Q: HOW DOES SPONSORSHIP HELP?

A: Sponsoring provides monthly, recurring support that enables our staff on the ground to ensure the child you sponsor is in school, has the supplies needed for success, is receiving medical care, and other basic needs. All children in the same program as your child benefit from sponsorship support; however, your sponsorship provides you and the child you sponsor with the opportunity to connect through letter-writing and the opportunity to meet on mission trips. We hope you will form a long-lasting relationship that will benefit you both beyond measure!

Q: HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD OR VIEW MY SPONSORSHIP ACCOUNT?

A: The easiest way to sponsor a child is to visit our website at https://heal.childsponsorshipservices.org/ and enter your donation payment information. You may also contact us at (770) 559-9338 or connect@childsponsorshipservices.org and we will be happy to help you. Once you sign up to sponsor, you can return to the website and log in to your account at https://heal.childsponsorshipservices.org/ to manage your payment method, write your child, and make other changes to your account.

Q: HOW LONG WILL MY SPONSORSHIP LAST?

A: Your sponsorship is completely voluntary and lasts however long you feel led to help. Many of our sponsors have supported one or more children in our programs for years. Generally speaking, children are sponsored until they graduate from our program after secondary school. Once a child graduates from secondary school, we will refer another child in our primary school to you so that your sponsorship will continue to support our school and the children attending.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY CHILD GRADUATES OR IF THEY LEAVE THE PROGRAM?

A: Remember, your support is benefitting not only your sponsored child, but all the children in the program that your child is a part of. Children leave our programs for many reasons. Despite the opportunity they receive from our sponsors, children may drop out of school, become pregnant, get married, leave without notice or move away. Our goal is always to take them as far in their education as we can with your support. We ask that you pray for your child, their family, and their community. Your child will know your name, pray for you, and treasure the letters and pictures they receive. They feel encouraged by being sponsored and their life-path will be different because of your generosity and relationship with them.

Once your child graduates, or leaves the program for any reason, we will notify you of the change and select another child in the same community for you. This helps to ensure the programs remain fully funded; however, you can email or call us if you prefer that we stop your sponsorship or transfer you to a different child of your own choosing.

Q: CAN I DISCONTINUE MY SPONSORSHIP?

A: You can discontinue your sponsorship at any time by sending an email to connect@childsponsorshipservices.org or by phoning us at (770) 559-9338. Once we are notified, we begin the process of finding a new sponsor so your child’s support can continue uninterrupted. The more lead-time we receive from you, the easier it will be to find a new sponsor to support your child.

FINANCIAL

Q: HOW MUCH DOES A SPONSORSHIP COST AND HOW CAN I PAY?

A: Our sponsorships are $39 per month and can be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. The preferred method of sponsorship payment is by credit or debit card but we can also set up automatic withdrawals from your bank account. If you prefer to mail your payments, you may send your check payable to HEAL Child Sponsorship Team, P.O. Box 71447, Marietta, GA 30007.

Q: ARE MY CONTRIBUTIONS ELIGIBLE FOR TAX DEDUCTION?

A: Yes! Your sponsorship donation is being processed by Child Sponsorship Services and executed for the HEAL child sponsorship program. Child Sponsorship Services is a division of BrightPoint for Children, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) organization.

All donations are 100% tax-deductible. Child Sponsorship Services will issue your year-end contribution statement for tax purposes by email, or the U.S. Postal Service if you do not have an email address.

Q: HOW CAN I UPDATE MY PAYMENT INFORMATION?

A: You can log in to your account at any time at https://heal.childsponsorshipservices.org/ to update your sponsorship payment method. We can also update your account for you if you prefer to call us at (770) 559-9338.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

Q: WILL I BE ABLE TO CORRESPOND WITH MY SPONSORED CHILD?

A: Relationships are at the heart of what we do, so HEAL will make every effort to ensure that you receive periodic correspondence from your child. It could be a handwritten letter, craft, or electronic communication. Please remember that the community where your child lives is in remote areas of Kenya and regular correspondence can be challenging. We rely on mission teams to deliver and return letters to and from the children and youth. Though this can be time-consuming, we believe it is the best way to ensure that letters get to where they are intended.

Corresponding with your child is greatly encouraged! They are always excited to receive letters and photos. We ask that you limit written communication to about 4x per year and that your letters be no longer than a few paragraphs. This helps us with printing, delivery, and translation (if applicable) costs. Photographs are also a great way to share information about yourself or your family and they are treasured by the children.

