My Nonprofit Reviews
jane1000
Review for Unbound, Kansas City, KS, USA
Oh boy, where do I start. I thought this charity was fine until a few days ago. I was sent a letter informing me that the child that I had been sponsoring for the last 5 years has now moved, is out of the program and that I should select a new child. Just like that, gone forever. I have maybe 30 letters and pictures from this boy, his picture is on our mantle, I pray for him every day. CFCA let me know that I could send a "farewell" letter and they would "attempt" to get it to him, but any other communication is not allowed. Are you kidding me? I cannot even send a card to his relatives who are in the same program for them to forward. It just has made me sick, I cannot stop crying about it, and my sons are devastated. We had diligently been saving money in a vacation fund to visit Nairobi to finally meet the boy and now nothing. What do I tell my kids? I will always worry and wonder about my foster son. Always. When I tried to contact CFCA about this, they couldn't have been more robotic and cold. It is a big, big company with a big big budget and a cold cold heart. I am sure the money we send does wonderful things for so many people, but I was looking for a personal connection with a child and after years of a lovely relationship it is just ripped away. Beware before you love someone here. I am going to sponsor someone through my local church that does outreach in Africa, I hope the connection will be honored as well as the contribution.
More Feedback
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
Jane, I’m sincerely sorry for the sadness you and your family feel as a result of not being able to continue communication with your sponsored child after he moved away from the CFCA program area. CFCA’s commitment to child protection is the main reason for our policy. I understand your disappointment and want to explain more about the reasons for our policy. Once a child leaves our program, it’s not logistically possible for us to monitor communications between the child and former sponsor. This monitoring is done to ensure the safety and privacy of everyone involved. In our sponsorship program, we don’t provide direct contact information for children and sponsors. Letters are sent through our local office where the child lives. The letters are read by our staff to make sure they’re appropriate and translated, if needed, and then hand-delivered to the children. I hope this explanation is helpful to you. Your sponsorship made a difference in your sponsored child’s life, and I hope you’ll find some consolation in the knowledge that your friendship lives on in both of your hearts. Thank you for all you’ve done for your sponsored child through CFCA. Sincerely, Lilliana, CFCA Sponsor Services
