CHILD SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM (WELCOME PACKET)

CHILD SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM (WELCOME PACKET)

(WELCOME) SPONSORSHIP WITH HORIZON Thank you for your generous investment in the life of a child! Your sponsorship will prepare a child for life beyond the children s home, helping to meet their food, shelter, healthcare, education and wellness needs through the holistic care approach of Horizon s micro-community model. We appreciate the financial commitment you have made to be a part of our Child Sponsorship Program, and are committed to making it a meaningful, transformative experience for all involved. This packet has been created for you as a guide in your new sponsoring relationship. Please don t hesitate to contact us if we can provide further support! Sponsorship with Horizon is a symbiotic relationship where you can personally support a child from a developing country. Through partnering with us in this way, you are directly supporting the mission of Horizon Initiative to rescue and empower orphaned children to self-sustainability through a micro-community model. Because of our 100% Promise, your entire contribution will go directly to support your sponsored child. A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP The cape buffalo is one of Africa s largest and most fearsome animals; it cannot even be harmed by lions. Yet this beast cannot survive without a little bird called the oxpecker. Just like the buffalo and the bird, the wealthy and the poor both have something the other needs. We believe that when the two are brought together, life happens. For your investment in the life of a child, you will receive access to a personal online interface where you can communicate with your child. There, you will receive a child profile, letters from your child, and updates on the impact that your support is making. 2

(WHAT WE DO) WHAT IS A MICRO COMMUNITY? When we started Horizon Initiative, we knew the children s home would be our anchor. However, we wanted to find a way to invest in the lives and dreams of these children as effectively as possible, while still having a positive impact on the surrounding community. We wanted to utilize the wealth of resources, talents, and compassionate people that were already there, while developing a model that would be capable of supporting itself. That s when we decided not to just build children s homes in underdeveloped countries, rather self-sustaining micro communities. A micro community is a compound of 6-12 acres that is anchored by a children s home or family units, and consists of farming plots, dairy and poultry units, and any other micro-business ventures that generate income and offset the operational costs of the micro community. Incorporated into the model is a two-fold educational system. We send all of our children to academic school while integrating our on-site trade school, providing children and staff with training opportunities and vocational trades. For instance, from our sewing center, we are making our own school uniforms and selling additional apparel to neighboring students and schools. Within our computer lab, children and staff are learning basic computer skills. With our poultry unit, we are able to provide eggs for breakfast and sell the excess at the market. With this model, we rescue orphaned children and enable them not only to become consumers of resources, but producers as well. 3

(WHAT WE DO, CONT D) HOW DOES MY SPONSORSHIP IMPACT A CHILD FOR LIFE? In a national economy where the unemployment rate exceeds 40% and upwards of 80% in the areas where Horizon works many young men and women lack a marketable skill. Together, we will equip them with a quality education, life values and skills, and the confidence to pursue their goals and provide for themselves. Since we recognize that each child s situation may be different, we seek to offer a fitting and culturally relevant inheritance to each child, whether that be a piece of land, a university degree, or a trade coupled with business training. This is where our on-site trade school is absolutely crucial, especially for those who do not advance to college. We challenge our children to implement a strong work ethic; our graduates we encourage innovative thinking. Regardless of the avenue fitting for each child, we aim for each one to have the resources necessary to put their ideas and strengths to action, serving as a productive member of society with a renewed sense of purpose and dignity. It is our goal for each child that he or she will be self-sufficient, capable of sustaining personal and extended family needs, and able to provide positively to the sustainability of their community, therefore breaking the generational cycle of poverty within their family system. 4

