm

I sponsor a child from the Agape Home in Thailand. $25 a month.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UspTFxgMNoE

[Redline]

I sponsor a young boy in Burkina Faso through Foster parents plan. Have done so for several years. I keep his picture on my pinboard and it's surprising how often it puts thing into perspective for me. Highly suggest it.

[Mike Oxlong]

My wife and I sponsor 2 kids (1 from India and 1 from Ethiopia) through Christian Childrens fund which has been great so far. Similar to the other organizations we get fairly regular updates, pictures, and letters from the kids.

This weekend we actually had the World Vision guys come to the door as well and we ended up sponsoring another girl from Cambodia. We were there this summer so it kind of hit close to home. We had been planning on sponsoring a 3rd child so when the World Vision guy came to us it just made it convenient as hell. Not that it is difficult to actually sponsor a child but sometimes we tend to forget to make the call or mail the letter so this worked out.

I am also surprised to hear that the World Vision guys get $50 per child they "sign up". The guy who was at my door was pretty aggressive actually and now that I hear they get paid it makes a bit more sense. He seemed a little too motivated to just be a volunteer.

I think it is well worth it. $35 a month really isn't that much to us but it does mean a WHOLE lot to them.

[Azure]

I don't see the big deal in paying $50 per child each time they get one sponsered.

Probably gives them more incentive to actually go out and get people to help.

Good on everyone here for what you're doing.