There are three easy ways you can send a letter or photo to your child:

1. Log on to your sponsorship account at https://heal.childsponsorshipservices.org/. Once logged in, you will see a button to write your sponsored child, as well as attach up to 5 photos. The letters will be printed, translated if necessary, and delivered to your child.
2. Mail your letter and pictures directly to: HEAL Child Sponsorship Team, P.O. Box 71447, Marietta, GA 30007.
3. Email your letter and photos to connect@childsponsorshipservices.org where it will be printed, translated if necessary, and delivered to your sponsored child.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE WITH MY LETTER TO ENSURE IT GETS TO MY SPONSORED CHILD?

A: Please include your name and the child’s name on your correspondence. We organize the letters before we send them with teams who travel with and deliver the letters. Please know that we review all letters to and from the children for appropriateness for everyone’s privacy and safety. We ask that you not share your last name, home address, or email.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT?

A: Your sponsored student will love hearing about you and your life! That can include stories of your family, friendships, pets, and hobbies. Your church life is also a great part of your life to share with your child. The children may know limited English so brief, thoughtful messages are best. Photographs are cherished and a great way to share your life with your child. We just ask that you be careful not to share photos or stories that highlight the economic differences that may exist between you and your child or their community.

Q: WHAT SORT OF LETTERS CAN I EXPECT FROM MY CHILD

A: Your child may write about what they are learning in school or about their family. Letter-writing exercises are sometimes done during school to help the children learn English or as a writing assignment. Not all children are good at writing so don’t be discouraged by brief or impersonal messages. The longer you remain in contact, the more likely it is that your letters will become more personal. If your child is too young to write, or has other factors limiting his/her ability to write, an aid may write for them and will note that they transcribed the letter for the child. Coloring pages or other crafts may be sent from time-to-time as well.

Q: CAN I SEND GIFTS TO MY CHILD?

A: We understand that the intention is heartfelt but we do not encourage gifts and are not able to transport oversized items to our sponsored youth. Gifts from sponsors can cause jealousy and bad feelings amongst children and families in the communities where we work. They are also difficult for mission team to take with them due to airline packing restrictions and fees that may be incurred for bringing items into another country. If items are sent that we cannot transport, we will donate them to a local charity that works with underserved youth.

You may, however, send birthday, Christmas, and other holiday cards, stickers, coloring pages, Bible verse or prayer cards, and bookmarks as long as they fit in a flat envelope that is of reasonable size.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY SPONSORED CHILD OR THEIR FAMILY CONTACT ME DIRECTLY?

A: With access to the internet and social media, this can sometimes occur. We ask that you not respond directly to your child or their family. Though the outreach may be innocent, we want to make sure no one is trying to take advantage of the situation or asking for anything inappropriately. Children and families in our programs are aware of the policy to not reach out to sponsors directly. If it is a person you once sponsored that has graduated from our programs that is reaching out to you, we would like the opportunity to speak with you before you respond. We recommend you contact us at connect@childsponsorshipservices.org so we can discuss the best next steps.

Q: CAN I VISIT MY SPONSORED CHILD?

A: Yes, we would love for you to visit your sponsored child! One of the highlights of a HEAL service trip is the moment when sponsors are able to meet their sponsored children for the first time. We strongly encourage you to consider joining us on a service trip to your sponsored child’s community. You will get to meet your child, serve God’s kingdom, and see first-hand the challenges your child faces in their daily lives.

Please remember, just like children in our country, your sponsored child has school and daily responsibilities in their family. Your visit does not remove your child’s obligation to their daily routine and family. We encourage you, however, to spend time learning about your child’s daily life while serving alongside them in the community.

To learn more about service trips please go our website: http://www.healraisingourworld.org/

Q: IS IT OKAY TO POST PHOTOS ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS?

A: We love that you are excited about your sponsorship and want to share that information with family and friends with whom you are connected by social media. If you sponsor a child outside of the United States and want to post photos of him or her that you receive, or that you have taken if you have had the good fortune to meet him/her, that is okay but we ask that you only use the child’s first name for their safety. It may also be advisable to not share information about where they live because some areas of the world are more dangerous than others for children and/or Christian ministries. If you have further questions about this, please feel free to contact us directly at (770) 559-9338 or email us at connect@childsponsorshipservices.org.