Sponsorship Guide

What is sponsorship and how does my sponsored child benefit?

Sponsorship is a powerful way to offer hope and opportunity to a child and family in need. Your Common Hope Sponsorship supports our mission of promoting the long-term development of children and families in Guatemala, and creates a personal connection between you and a child participating in our program. You can look at the photo of the student you sponsor and know that he or she is receiving the benefits of all you share, and more.

When you sponsor a child through Common Hope, your Sponsorship payment is used wisely and efficiently. Common Hope’s approach to sponsorship is unique because your sponsored student’s entire family can have access to our comprehensive and integrated programs.

Your Sponsorship may provide all or some of the following, depending on specific needs:

• Education - registration fees, tuition, books, supplies, and tutoring


• Health & Dental Care - preventive care, medication, surgery, and nutritional counseling


• Housing - homes, stoves, potable water, electrification, cement floors, and roofs


• Family & Community Development - adult education, job counseling, and emergency relief

Who can be sponsored through Common Hope?

• Students between the ages of five and twenty-five years old can be sponsored.


• All sponsored children must be attending school or participating in an organized educational program.

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Correspondence & Visits

What can I expect to receive from my sponsored child and Common Hope?

• An annual photo and annual letter from the child, translated by Common Hope.


• Periodic Activity Reports with updates on the student’s family and the services they receive.


• Quarterly newsletters featuring pictures and stories about sponsored children and their families.
  

How long will it take for me to hear from my sponsored child?

Letters need to be hand-carried to ensure safe delivery, translated by staff, and delivered to the family. As a result, communication may take several months to get to and from your sponsored student. We appreciate your patience!

How do I write letters and correspond with my sponsored child?

• We encourage you to send brief letters, cards, and photos to your sponsored child.


• All letters you send or receive will be translated by Common Hope.

Please include your sponsored child’s name and identification number, as well as your name on all correspondence. For your convenience, you can attach one of the labels included with your Sponsorship Packet to any correspondence you send.

• Please send your letters to: Common Hope PO Box 14298 St. Paul, MN 55114


• Letters also can be e-mailed to sponsorship@mn.commonhope.org. Please put your sponsored child’s name and ID number in the e-mail.


• Please do not send letters directly to Guatemala.

What should I write to my sponsored child?

The content of your letters is a personal decision, but below are some suggestions.

• Encourage students with their schooling.
• Describe your family and include a family photo if possible.


• Share information about your favorite hobbies and sports.


• Describe where you work or go to school.


• Share details about your family holidays and customs.


• Provide general information about the state or country where you live, omitting any address information.


• Please do not ask your sponsored student if he or she needs or wants anything from you. If you have specific concerns about your sponsored child’s needs, please direct them to our U.S. Sponsorship staff.
  
• Avoid elaborating on your material possessions.


• Please do not suggest that your sponsored student visit you in your country.
• We reserve the right not to translate content that is culturally inappropriate.

Can I visit the child I sponsor?

• We welcome visitors to Guatemala and will happily set up a sponsorship visit for you!


• Please contact the U.S. Office at least two weeks before you would like to make your visit to Guatemala.

If you are interested in joining a Vision Team group traveling to Guatemala, please contact Common Hope’s Vision Team staff at 651-917-0250 for more information. During this trip, a visit can be made to your sponsored child.

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Can I send packages to my sponsored child?

• We welcome you to include small, flat items with your letters, such as softcover books in Spanish, bookmarks, stickers, stamps, and photos.


• All parcels should weigh less than 1 pound and must fit into a flat envelope.

How do I send monetary gifts for my sponsored child?

• We encourage you to make donations to Common Hope's Gift Fund. These donations will be used to purchase gifts for sponsored children for the holiday season and for birthdays. An annual gift of $60 or more will help with this cost, but gifts of any amount are encouraged and appreciated.


• If you are interested in helping your sponsored student and family with a special need that costs $250 or more, please contact our U.S. Office at 651-917-1045 or sponsorship@mn.commonhope.org and we will assist you with this request.


• You may send monetary gifts for your sponsored child to:
  Common Hope PO Box 14298 Saint Paul, MN 55114.

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How long are students sponsored?

• Sponsorship continues as long as a student stays in school, until the family becomes economically independent, or until the child and family move out of the area where we work.


• Common Hope will sponsor students throughout their educational careers. We often sponsor students finishing high school and furthering their education.


• Sponsors are always notified when their sponsored child is no longer participating in our program. When this occurs, we invite sponsors to begin sponsoring a new child.

How can I end my Sponsorship?

• If for any reason, you cannot continue your Sponsorship, you may discontinue it by notifying our U.S. Office at 651-917-1045 or sponsorship@mn.commonhope.org


• The sponsored student will continue receiving help from Common Hope until another sponsor can be found.
  

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How much does my Sponsorship cost?

Common Hope offers two options for Sponsorship:

• Lead Sponsorship - $60 or more per month. A Lead Sponsor is the only Sponsor for a child.


• Guiding Sponsorship - $30 or more per month. A child may have two Guiding Sponsors.

What are my Sponsorship payment options?

• Direct Payment. Our favorite option! Direct payment means that your contributions are automatically deducted from your checking or savings account each month. We prefer this method because it keeps our administrative costs low. We will be happy to send you an authorization form to complete and return to us.


• Annual Payment by check, money order, or credit card. You will receive an annual reminder by mail or email.


• Monthly, quarterly, or semiannual payment be check or money order. You will receive a Coupon Book annually to help you keep track of your payments.


• Monthly credit card payment. We can automatically charge your credit card each month. Please note that 2-4% of your total gift goes back to the credit card company for their services.


• Stock gift . You may pay for your Sponsorship by donating shares of stock equaling the value of your sponsorship payment. Please contact our U.S. Office for more information about this giving option.


• If, at any time, you would like to adjust your payment method, please contact us at (651) 917-1045 or sponsorship@mn.commonhope.org.

What tax information do I need to know?

• Common Hope keeps detailed records of all contributions. We will send you an annual contribution summary each January. To keep our administrative costs low, we will not acknowledge each monthly payment with a separate thank-you letter.


• Contributions to Common Hope are 100% tax deductible as allowed by law.


• Common Hope is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.

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What other ways can I help Common Hope?

Please contact us at 651-917-0917 or info@mn.commonhope.org if you would like more information about any of the opportunities listed below:

• Make an additional financial gift to be used where most needed.


• Tell your friends and family about Common Hope.


• Volunteer in the U.S. Office or in Guatemala.


• Collect supplies - Please refer to the list of needed items for guidance.


• Invite Common Hope to give a presentation at your church or to another interested group.


• Request a Common Hope video, DVD, or printed materials to learn more about us.


• Participate in a Vision Team trip organized through our U.S. Office.


• Sponsor another child or help us find sponsors.

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