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Review from CharityNavigator ChildFund International
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May 26, 2011
1 person found this review helpful
I am extemely unhappy with CFI. I have been a sponsor for years (since it was Christian Children's Fund) and I am not sure what happened when they changed the name from Christian Children's Fund to CFI, but there is a marked difference in this organization for the worst. The last three cash gifts to one of my sponsored children have not been received as far as I am aware. The first time I called to ask if she received it since I had not received an acknowledgement, I was told "I can guarantee she received it". After the third concurrent occrance, I do not believe them. I used to suport all of their endeavors, but no more. I will not drop my current sponsored children since I have a commitment to them, but I will not sponsor another child through this organization. I am also disappointed that they dropped "Christian" from their name. I was led to believe that they were sharing God's word through their missions which I have since found out is not the case. If one of your goals is that your sponsored child learn about the Gospel, this is not the organization for you.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
N/A
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
N/A
May 25, 2011
I have reviewed much of the literature provided by Child Fund International and am impressed by the level of service that is provided to so many needy children and their families throughout the world. I feel it is also noteworthy that a high percentage of each contribution goes directly to the provision of these services, rather than being absorbed by administrative costs. Therefore, I have chosen Child Fund International to be the recipient of my donations on several occasions.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
My review of its literature.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
No recommendations at this time.
May 25, 2011
We have been sponsoring Joyce in Zambia for about 5 years now. Joyce's neighbor writes letters to us on her behalf and includes an list of the items purcased with her birthday and Christmas gifts. It's especially gratifying to see that we are buying goats and roofing materials that are benefiting Joyce's entire family in addition to items for Joyce herself.
I feel that CFI is a very good manager of our donations and we're planning to continue to support our child.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
getting pictures of our sponsored child on a yealy basis and seeing that she is maturing into a healthy and educated young lady.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
No changes at this time.
May 17, 2011
Our company sponsored 2 little girls in Senegal for 15 yrs. Sadly, when we merged with a company based in India they decided to cancel the support. We sent birthday & Xmas presents & received updates, thank you notes from the girls, & many letters.
We have personally been supporting a girl in Uganda since she was 5 yrs old. She is now going to school to become a nurse & we are happily paying her tuition for the 3 yrs of study. Sarah writes to us often with deep appreciation for our support. She tells us about her family, now about her classes, & how happy she is on the way to becoming a nurse. We send money for her birthday & Christmas & we are VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE NEW CHARGE CONNECTED WITH THESE GIFTS.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
letters from 3 different children with their health updates, school updates, & what they bought with the money for their birthdays & Christmas
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
STOP THE EXTRA CHARGE WHEN SENDING GIFTS TO OUR SPONSORED CHILD
May 11, 2011
Wow, some of these complaints about ChildFund International really resonate with me. I've been a sponsor for 20 years, but now I really question where the money is going and how much good it's really doing for my sponsored child.
My first sponsored child kept changing his "educational concentration" from age 18 to 21, so the local program could say he needed more time.
My current sponsored child turned 18 last January; now the local program says he wants to be sponsored until he's 24 (24???!!!!?!?!) so he can finish junior high and high school. In what society is someone a child until age 24?
His report cards have always been mediocre. All his letters for 10 years had to be written by someone else because "he can't do it yet", and the 2-dimensional drawings he allegedly sends haven't changed at all in 10 years. What's going on here?
To top it off, I have to agree that the 20% surcharge to send a monetary gift sounds usurious.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
You know, I'm really not sure any more...
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Have an investigative reporter look into ChildFund International to figure out what's really going on here.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Likely
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
What specific problem, purpose, priority, or project prompted your gift?
Compassion for less fortunate childrfen who deserve a good start.
Why did you make your donation at this time?
My philosophy is "Give someone a fish and they eat for a day. Teach someone to fish and they eat for a lifetime." I hoped that ChildFund would be a hand-up, not a handout. Now I'm feeling used.
What would you tell others about this organization?
Do your homework!
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
May 9, 2011
I have been sponsoring children through this organization for a number of years and was not happy with the 20% fee they charged on monitary gifts. A call to the headquarters put the cost into perspective since there are many steps between the reception and distribution of funds for the stated purpose. They are not dealing with electronic transfers and ATM's on the corner.
I still was a littles miffed until I want to do a sponsorship with a similar large organization. They charge $35.00 per month as opposed to $28.
While ChildFund will accept modest monitary gifts this organization will not accept gifts for the sponsored child UNDER $75.00!!!!
I will not complain about ChildFund again!!!!!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I can understand how complicated the gift giving process has become.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Better explain why changes have to be made. They need a better PR team!!!
May 6, 2011
I have sponsored a number of children through this program over the past 30 years and am sponsoring 2 at the current time. I was once very pleased to be part of what I considered a wonderful organization. However, since they have changed from Christian Children's Fund to ChildFund I have become frustrated with their new focus which seems to be about tacking on exhorbitant adminstrative costs at every turn.