(COMMUNICATIONS & UPDATES) HOW CAN I COMMUNICATE WITH MY CHILD AND STAY CONNECTED? You will receive a personal online interface where you can communicate with your child and see your communication over time. There, you will receive photos of your child, a child profile, at minimum two letters from your child each year, and updates on the micro-community where your child lives. Through a simple, user-friendly platform, you will be able to download and print these files, and then upload your own photos and letters as you wish. Once your Sponsor Interface is set up, you will receive instructions on how to access and use. Please contact us directly for further assistance. We also invite you to join our online communities and website for more frequent updates on our micro-communities and growth as an organization. Website: www.horizoninitiative.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/horizoninitiative Twitter: www.twitter.com/horizonempowers Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/horizoninitiative YouTube: www.youtube.com/horizonempowers WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT? Keep your letters short and use simple vocabulary. Keep your letters positive and encouraging. Describe your family, home, pets, hobbies, sports, job/school, city and country, etc. Consider spending some time researching Kenya as a base to ask your child questions. Ask your child to teach you some Swahili words. Ask only a few questions at a time so they are not overwhelmed. Be sensitive to avoid sending pictures of material possessions keeping in mind the difference in socioeconomic status between Western and developing cultures. Avoid suggesting your child to visit you. Avoid asking your child what kind of gifts he/she would like to receive. She section on gift giving for more info. 5

(COMMUNICATIONS & UPDATES, CONT D) CAN I SEND GIFTS TO MY SPONSORED CHILD? Our micro-communities hold three annual birthday celebrations where each child receives a small gift, in addition to a holiday celebration at the end of the year. If you would like to help support these celebrations by donation, please visit our website to make your tax-deductible contribution. If you would like to send a small gift directly to your sponsored child, please contact us. ARE THERE OTHER WAYS I CAN CONTRIBUTE? We offer opportunities to give toward specific, relevant projects at our micro-communities. Visit our website at www.horizoninitiative.org to learn about one-time giving opportunities and other ways to make an impact. CAN I VISIT MY SPONSORED CHILD? We coordinate several trips each year to experience Horizon s self-sustaining work on the ground. Please contact us directly to inquire. 6

(PAYMENT) HOW DOES PAYMENT WORK? Monthly sponsorship (Basic Care, Education, Wellness or Home Based Care) is payable on the 15 th of each month at $35 USD ($40 CAD) per sponsorship. You may also choose the option of a one-time payment for the sponsorship year at $420 USD ($480 CAD). Unless you are participating in Horizon s Corporate Sponsorship Payroll Deductible Program, please read your payment options below. BY MAIL Please make your check payable and mail to: (If a resident of Canada) (If a resident of the USA) Harvest/Symbios Horizon Initiative Child Sponsorship Child Sponsorship 248 Patterson Street 1576 Lititz Pike Newmarket, Ontario Lancaster, PA Canada, L3Y 3L8 USA, 17601 Please write the full name of your child on the memo line. VIA PAYPAL We offer the option of automatic monthly payments with your credit or debit card through PayPal. Please visit the Sponsor Login page on our website where you can subscribe to automatic monthly payments. ARE MY DONATIONS ELIGIBLE FOR INCOME TAX DEDUCTION? Yes, you will receive a tax receipt for all contributions early in the following year. Because of our 100% Promise, your entire financial contribution will go directly to support your sponsored child. 7

(PAYMENT CONT D) DOES SPONSORSHIP FULLY COVER THE COST OF MY CHILD? The cost to fully cover a child living at one of our micro-communities does not cover the actual cost per child, which typically falls around $120. However, we view sponsorship as a shared investment with you, the sponsor, while the remainder is covered by our wealth generation model and on-site sustainability. While this total cost per child is more than that of most other sponsorship programs, we firmly believe in a high level of care and opportunity at our children s homes; it is our hope that this quality approach not only differentiates us from other orphanages, but truly empowers these children to self-sustainability in the long run. And with that, we know it to be a worthy investment that we are grateful to share with you! HOW LONG DOES SPONSORSHIP LAST? We offer the opportunity for sponsors to renew on an annual basis, however we welcome partnership for as long as you wish, even to the point where your child is determined self-sustainable. Sponsorship typically extends through the completion of high school. Depending on the avenues available to your child following high school, there may be opportunities to continue to support your child whether through college sponsorship or additional business training. Again, because we view sponsorship as a shared investment in the life of a child, we understand and respect your decision to withdraw from the program at any time. If this ever becomes the case, we ask that you please inform us at least 10 days before your next payment is due. 8

(CONTACT) CHILD SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR, TRIPS Annette Ganzenberg aganzenberg@horizoninitiative.org (905) 898-6389 PROJECT MANAGER, MISCELLANEOUS INQUIRIES Amy Schulz aschulz@horizoninitiative.org (717) 669-5727 9