How your donations are used
Holt pools sponsors' donations for each country to provide for the children in that country, so your sponsored child will directly benefit from your donations. A child may be in care for only three months, or he may need care for many years; each child's situation is unique. By pooling sponsors' donations Holt provides a stable living environment for all the children in care, including the child you sponsor. Because Holt completely provides for the welfare of the majority of the children, in most cases more than one sponsor is needed to support each child.
The Goal
Sponsors will have the joy of learning that their sponsored child is united with his or her permanent family. Each year approximately 90 percent of the children who leave Holt's sponsorship program are either adopted or reunited with their birth families. When your sponsored child has a permanent, loving home, you will have changed a life and made a real difference in the world.
When your child is with her permanent family we will celebrate with you, because she will know the love, security and belonging of a family. You will continue the celebration by sponsoring another child who is still awaiting the loving embrace only parents can give.
Learn more about additional ways to help.
How Sponsorship Works
Getting Started
When you register to be a sponsor you will have the opportunity to choose the country and gender of your child. Alternately you may allow us to choose a country and child for you, based on areas of greatest need. After registering we will send you a packet which includes a photograph of your child, a report on his or her well-being and additional sponsorship information.
- Regular progress reports with photos of your child.
- Holt's magazine, Holt International Magazine.
- The opportunity to send letters and special donations to your sponsored child.
Payment Methods
You can send your donation by Electronic Fund Transfer, Visa or MasterCard, personal check or money order. You may send the donation monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually. With the secure enrollment form you can start sponsoring a child today or request an information packet be sent to you in the mail.
The Celebration
When your child is finally home with his permanent family, we will send you a letter explaining that he has left Holt's care. We will rejoice with you because you have changed a life through your loving support. As we notify you that your sponsored child has a permanent home, we will also include a report and photo of another child who needs a sponsor's support. Please keep the photos of your previous sponsored child as a reminder of how you are helping others, but know that there is another child who needs you.
FAQs
Can I choose the age, gender or country of the child I sponsor?
Yes! Many people ask to sponsor a boy or girl of the same age as their own child or grandchildren. Others have interest in a particular country. Tell us your preference and we'll do our best to match you with a child who compliments your interests.
What countries have child sponsorships?
Holt currently has children available for sponsorship in China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Korea, Nepal, Philippines, Romania, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ukraine and Uganda.
How long is a child in the sponsorship program?
Some children are in the program for a few weeks; others may remain several years. It varies depending on how long it takes to find a permanent home for the child. We will let you know when your child has left Holt's care and give you the opportunity to sponsor another child who needs your help.
Why are so many children waiting to be adopted?
Children must wait while families are identified through the process of homestudies and while individual country criteria are met.
How often will I receive news on my sponsored child?
You will receive a current child report and picture several times a year. The reports are written by social workers and staff in your child's country who have personal contact with your child.
How can I correspond with my child?
You can send cards, letters and pictures to your child by sending them to Holt at PO Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402. Be sure your child's name and case number are on the correspondence. Please do not refer to yourself as your child's family as this can be confusing to a child waiting for an adoptive family. Also, please do not include your address in letters to your child, as we ask that all correspondence be sent through our main office.
Can I send a gift to my child?
We understand your desire to send packages to your sponsored child. However, Holt cannot accept packages for the following reasons:
- High duty charges in many countries
- High cost of shipping
- Possibility of loss, theft or damage
- Difficulty getting packages to children in isolated locations
If you would like to remember your child in a special way, you may enclose small items in letters to your child or in an envelope no larger than 6x9 inches. Some items which children will enjoy for many months are: stickers, bookmarks, picture postcards and other flat, inexpensive items.
Are my contributions tax deductible?
Yes! Holt qualifies as a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization under IRS code 501(c)(3). You will receive a receipt acknowledging your tax deductible contribtions.
How often should I send in my contribution?
You may send in your contribution on an annual basis, quarterly, bi-monthly or monthly. When we receive your gift, we will send your receipt along with a return envelope for your next sponsorship contribution. Checks should be made payable to Holt.
Will I be billed?
Holt strives to help children as effectively and efficiently as possible. This philosophy extends to our donation reporting. As our sponsorship program has grown, we have found it most cost effective to send statements in large batches. Statements include a record of giving along with a return portion which expedites processing for those who contribute by check. This return portion can serve as a reminder or bill for those who pay by check. You will receive your periodic statements according to your giving method:
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Giving Method
Check
AutoPay (EFT and credit card)
Annual contributors
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Statement Cycle
Monthly
Quarterly
Quarterly
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Can I contribute by Visa, MasterCard or electronic fund transfer?
Yes! We encourage you to take advantage of our most cost effective donation methods: recurring Visa or MC payments and electronic funds transfer (EFT). Many sponsors appreciate these secure and convenient ways of contributing to Holt. These donation methods reduce administration costs and allow more of your contributions to go to the children.
Simply fill out the form you receive in the information packet and return it to our office, or, in the case of Visa/MC, you can use our secure on-line form. We'll include you in the program, and you won't have to remember to mail your sponsorship donation each month! If you'd like more information about Holt's recurring Visa/MC or EFT programs, please contact our Sponsorship Representatives at 1-800-451-0732.
How much of my contribution goes to my child and how much is spent on overhead?
