FAQ’s

World Help was born out of a sincere desire to help those in need, not only spiritually, but physically. Founded in 1991 by Vernon Brewer as a nonprofit Christian organization, World Help began providing God’s Word to the spiritually starved nations of Eastern Europe.

See more of World Help’s founding story here.

World Help is committed to being good stewards in everything we do—because we recognize that every resource is entrusted to us by God.

World Help strives to keep overhead costs to a minimum using only 9 percent for the administration for various projects. Only 5 percent is used for fundraising with 86 percent for ministry programs. All gifts designated for specific purposes are used as designated.

Read more about our financials here.

Since inception, World Help has worked with national partners in 70 countries. Below is a list of the countries we’ve worked in (some are excluded for security reasons):

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Argentina
• Austria
• Bangladesh
• Bolivia
• Bosnia
• Brazil
• Central African Republic
• China
• Dominican Republic
• D.R. Congo
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Ethiopia
• France
• Gambia
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Indonesia
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kosovo

• Laos
• Lebanon
• Liberia
• Lithuania
• Malawi
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Morocco
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Nigeria
• Nicaragua
• Papua New Guinea
• Peru
• Philippines
• Romania
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Sudan
• Syria
• Thailand
• Trinidad
• Turkey
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vietnam
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

To learn more about our work visit worldhelp.net/work

We believe . . .

• The Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

• That there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

• That for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

• In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

• In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

• In the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

World Help is a faith-based humanitarian organization that exists to serve the physical and spiritual needs of people in impoverished communities around the world. We are dedicated to providing help for today and hope for tomorrow.

One of World Help’s primary goals for our Child Sponsorship Program is to help train and equip children to become future leaders in their own communities. Because of this, we do not facilitate adoptions. While some of the orphaned children in our programs are blessed by being adopted through programs in their home country, this is not something that we orchestrate.

Of course! World Help offers a variety of trip options that may provide you the opportunity to meet your sponsored child. For more details on these trips, please visit our trips page.

You can also plan your own trip to visit your sponsored child. These visits are always exciting moments for sponsors and the children. Each visit will be handled on a case-by-case basis in order to determine if the visit will be possible.

The information we need from you to determine if a visit is possible would be:

• Trip Dates
• Locations
• Available Days/Times to Visit With Your Child

At this point, we will submit your request to the Program Director for Child Sponsorship and our partners at your child’s program regarding the possibility of your visit. If we are able to arrange it, you would be required to pay a small processing fee for a mandatory background check.

To find out if you will be able to visit your sponsored child, contact us today!

Absolutely! We highly encourage our sponsors to write to their sponsored children. Letters develop a sense of trust and foster a deeper relationship between sponsors and their children.

The child or children you sponsor would love to hear more about you and your life. Feel free to write about your family, hobbies, friends, favorite Bible verses, your daily life, or anything you feel would be good to share with a child in another country. Photos are also a great addition to your letter!

Because of the country some of the children are located in, our programs may require religious-sensitivity through correspondence. But you are still able to write to them. If your child is in one of these programs, we will communicate this with you shortly after you sign up for sponsorship.

The letters you send to your child are a huge ministry opportunity and a way to show God’s love! They are an opportunity to mentor, encourage, and stand alongside a child in need, rather than just an exchange of information and details. Even if they do not write back right away, your letters are a continuous reminder to your child that he or she is loved, prayed for, and supported.

Read our blog post about the importance of correspondence to your sponsored child!

We believe that the best way to administer assistance to the children in our sponsorship program and their families is through the work of our in-country partners. Our partners focus on providing the most essential needs in each community, maximizing the impact of sponsors’ financial gifts. When a child is sponsored, the funds go toward the child’s program, which then directly benefits the sponsored child, their family, and the community. You can also have a lasting impact on their life by cultivating a personal relationship with them through correspondence.

Simply contact us! A Donor Services Coordinator would be more than happy to assist you in updating your recurring gift.

For sponsorship, our standard donation is $40 each month or $480 each year. While most of our donors choose to give on a monthly basis, there are also options available to give annually, twice annually, quarterly, or weekly.

There are several times throughout the year when you might want to send an extra gift to your sponsored child. This could be for holidays or for your child’s birthday. No matter what you send, your gift is sure to be appreciated! There are multiple ways to provide extra gifts for special occasions. You may donate financially, or send a letter or small package.

If you send an extra financial contribution, your gift will go toward a special events fund. While we are unable to give financial gifts directly to your sponsored child, your extra gift will be used by our partner at your child’s program to directly impact your child. For example, if you send an extra gift at Christmas time, this will allow our partner to host a special Christmas celebration for the children in the program.

