Frequently Asked Questions About Child Sponsorship

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Sponsorship

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What do I do to sponsor a child?
Send in an application with a first payment to activate your sponsorship. Please indicate the center or country of your choice, or let us choose the child for you. If a child is not currently available from a center selected, we will notify you and inform you of other centers with children available. Contact us now at  wcm@ucc.org

Who are the children in the program?
The children generally have been abandoned, orphaned or are refugees. They may be Family Court referrals, street kids or from poor families. They range in age from two to eighteen.

Where are the sponsorship sites located?
Sponsored children live in several countries. Click  here to read about the sponsorship sites.

Will I receive information about a specific child?
Yes. A brief biography and photo of “your” child, with a cover letter, will be sent to you by the Child Sponsorship Office. Sponsored children in the centers are not adoptable. However, you may consider them as an extended family member or a God-child.

May I write to my sponsored child?
Yes you may! Your child will love to hear from you. If the child is old enough to write or draw, he or she will answer your letters. The center will translate as needed. If the child is too young to write, the administrators will write and keep you informed of your child’s progress. It is our hope that you will receive at least two letters and/or progress reports per year from your child. Mail services to and from countries experiencing war or conflict may be extremely slow or even impossible at times. Please be patient. If you do not hear from your child, contact the Child Sponsorship Office and we will try to get information for you.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
The cost of sponsoring a child varies from center to center according to the services provided and the cost of living in that country. The lowest amount is $25 per month, the highest is $30 per month.

How much of my payment will be used for administrative cost?
There is no administrative fee! Commitment money goes directly to meet the child’s needs. Administrative costs are paid through undesignated gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission (United Church of Christ) and Christian Mission Fund (Disciples of Christ).

How does my child benefit from the money I provide?
Your support helps provide a child with adequate food, clothing, healthcare and, sometimes, housing. In the case of a school age child, your support may also help to pay school fees or buy uniforms and books.

When do I send my first payment?
Mail your first payment with your application. Payments begin the same month the child is assigned. You may choose one of several pledge options.

What is a short-term sponsorship?
A child is “eligible” for sponsorship until they are 18 years old. Some children in our program come in as teenagers. The older the child the shorter the sponsorship time before aging out of the program.

How long am I expected to sponsor a child?
You determine your personal financial commitment to your child. Please contact the Child Sponsorship Office if you wish to cancel your sponsorship so we can identify another sponsor. No child is ever “dropped” or refused services.

How do I pay?
Please make your check or money order payable to Wider Church Ministries earmarked for the Global Ministries Child Sponsorship Program. Electronic payment options are available.

Will I receive receipts?
Each time you send in a payment, we will mail you a receipt for your tax records.

May I send my child gifts?
All our centers and the Child Sponsorship Office share the concern that special gifts for individual children may create distinctions and alienate other children who don’t have sponsors.

We suggest:

  • sending school supplies which can be used by many of the center’s children;
  • sending a modest gift such as a T-shirt or
  • sending a financial gift for general use by the center to benefit all the children. Contact the Child Sponsorship Office to discuss how to send special gifts.