Frequently Asked Questions
 

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s)


How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
The current cost of sponsorship is (USD) $35 a month per child.

How do I make out my support check?
You may make your check out to:
Give2GiveHope
PO Box 611
West Branch, MI  48661

When and how often should I send my support?
Please be sure the funds for the support of your sponsored child have arrived by the last day of the month. We try to allocate support each month to the children based on which funds were received the month prior.

Will a notice be sent when the support payment is due?
Life happens and sometimes we get busy and forget to send our check or have issues with our credit cards---we understand. We typically give a 'grace period' to allow for your child to continue to receive provisions for a month, with the assumption that their sponsors will be sending money by the end of the following month. If funds haven't been received for two months in a row, we generally will notify you to confirm if you would like to continue your sponsorship.

Please make sure we have your current email and communicate any email address changes to our organization so we can send you notices and updates.

What portion of the support money reaches my child?
Our goal is that 90% or more of the donations you provide for the support of your child is spent directly on food, clothing, medical care or education for your child. 10% or less is used for administrative expenses such as paying for the delivery of the food, communications expenses with our volunteer team in Honduras and with the families we serve, purchasing materials and postage for the children to communicate with their sponsors, etc.

What does my support money do?
Each child has different needs, and each child has a different economic and family situation. We work with our team in-country to determine the best use of the funds you have provided. Your support money may go to any or all of our four primary focuses: food, clothing, medical care or education.

Does anyone else sponsor my child?
No, each child is assigned to only one individual, family, or group at a time.

Who oversees and administers my donation so I can be sure it's being used correctly?
Our volunteer coordinators in-country oversee the dispersion of funds and provide receipts and tracking for the resources they use. No money is given directly to children or families as a safeguard to ensure funds are used in accordance with the purposes of our ministry and the intention of the donors providing those funds.

How long should I continue with my sponsorship?
The goal of Give2GiveHope is to see each child supported until they reach age 19 or finish their education. We understand circumstances may prevent every donor from being able to support their child to that point. We ask all donors to consider a minimum commitment of one year before intiating sponsorship of a child.

If at any time you feel unable to continue as a sponsor, you may discontinue by contacting us.

Can I donate more than $35/month for child sponsorship?
Yes, any additional fund received over $35/month for a sponsored child will be applied to helping Give2GiveHope in our mission to serve children in need. We have many programs including clean water, trade school construction, support for non-sponsored and urgent children, and annual celebrations (Children's Day and Christmas).

If your child has completed public education and wants to attend advanced education - either vocational school or high school - we do allow additional donations to be directed to use for those purposes. Please contact us if you're interested in supporting the educational needs of a child.

Can I send gifts to my child?
Monetary gifts can be made thorugh this website; however, all donations received in honor of a child's birthday or for Christmas are pooled to fund community-wide celebrations. No monetary gifts will be given directly to children.

If Give2GiveHope is planning a trip to the location where your child lives, and you would like to send a small gift to your child, we would be happy to deliver your gift for you. However, space is limited and there are many sponsors and children, so please use the following guidelines when selecting a gift for your child:

  • Keep your gift small and lightweight. We may need to charge $5/pound to be able to afford additional luggage if we run out of space.
  • Please limit yourself to nothing bigger than a small backpack. Flat items that can fit in a standard 9x12 envelope are best.
  • No perishable food items or other items that may be restricted for travel internationally via plane.
  • Please do not send anything extravagant. Keep in mind, many families live on $5/day so your gift should be comparable.
  • Do not send cash.
  • Send a photo of yourself and family. Tell about each member of your family. Your child would really like to have your picture. (Avoid photos which show your material possessions).
  • Include small paper gifts that can fit into an envelope: items such as photos, stickers, postcards, bookmarks, etc.
  • For your safety, please do not send address information or encourage your child to contact you directly

Can I send a monetary gift to my sponsored child or their family?
Donations are accepted for our annual celebrations - Christmas and Children's Day in September. Because of the large number of children and sponsors, and limited time and resources of our Program Coordinators, as well as cost incurred for shopping for children (transportation to the city), we do not facilitate direct gift-giving for a specific child. Give2GiveHope does not provide money directly to a child or their families.

If you would like to make a donation for the general benefit of your sponsored child's family, we will work with our Program Coordinators to determine the costs involved for a need or project that would benefit the family. We will communicate that information to you and coordinate how to best help the family. All donations and communications with the family or sponsored child should be run through Give2GiveHope. Please contact us if you have specific questions on how best to help the family of your sponsored child.

Is there a minimum or maximum amount I can give as a gift?
All donations received as gifts for birthdays or Christmas will be pooled to help fund community celebrations. Most donors find $20-$25 an appropriate donation for gift-giving although some sponsors have supported our community children celebrations at higher levels.