During the year, you will receive customized birthday and Christmas cards encouraging you to send a special message to your child. Or if you would like to send your own card or include a small package with your letter, we have a great webpage for you, full of ideas, listed below. It details what you can send, what items to avoid, and where to send everything.

One important thing to keep in mind is that cards and packages can take up to eight weeks to reach your child. To ensure that any gift arrives on time, be sure to send the gift well in advance.

Celebrate your child’s birthday!

Send a gift to your child!

We are aware that sometimes circumstances arise that prevent you from continuing your sponsorship. We completely understand and hope you will be able to partner with us again in the future.

To cancel your sponsorship, simply contact us and we will take care of the cancellation for you.

It is possible to have your gifts process automatically on any day between the 1st and 28th of each month. To change the date your direct giving processes, simply contact us to let us know what day would be most convenient for you. We would be glad to get that switched for you.

It is helpful, though not required, to have your Donor Account Number handy when contacting us with questions regarding your account.

There are a variety of ways you can connect with your sponsored child: through prayer or sending a letter, small package, or submit a letter to your child online.

For ideas of what to include and what to avoid, click on the links above or visit our Pinterest page.

All letters and packages are to be sent to:

Sponsored Child’s name and Child ID #
c/o World Help Child Sponsorship Program
P.O. Box 501
Forest, VA 24551

Emails may be sent through the form via the link above or directly to childsponsorship@worldhelp.net. If you choose this option, please include your child’s name and ID number as well as your name and donor account number.

After receiving your letter, small gift, or email, we will process and send them on to your sponsored child. We are so excited for you to start building your relationship with them!

To sponsor a child through our website, you will need to follow these few, simple steps:

Step 1: Click the Sponsor a Child link found in the menu bar at the top of the World Help Homepage.

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page. You will find the option to either sponsor one of the children pictured or to do a more detailed search on other children you may wish to sponsor.

To set age, gender, and/or country parameters, you will need to use the drop-down boxes next to the Search for a Child text near the bottom of the page.

You may choose to only select a country, age, or gender, or you can select a combination of these three parameters. Click Search, and the page will be refreshed with only children that meet your search criteria.

Step 3: Once you find your child click the, Sponsor Him/Her button next to their picture.

Step 4: You will be taken to a page on which you will confirm the date and the frequency of your donations. When you have set your preferences, click Add Sponsorship to Cart.

Step 5: Once on the Gift Summary/Checkout page, you will be able to enter your giving information, and then click Submit Gift.

For multiple sponsorships:

Follow steps 1-4 above.

Once you reach step 5 (the Gift Summary/Checkout page), instead of clicking Submit Gift, you may simply repeat steps 1-4 for the next child.

Repeat steps 1-4 until you reach the number of children you would like to sponsor. The red number by the cart icon in the upper right-hand corner should reflect your total amount of sponsorships (unless you have previously added other gifts to your cart).

Once you have reached your desired number of sponsorships, proceed to the Gift Summary/Checkout page. From here, you may enter your giving information and click Submit Gift.

If you need any help with the sponsorship process, or would rather that we set up the sponsorship on your behalf, please feel free to call or email us.

Simple!

All you need to do is complete the following two steps:

Step 1: Login to your online donor account.

Step 2: Enter your updated giving information on the Make a Payment tab.

You can also contact us and we will be happy to help you update this information.

Your sponsorship gifts provide your child with the tools they need to help break the cycle of poverty. They receive access to life-changing basics such as nutritious food, clothing, clean water, medical care, and an education. Your child will also receive the necessary school supplies and uniforms.

More important, your child will have the opportunity to learn about God’s Word and experience His love. Many of our programs have the children participate in Bible classes as spiritual development is a very important component in the lives of these children.

You can learn more about the different types of programs we partner with by clicking here!

To see our most recent updates from our programs, click here!

We partner with some programs in areas that are significantly closed to the Gospel. For a person to be a Christian within these cultures is a risk. We desire to protect our partners as well as our sponsored children, and we ask that you help us in doing so.

If the child you sponsor is part of a sensitive program, you will be notified as well as given guidelines for corresponding with them. Although we request you limit your discussion of the Christian faith, we assure you that your sponsored child is hearing the Gospel, as our partners work closely with the children to ensure they know about Christ’s love and His saving grace.

We are aware that sometimes circumstances arise that prevent you from continuing your sponsorship. We completely understand and hope you will be able to partner with us again in the future!

We appreciate the prayers, partnership, and support you’ve invested into your child’s life! Please know that your child will remain in the sponsorship program as we seek out another sponsor for them.

