ChildFund International
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May 18, 2012
I will be quitting ChildFund this week after 7 years and 3 sponsored children. Dropping "Christian" from its name was the first bad sign. I "visited" 2 of my sponsored children. It is false advertising to call it a visit, it should be called a "meeting". We got to meet with the kids in the ChildFund office only! Very awkward and unmoderated. The logistics of the "visits" were botched as well. I have been living with their outrageous 20% fee up till now. I send one of my sponsored children $100 each month. That costs me an extra $25 a month...crazy! I have found another way to get money to the family, so it bye-bye ChildFund. By the way I do sponsor 2 other children through WorldVision and have been very happy.
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How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
None
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Unlikely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Badly
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
May 3, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I have been sponsoring a child for 8 years and I think it is disguisting that ChildFund takes 20% of gifts as handling fees. These children need the money more then they do. It really sours the gift giving process. If Anne Goddard can take home over $250,000 in 2010 they can find a way to lower their handling fees. Do what is right for the children -- do the Christian thing ChildFund.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unsure
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
May 2, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I have been a sponsor for many years - currently sponsor 3 children. There is no doubt that ChildFund does good work - but to take 20% of the gift meant for the family is excessive. I am willing to give 5% - that is reasonable - but not 20%. Additionally - the children are sponsored for 18 years. Don't send any letters asking for more time. This is not "AdultFund" - it is "ChildFund". You have many unhappy contributors. If you overhead is so high, charge more on the monthly fees or reduce your costs. It is taking unfair advantage of the generosity of CF sponsors - almost blackmail.
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Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
April 24, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I donated to ChildFund for many years, including a trust donation of $25,000. I was supporting five children. One of my supported children moved out of the area. I was not informed. The child's mother wrote to thank me for the Christmas gift and told me that her daughter had moved to another island. I received contradictory explanations as to how it happened that a child left the program and CF did not know or chose not to inform me. I was first told there was a computer glitch and then that it was decided at the local level to continue to give the donation to another member of the same family. I did not find the first explanation truthful and the second indicated to me that CF was not in control of its finances. I withdrew my support.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
1 person found this review helpful
April 15, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
Child Fund International is an exceptional organization doing terrific work around the globe with tremendous breadth and unparalleled experience.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
April 8, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
As a Christian, I was quite pleased to donate to an organization bold enough to proclaim it's faith base. The name change to CFI made me wonder what other shifts in philosophy might accompany that move. Then came the rate boost to 20% for gifts made to the child. Hmmm...when I questioned my sponsored child about how much he actually received, I got two different amounts, and a peculiar accounting that made me suspect his gift was being "managed" for him At this point, I will not drop the child. I want to speak to someone in authority at CFI. I want to be able to write the child directly, without censorship or filtering through the charity. Stay tuned, let's see if someone will speak to me.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Unlikely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unlikely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
March 31, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I was a CCF donor for about 17 years and moved to CF when the change took place. I got a really bad feeling about where funds were going and about how long the benficiaries are kept in the program. One of my 3 "children" was getting significantly old to be called a child. In the past CCF would rotate a child out and I woul receive another younger child. I finally couldn't deal with them anymore and switched my giving to Kiva. I am pleased that I did.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
1 person found this review helpful
March 24, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
Hi. I have been sponsoring Rosa Vanessa Hidalgo in Ecuador for over 3 years and it has been a very positive experience. About every 3 months or so I get a letter and sometimes a picture of her explaining her progress and always thanking me. It is such a small ammount each month and such a huge impact. And it makes me feel good(I'm selfish). Like another reviewer said, if it wasn't for Child Fund, how would we donate? Probably into a large impersonnel organization. With Child Fund we get the one on one interaction. A fantastic group! 5 stars!
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
March 14, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I first started sponsoring a child in Sri Lanka through CCF. When I sent my child cash presents, I could choose to send (or not send) a small processing fee. Childfund International now charges a 20% processing fee -- outrageous! My child now gets only $40 of the $50 I send for birthdays and Christmas. He will be 20 years old in July. I have no idea when he will age out of the program, but Childfund continues to take the donation from my credit card each month. When my sponsorship ends, I will not donate to this charity for another child.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
4 people found this review helpful
March 13, 2012
4 people found this review helpful
I am a donor to many charities.After reading these comments and comments from Invisible Children I am sorley disappointed in both. I can't believe that we have to be so careful of our genorosity turning into a business opportunity to exploit the children as opposed to helping them. I was and now a true believer that most of these charities are children factories of cash flow. Multi donors to the same child and families that may or may not exist. Now that these charities are open to the internet they are naked and cannot hide behined guilting us by dangeling the children in front of us as there meal ticket!!!!!!!!!!!
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Unlikely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unlikely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
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