|
1)
What do the scholarships pay for?
Typically, they pay for school tuition and fees, books and
supplies, uniforms, school lunches, and if necessary, school
transportation and a monthly basket of staple food items for
the family.
back
to top
2)
For how long are the scholarships provided?
They
are funded until the student completes both elementary and
secondary school, and receives a high school diploma.
back
to top
3)
I'm not sure how successful we can be at fund-raising. May
we start out with a one-year commitment to see how it goes?
We
prefer a long-term commitment; but, we can accept a one-year
commitment. You are not contractually bound to a long-term
obligation. You are simply taken at your word. We are hopeful
that once you begin sponsoring a child, you will want to continue
until that child has graduated. If you should decide to stop
funding a scholarship for future years, it is very important
that you inform us of this decision well in advance so that
we can find a successor to continue sponsoring the scholarship.
back
to top
4) What is the annual cost of an educational sponsorship?
The average annual cost of a sponsorship
is US$2,500, with a required minimum annual pledge
of $500. We pool the scholarship funds of all supporters
to create maximum benefit for the greatest number of children.
The actual scholarship costs vary every year due to inflation,
currency fluctuation and other economic factors beyond our
control. Pooling scholarships allows us to even out the tremendous
fluctuations that can occur due to the above-mentioned economic
factors, to maintain the continuity of current scholarships
in cases of funding shortfalls, and to pay school tuition
and fees in a timely manner in cases of funding delays.
back
to top
5)
Does a sponsoring school, church, organization, company or
individual have to fund the entire amount?
No.
If a school, a church, an organization, a company or an individual
person chooses not to sponsor the entire amount, another sponsor
will be found to complete the funding of the sponsorship.
Sponsoring partners will be found in the United States, Brazil,
and other countries, as well.
back
to top
6)
Are sponsorship contributions tax deductible?
On
September 22, 1998, Students Helping Street Kids International
received recognition of tax-exempt status from the U.S. Internal
Revenue Service as a section 501(c)(3) organization. CONTRIBUTIONS
ARE U.S. INCOME TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
back
to top
7) Where do the scholarship recipients study?
They
attend schools in their own communities.
back
to top
8)
Who selects the scholarship recipients?
Professionals
from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working directly
with kids in the streets and slums select the children.
back
to top
9) On what basis are the children selected?
They
are selected based on a number of criteria including poverty,
intelligence, having a fixed home, parents / guardians agreeing
to allow the student to remain in school until high school
graduation, self-discipline and a strong desire to learn and
succeed.
back
to top
10) If we are going to help someone, why not help the kids
in our own country?
We
highly encourage participation in any of the numerous programs
that benefit youth in the United States and elsewhere. Our
aim is to give the youth who are raising the funds exposure
to other cultures allowing them to broaden their world view
as well as to develop their character by learning to give
to others less fortunate than themselves. Hence, we have chosen
to provide scholarships to impoverished kids in Brazil as a way to accomplish this.
back
to top
11)
Are Brazilians doing anything to help their
own street kids?
Brazil has many exemplary programs aimed at providing
assistance to street kids and other needy children; but the
problem is very large and complex and they need help.
back
to top
12) What if a scholarship recipient moves or drops out of
the program for any reason?
Life
certainly can be unpredictable, especially for children living
in poverty with little or no control over their personal lives.
If, for any reason, a student cannot complete his/her studies,
we would be prepared to transfer the scholarship to another
deserving and qualified candidate. Studies have shown that
every additional year of study in the life of a child in the
developing world has a significant impact upon their earning
power and quality of life.
back
to top
13)
Can our students correspond with our adopted student?
Absolutely.
Developing a relationship between your students and the adopted
student is one of the most valuable parts of this program,
both for the students providing the scholarships and the student
receiving the scholarship.
back
to top
14) How do we get started?
Once
you inform us of your decision to ?adopt? a child and sponsor
a scholarship, we will match you up with a child and furnish
you with photographs and a biographical profile.
back
to top
15)
We are unable to sponsor a scholarship, but how can we still
help?
Students
Helping Street Kids International is able to continue its
work with street kids only through the generous donations
of people who are willing to support this work. If you would
like to contribute, you may do so in several ways:
- Make
a credit or debit card donation by going to any page on
our Web site (www.helpthekids.org) and click on the
Give Online button. To donate by phone, call 1-800-374-1578
or 1-415-924-1108 and say that you want to make a credit
or debit card donation to Students Helping Street Kids International,
a member of Children's Charities of America.
- Send
a check made payable to Students Helping Street Kids International
and mail it to us at P.O. Box 252, Spencerville, MD 20868,
USA, along with your address so that we can send you a written
acknowledgment and an expression of gratitude.
- Purchase
from shop iGive:
When you purchase products through one of our vendors at
shop iGive, you can produce immediate and sizeable earnings
for Students Helping Street Kids International. As much
as 15% of your purchase price will go to SHSKI. It?s quick,
easy and there?s no extra cost to you. The more you shop,
the more you earn for SHSKI.
|