Holt maintains a very efficient, low cost of operation. In 2007 Holt's management and general expenses combined with fundraising expenses totaled only 22 percent of total expenses. Over 78 percent of Holt's expenses supported programs that benefited children.
How do I know my donations are going where you say they are going?
At Holt, every charitable contribution is taken seriously. Holt adheres to the guidelines established by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and works to ensure a low cost of fundraising and administration. Jones & Roth performs annual audits, with copies available upon request. Accountants work with Program Managers to ensure donations are used for the purpose for which they were donated. Holt staff regularly travel to Holt's sponsorship countries to ensure the children continue to receive the high level of services for which Holt is known.
How sponsorship changes lives
A historical look back at how Holt Sponsors have helped past children.
Julie Duvall’s story in her own words
Julie was raised in an orphanage until the age of 16. |
As a small child living in a Korean orphanage, it was difficult to find hope in my life. I had very few possessions- no new clothes, no spending money for anything special (obtaining the barest of essentials was often difficult). There was no sense of being cared for or even feeling like I was special to someone. This created in me a deep sense of insecurity.
However, as an orphaned child, I remember one of the few exceptions to this was knowing there was someone far away who cared; this was my Sponsor Family. They were my example of a family, and the cards and letters they sent were very special to me.
To this day, we stay in touch. They are still an important part of my life.
Now, after coming to the United States as an adult, I am happily married and the proud mother of two wonderful daughters. It astonishes me that my life changed so drastically.
One thing I know for sure is that my Sponsor's support made a great difference in my life.
This type of support can make a difference in a homeless child's life. It helps give them a sense of belonging and security. To an orphan, Sponsors are their "hope." I've been there and that is how my friends and I at the orphanage felt.
Steve Morrison
Steve Morrison, front row, center, lived at Holt's Ilsan Center. |
Although Ilsan now houses special needs children exclusively, there were many normal, healthy children living in Ilsan when I was young. We ran all over the hills playing soldiers with wooden swords and guns. We hunted frogs, snakes and birds just for fun. We would climb chestnut trees and pick chestnuts that were ripening in the autumn air. At Ilsan we learned how to read and write, and we learned about Jesus and His love.
When I lived at Ilsan, cards would arrive, sent by sponsors in America. I remember how happy I was to receive mail. Because I was too young, I really didn’t know who my sponsors were, but I knew that some kind-hearted people in America cared for me a lot.
My sponsors, Bob and Janet Mansfield, were unaware of my adoption and, a little while after I’d left for America, they sent another mail package to me. Holt informed them of my adoption, so they wrote a letter to Holt to find out where I lived. Holt contacted my parents, who lived in Salt Lake City at the time, to see whether Holt could release our address to the Mansfields. My parents happily wrote them a letter and that was the start of our contact in America. Shortly after I came to the States, we took a five-week vacation visiting relatives in Indianapolis, IN. The Mansfields also lived in Indiana. While we stayed at our relatives’ house, the Mansfield family came down from Fort Wayne to visit us.
They were just as I had imagined when I lived at the Ilsan Center. They had
sponsored me until I was 13 years old. We quickly established a bond of friendship that has lasted to this day.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise when I decided to sponsor a child some years ago. I still remember vividly the feelings I had when I was told there was a sponsor for me in America. Although I couldn’t see my sponsors, I could sense their caring hearts. I wanted to extend the same kind of care to other homeless children who were in need of a sponsor. I know what they are going through as children trying to grow up without families. I have been there and I know what it’s like to be sponsored. To such children, every bit of love and attention will do wonders for them. The Mansfields continue to sponsor children to this day. They are certainly my role model as sponsors and as caring individuals.
Letters from Sponsors and Families
We would like to thank you for sponsoring our son. He arrived on May 21, 1998; he was 4 months old. He joins a sister, she is 2 years older. She was also born in Korea. Our son has adjusted quite well, at 5 months, he is sitting up with very little assistance and his two bottom teeth have come in. He is healthy and happy.
The Michael Family
Dear Friends,
The frequent pictures and reports on my sponsored child formed a very real bond of love for me. Thank you most very sincerely. I pray all is well for him. Thank you for the opportunity to sponsor my new child. His picture does reveal a precious little one. I am happy to sponsor him as long as necessary.
Edna Trout
My daughter-in-law and I traveled to pick up a little girl they had adopted. I wanted to convey to Holt how impressed I was with the work that's being done. The people and organization were exceptional in their dedication and ability. I was very pleased to know our money was being used in this way. My husband and I are going to sponsor another child.
Sherry Lepird
I love being able to help. My sponsored child and others like her are the future of the world and it gives me joy to feel I have the power to change things even if it only makes her a kinder mother to her own children.
Lynne Miller
Promote Sponsorship in your area
Do you have a group that you'd like to share Holt's Child Sponsorship program with- a Bible Study group, Youth Group, your office, Staff Picnic- just about any group you can think of? We have brochures and flyers you can use. We'll even send you a short DVD and script to follow when doing a presentation. The best thing you can do when providing nutrition, medical attention and love with another child, is share our mission to children with those you know. There's always room for more sponsors with lots of love to share!
Contact Us
Still have questions or comments about sponsorship? Let us know. We'll respond immediately. Your input is important to our sponsorship program. Call us toll free at 1- 800- 451- 0732 or send us an e-mail at sponsorship@holtintl.org.
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