We have structured our program in a way so that even unsponsored children receive the love and care they need. Through the gifts of other donors in your child’s program and gifts given through special project funds like the Unsponsored Children Fund and the Medical Emergency Fund, you can be assured that your child will remain in our program even in the occurrence of a cancellation.

We always welcome your prayers during this time of transition. If you find that you are able to sponsor again, we would be more than happy to check if your child is available for sponsorship.

When your sponsored child leaves the program, we will notify you by mail with more information. There are several reasons why children may leave the program: They may graduate, their family may move away from where the program is located, or their family may become financially independent.

Regardless of your child’s reason for leaving their program, it is our hope that the knowledge they gained and the love they received while being a part of our sponsorship programs will be carried with them for the rest of their lives.

While you may no longer be able to continue sponsoring your child, you can still make an impact in the life of another child in need! We will provide you with a biography of another child in our program so you may continue investing in children’s lives around the world. If you should choose not to sponsor the new child we send you, simply let us know, and we can discontinue your sponsorship or help you select another available child.

Your Donor Account Number is the unique, 6-digit number that is assigned to you when you either donate to or create an online account with World Help. Although not always required, having your donor account number on hand can be extremely useful when communicating with us, as it helps us locate your account quickly and accurately.

You can locate your Donor Account Number through the following methods:

• Log in to your online account. Your account number will be located directly below the Account Summary heading on the upper, left-hand corner of the page.

• If you receive mail from us with a reply piece attached, your account number will be printed on that page as well.
• Contact us! We would be more than happy to help you find your account number. During business hours, you can connect with us quickly through LiveChat. Simply click the blue pop-up button in the bottom, right-hand corner of our website.

No matter what form it takes, your correspondence is extremely meaningful to your sponsored child. It is not always easy to find items to send an older child. Listed below are a few ideas of gifts that your teenaged sponsored child would love!

• Hair accessories
• Toiletries (e.g. Toothbrush, Packaged Bar of Soap)
• Postcards from around the world
• Photos of your family, your pets, or your hometown
• Socks
• Inflatable beach ball
• Pens and pencils
• Small notepads
• Pocket-sized Bible

For more ideas, see our Pinterest board! For a list of items to avoid, please check out our correspondence page. You may send gifts as often as once a month in a flat 6×9-inch envelope. These envelopes may be picked up at your local post office.

These items can be mailed to:

Sponsored Child’s name and Child ID #
c/o World Help Child Sponsorship Program
P.O. Box 501
Forest, VA 24551

As a reminder, please do not send cash to your sponsored child. If you wish to send an extra financial contribution, or if you have a question as to whether or not you are able to send a specific item to your sponsored child, please contact us!

We ship correspondence to our programs at least every other month. Some programs may receive correspondence more often as we have teams traveling periodically to those locations, or during the holidays to accommodate the large amount of correspondence we tend to receive at those times. Sending mail internationally presents its own set of challenges, taking an estimated 6 to 10 weeks from when it leaves your home to reach your sponsored child. We also track each shipment to ensure safe arrival at its final destination.

From time to time, we do post program updates from our partners. These updates may be found here. Our blog is also a wonderful resource to further learn, not only about our child sponsorship programs, but our other partners as well. Oftentimes, you may find a story from the blog about your sponsored child’s program. Feel free to check out some of our videos too!

If you have any other questions about your sponsorship or your child’s program, please contact us. We would love to help you.

To ensure the safety of the children, sponsors, and partners, we process all correspondence in-house before sending it on to you or your child. This helps to expedite everything through customs while protecting the privacy and contact information of our partners and donors.

This practice also helps our partners by reducing the number of mailings they receive and facilitating a quick and efficient means of getting your letter or small package to your child once it arrives at their program.

We believe the best way to administer assistance to the children in our sponsorship programs is through the work of our in-country partners. Our partners focus on providing the most essential needs in each community, maximizing the impact of sponsors’ financial gifts.

When a child is sponsored, the funds go toward the child’s program, which directly impacts the sponsored child, their family, and their community. This allows for all the children in the program—including those without current sponsors—to receive the love and care they need.

Direct financial gifts can cause issues of jealousy among the children and can put the child who receives the monetary gift in danger. Additionally, the effectiveness and sustainability of direct financial gifts is very difficult to monitor.

You are always more than welcome to donate above and beyond your normal gift, as it will have a huge impact on your child and their community. Any additional gifts can be allotted to your child’s program through our birthday or Christmas funds, or you can give to other areas in need through our Gifts of Hope page.

Sometimes the letters you receive from your sponsored child may seem impersonal, or they may not directly address the questions you asked in your most recent letter. There are a few reasons for this.