A minimum gift amount of $10 per special gift is required if making a donation via PayPal/credit card.

How much of my donation designated as 'gifts' goes to my child?
Although not specifically to your child, 100% of all special gifts go directly to children through our pooled celebration funds. We do not use funds designated as gifts to cover operational expenses.

Is there any other way I can send a gift to my sponsored child?
Customs complications, as well as the logistics of delivery of packages to remote locations makes sending gifts through standard channels problematic. Further, the risk of theft or loss of a package en route is high, and the duty charged by foreign governments often exceeds the value of the package.

Additionally, we highly encourage our sponsors to utilize Give2GiveHope as a conduit for communications to and from your sponsored child. This is in the best interests of both you and your child to ensure communications are appropriate and we can work to eliminate any potentially negative situations that may result from direct communication.

Do I have to send a gift to my child or their family?
No, you do not have to give gifts to your child or his family. A gift is truly that - a gift. Gifts are a way to help strengthen the relationship between you and your child, but are not required.
Will my child write to me?
Our goal is for you to receive correspondence from your child at least twice a year. Letters sent to you may take a few months to reach you because they must be translated before sending on and we receive them only when a team or staff member travels back to the US. If your child has not yet learned how to write, you may recieve communication from a family member or you may receive a small drawing or artwork from your child.

Give2GiveHope will send you an updated photo of your child every one to two years.

May I write to my child?
Certainly. Your child will know your name and treasure the thought that you really care. Our recommendation is to send your message via email using our sponsor area, but you may also hand-write a letter to your child using the following address:

Give2GiveHope
(Child's name and ID#)
PO Box 611
West Branch, MI  48661

Please do not include any part of your address in your letter or on the envelope going to your child.

All correspondence between you and your child should be forwarded through Give2GiveHope. This is for your protection and the protection of the children, since your address could be used by someone else for other purposes. Additionally, we require this for the protection of the children. Our team translates letters and will ensure delivery to your sponsored child during trips.

Please write in clear, simple English so the team will not have difficulty in translating your letter into the local language.

Am I required to write to my child?
No, however, corresponding with your sponsored child will help deepen the relationship between you. The children like to hear about what is going on in your life.

How long will it take my letter to reach my child?
If you send an email via our sponsor area, emails will be translated and delivered to your child at the next food distribution.

If you send a hand-written letter, it will be translated and sent with our team on the next trip they make to the country.

Can I send an email to my child?
Yes, absolutely. Our sponsor area on our website includes a way for you to send emails to your sponsored child. Please note that your child will not be able to reply back to your emails as computer access is very limited.

Emails will be received by your child more rapidly than hand-written letters, but still need to be translated and distributed at the following food distribution day, so delays in delivery will still occur.

What should I write about?
Encourage your child with a Bible verse or words of encouragement. Share with them things about your life. Please avoid discussing material possessions and be sensitive to the differences between your economic status and theirs.

Some ideas to write about:
  • Describe your family (e.g., where you live, what your family looks like, their interests or hobbies, the type of work they do, your pets, etc.).
  • Talk about your participation in church activities and the various ways you serve Christ.
  • School activities of your children or things you may be involved in.
  • Talk about special family events - weddings, graduation, trips, new jobs, holidays, etc.
  • Description of the weather, the geography of where you live, what it's like outdoors, the changes of the season, etc.
  • A Bible verse or your favorite Bible story. Affirm to your child how he is special to God and that He has a plan for her life.
  • Send birthday or holiday wishes to your child. (Keep in mind that letters may be delayed up to two months.)
  • Talk about some holiday customs you have with your family.
  • Share your daily routine. It may not sound that exciting to you, but your child will be interested to hear how your day is different from her own.
  • Discuss a person who made an impact on your life or some of the challenges you've faced, how you overcame those challenges, and what God taught you through that experience.
  • Talk about an important life lesson you learned or things that made a difference to you as you grew up.
  • Remind your child that you pray for him or her regularly.
  • Encourage your child to write back and/or draw pictures for you. Ask them questions so they have something to answer when they can write back.

What should I avoid writing to my child?
Please do not mention (or send photos of) anything that accentuates the economic differences between our societies or cultures. (e.g. the size of your home, how many vehicles you have.) Pay attention to what is in the background of your photos you send.

Do not suggest or imply that your child may come to visit you or that you will be sending a gift for them.

Do not include your home address - all correspondence should be routed through GiveGiveHope to ensure your security and that of the children.

Please do not send letters or materials that may be deemed inappropriate for the children. These items may include, but are not limited to:
  • materials that condone lifestyle choices inconsistent with our ministry values and beliefs
  • might be considered inappropriate in the child's culture
  • threaten the safety of the child in any way
  • depict or describe the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, unlawful drugs or materials or activities that we regard as dangerous
  • depict persons dressed in immodest clothing