For example, I just received stickers and note pads with each of my sponsored childrens' names on them. Included in the packages were solicitations to send this "free" gift for the cost of postage ($9.00). Now they have gone to the trouble of custom printing who knows how many of these cute little note pads to mail to us (for the supposed cost of devery to our kids). For the cost of all of that, they could have just sent the note pad to the child directly. Really? Stop pestering us for these goofy (and transparent) fundraisers and spend your time and money making a real differernce in these special childrens' lives by supplying them and their families with things they need!
The 20% off the top of any gift for administrative expenses also bothers me considerably. I will no longer deal with this organization after the two kids I am sponsoring now exit the program.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
,
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
,
May 6, 2011
My family has found the opportunity to save a life through Child Fund to be a great joy and learning opportunity for both the adults and our children.
We have sponsored a young boy from Ethiopia since he was 4. Alias is now 13 years old. There were times over the years when we could barely pay our bills. However, we never missed giving so this child could live. In the process, the children who are more blessed in my life have learned the joy and blessings of giving. Alias has brought more joy to us than we could ever give to him. We have been fearful that we would no longer be able to support the child we love as he gets older. I am relieved to find out that we can continue to support Alias. I would not stop supporting my biological child at any age and I am pleased to know that we can continue to support Alias as he grows into a young man. There is very little chance that Alias can find employment in the region of the world he lives in and I can not turn my back on him. Child Fund is the only organization that I am aware of that offers such a unique opportunity to the donor. I stress: You can save a life for under $40.00 a month. It is a no brainer.
I speak from experience. I work with homeless children in the U.S. I know the cost of covering expenses. I was disapointed to see that some folks were riled because the cost of send a gift rose from $2.50 to 20% of the gift. It costs that amount for me to supply a gift to one of the the children I serve locally. Ok, you have to go out and buy the gift (which in a 3rd world country is not always easy) transport the gift to the child and then the child sends a thank you letter ( the letter part is expensive also)
Please ask your self why you are giving this donation? Do you want to save a child's life? Do you really need to eat out? What is more important? I don't mean to sound preachy. I am just so happy that we are blessed to save a life. That is awesome to me. Thank you Child Fund for valuing all children.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Our family is rich even when our pockets have been almost empty. Our daughter grew up knowing Alias and the experience has allowed her to grow into a compassionate human being. Even as a small child, she knew that she was fortunate and that one who gives is blessed.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Grow. Ask the donors to "Speak up even when your voice quakes." Kuhn
May 2, 2011
I have sponsored students through Child Fund for over 25 years, In 2006, I joined one of their Study Tours to Brazil and was able to spend a day with my sponsored boy, who was 13 at the time, and his mother. Previous to our visit, I would get obligatory notes, thanking me for birthday or Christmas presents. Then we got to meet, and I have since received long letters from him. Within each one, he mentions his trip to the ocean to meet me and how much his mother enjoyed it, too. We are now "real people" to each other and it has made such a difference.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have sponsored about 6 or 7 students through Childfund over the past 25+ years and have greatly enjoyed the experience and learned much about the families and the projects through which they work and play.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
I truthfully can think of nothing I would change.
May 2, 2011
My family has been sponsoring children through ChildFund for over 11 years now. My mother, sister, and I support 17 children from all around the world...each one of them capturing a piece of our hearts. Our family sees our money not as our own, but as "God's money", and thus, choosing a charity, and supporting it with enthusiastic hearts means really doing our homework to ensure that the money we invest is being put to good use. It is with confidence that I can report that ChildFund is incredibly careful, respectful, and responsible with the money donated to it's organization. We even had a situation many years ago where one "project" was not accounting appropriately for it's funding, and ChildFund informed us that they regrettably had to terminate help in that area. ChildFund knows the burden and responsibility of being accountable to it's sponsors, and I believe that they are doing the best that they can to meet the needs of the sponsors and the sponsored...not an easy balance. The 20 percent increase that many people are referring to in their write- ups is a big change, but it's one that should have been happening gradually over the past 10 years. It requires time and money to deliver special gifts to our sponsored children. When we sent a recent gift of a $500.00 cow, for example, to Uganda, it requires time and one on one effort from multiple employees to make arrangements for the purchase, delivery, protection, etc. I can't possibly pretend to believe that the old fee of $2.50 would have been sufficient to cover the expenses of this task. I am more than happy to pay for the privilege of having someone help me deliver gifts to our beautiful families all over the world! We love ChildFund! We can't say enough about what wonderful things they do!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Receiving letters from the children and the families we support. We receive pictures of the children and even pictures of the gifts we purchase for them through the money we send above and beyond our monthly sponsorship. ChildFund also communicates with us in a very extensive way.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Find a way for communication between sponsor and sponsored children to happen faster. Letters take 4 to 8 weeks to arrive.
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