Sometimes, children will write as a part of a class assignment in their school. The children may also have difficulty grasping the concept of having a conversation by mail with someone they have never met. Many children are still learning to read, write, and speak in English, and this is a great way for them to hone their skills while learning about letter writing.

We encourage you to keep writing to your child, sharing stories and asking specific questions. Your questions will help give them topics to write about. Many times they are so excited to have received mail they forget what they want to say. But writing to your child consistently fosters a sense of trust and they will begin to feel comfortable writing back to you.

Younger children who are not able to write may opt to draw a picture instead. Other times, one of our partners at the program may help construct a letter with them or write on their behalf.

But be assured that these children love to hear from their sponsors . . . keeping the letters in a very special place to read over and over again. You have become a special person in their lives.

We recognize that sponsorship is on an at-will basis, so sponsors may begin or discontinue their sponsorships at any time. Due to the fluctuating state of our sponsor base, each child may have up to two sponsors at a time.

Multiple sponsorships allow financial stability on a monthly basis for our partners’ programs, as well as for the children who receive the benefits of those programs. This also allows the programs to support children that may not yet have a sponsor or are currently between sponsors.

You can update your contact information online through your Online Donor Account.

When you log on to your online account, click on the Account Summary tab.

Once you are on the account summary page, you will see several options including Contact, Address, Phone, and Email.

Click on the blue edit option to update your desired contact field.

After typing in your new information, click update.

If you need any additional help, or if you would like us to update your information for you, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be more than happy to help.

Click the Login button as though you were going to login to your online account.

Click on Change Your Password.

Click Change Password.

Passwords must be at least 6 characters but no more than 12. All characters must be lowercase and include letters and numbers only.

Click Submit.

You can now login using your new password!

You can set up an online account in just a few simple steps.

First, click on the Login button located at the top right-hand corner.

Secondly, click on the Get started here link.

Use your six digit Donor Account Number or Email Address, as well as your City and Last Name to create your online account. Please note that the email address will need to be the email address we already have on file.

Finally, when deciding on your username and password, remember that they need to be between 6 and 12 characters in length, comprised of lowercase letters and numbers only (please avoid special characters).

Once you have created a username and password you should be set up with your online account. If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact us as we are more than happy to help!

Simple!

All you need to do is complete the following two steps:

Step 1: Login to your online donor account.

Step 2: Enter your updated giving information on the Make a Payment tab.

You can also contact us and we will be happy to help you update this information.

Your receipt preferences can be updated from within your Online Donor Account. After you have logged into your account, click on the Account Preferences link near the upper, right-hand corner of the page:

Once on the Account Preferences page, you will see a drop-down box to the right of the Receipt heading. Click this box and select your receipt preference.

To save your new settings, click the Update button on the right side of the page.

If you have any further questions, or would like us to change your receipt preferences for you, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be more than happy to help.

Your Donor Account Number is the unique, 6-digit number that is assigned to you when you either donate to or create an online account with World Help. Although not always required, having your donor account number on hand can be extremely useful when communicating with us, as it helps us locate your account quickly and accurately.

You can locate your Donor Account Number through the following methods:

• Log in to your online account. Your account number will be located directly below the Account Summary heading on the upper, left-hand corner of the page.

• If you receive mail from us with a reply piece attached, your account number will be printed on that page as well.
• Contact us! We would be more than happy to help you find your account number. During business hours, you can connect with us quickly through LiveChat. Simply click the blue pop-up button in the bottom, right-hand corner of our website.

You can access your giving statements through your online donor account. They are located under both the Account Summary and My Giving History pages.

From the drop-down box located on each of those tabs, you will be able to access your past year-end statements as well as your current one.

You may also contact us as we will be happy to send a copy of your statement to you!

It is each participant’s responsibility to consult with his or her personal physician prior to travel, as well as ensure that he or she has all required immunizations for the specific country of travel. We recommend referencing the Center for Disease Control for full details on recommended and required immunizations by country.

All payments made to World Help are tax-deductible, excluding add-ons and safaris.

Each trip participant will have international medical insurance purchased in his or her name through Faith Ventures for the duration of the trip. This is included in the trip cost. It covers medical expenses or procedures that might be incurred while overseas. Please inquire if you would like more details on the specifics of the coverage.

If traveling to Cuba, per current regulations, the health insurance is purchased by each airline and included in the ticket cost. Travelers must retain their ticket for the duration of the trip.

Children must be over 6 years of age and accompanied by a parent until 12 years of age. 13-18 year-olds can travel with a designated adult.

World Help exercises utmost caution when taking groups on international trips and we keep safety as a priority in our choice of partners, lodging, food, and transportation for each group. In spite of this, each participant should be aware that there is always a risk and should consider carefully before committing to a trip.